Hydroponics and the Santoy Farmers Cooperative

By -
Last month, F2F volunteers Tom Evans and Wally Pill traveled to Jamaica to assist the Santoy Farmers Cooperative in establishing a hydroponic system for their microgreen production.

The following includes excerpts from Dr. Evans’ and Dr. Pill’s joint trip report:

Constructing the hydroponic system. 
“This cooperative, under the leadership of Mr. Milton Murdock, has expanded their production of microgreen vegetables over the last several years. More and more resorts and restaurants are being served by the Cooperative. […] One of the major costs in microgreen production is the cost of the substrate in which the microgreens are grown. Since there are no locally produced substrates that the cooperative could use, peat-based substances from overseas must be imported. Such substrates are very expensive. One way to reduce the cost of microgreen production is therefore to eliminate the need for peat-based substrates and produce the microgreens hydroponically. Hydroponics has many forms, but the form chosen for the Santoy Cooperative is the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). In this system, a diluted solution containing all the essential nutrient elements for plant growth is run down a sloping trough in a thin film. The plants are raised on some sort of inert material placed in the trough. This inert material varies greatly, but can be phenolic foam or rockwool cubes or matting. For microgreens, matting is used, but the choice of matting material is a critical concern. Normally the effluent from the lower end of the trough is collected and recycled through the trough system.”

Roots ramified the burlap to anchor the microgreens.
Dr. Evans and Dr. Pill worked with the Cooperative to construct the NFT system. Steps included constructing benches that could support the troughs, installing electrical and plumbing components, and selecting the type of matting to use in the trough. Each part of the process required some trial and error to best customize the NFT system to the Santoy Cooperative’s needs. Matting, for example, “needs to prevent seeds from moving with the flow of nutrients solution down the trough, must be able to retain sufficient moisture to support plant growth between irrigations, and must also be economical.” To determine which type of matting would work best, the F2F volunteers and Santoy Cooperative members set up a small experiment using four different types of matting in four different troughs. They found that the most effective matting material was either burlap or a wick mat depending on species of crop and size of need.

Baby salad lettuce. 
In light of increased local demand for baby salad lettuce, Mr. Murdock also requested that F2F volunteers assist the Cooperative in lettuce production. Dr. Evans and Dr. Pill worked with producers to sow the lettuce seeds in plug trays, select the appropriate nutrient solution and calculate the nutrient needs of plants in the troughs. By improving and increasing production of microgreens and slightly larger plants like baby salad lettuce, the Santoy Cooperative can more effectively penetrate the direct sales market of its products, selling directly to resorts or high-end restaurants rather than selling to brokers. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case ...
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017....
Read more

Supporting Anti-Child Labor Projects in Ecuador and Panama

By -
Image
EducaFuturo is a program currently being implemented by Partners of the Americas in Ecuador and Panama. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), EducaFuturo seeks to combat child labor in both countries through educational programs, vocational training, and livelihood services. F2F has partnered with EducaFuturo on numerous occasions over the past 5 years, sending 7 volunteers to support their efforts in improving the educational outcomes of youth involved in child labor, while also increasing the income opportunities of households to reduce reliance on child labor. Volunteers have provided training on a range of topics, including sustainable production practices, processing, business management, and marketing. In January 2016, F2F volunteer Carmen Pacheco-Borden traveled to Panama to work with native Ngabe-Bugle women’s groups in the tomato farming communities of Hato Chami and Boca de Monte to make value-added products from their harvests and consequently increase their hous...
Read more