Project Ethiopia

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Project Ethiopia helps Farmers - 2010:

SUCCESS: Diluted Urine as fertilizer

Urine works better than chemical urea fertilizer.  Farmers get about an 8% greater yield with urine as fertilizer.  The main benefit is the savings from not having to buy chemical urea fertilizer.

Twenty farmers volunteered to grow an area of corn fertilized once a week with 40 ml of 3:1 WATER:URINE mix only.  The rest of their corn field was fertilized using chemical urea fertilizer.  The 20 farmers were paid 250 Eth Birr each (the value of harvest of the urine-fertilized plot) as a risk payment since the result was unknown and in case all of their urine-fertilized corn failed.

There were 100 corn plants randomly selected from each field.  The weight of all kernels from the corn in the chemical urea field was subtracted from the weight of all kernels from the corn in the urine field.   The data are these 20 differences.  For all 20 farmers, the urine-fertilized kernels weighed more than the urea-fertilized kernels.

The increase in weight for the urine-fertilized corn was statistically significant.

Urine is sterile and can be safely used immediately. 

This farmer grew 2 experimental plots of corn.  One was fertilized with 1:1 water:urine, one with 3:1 water:urine and the rest of his field with the expensive urea chemical fertilizer that all the farmers use.  His results were that the 1:1 urine-fertilized corn had more cobs per plant, a larger diameter stalk and better root system than did the other plants.  The yield was greatest from the 1:1 urine-fertilized plants, next from the 3:1 urine fertilized plants and least from the chemical urea-fertilized plants.   His results gave all the farmers increased confidence in growing using diluted urine as a fertilizer. 
 
ALL farmers can now save the money they used to spend on the chemical urea fertilizer. 
 
This money can be used for additional food for the family and for other necessities.

Workineh's help was invaluable here.  He worked with the farming community by forming a Farmers Association of 50 farmers and encouraging the use of latrine compost as fertilizers in their fields as well as assessing what areas Project Ethiopia could help.

Honey is a major money crop for the area's farmers, so the Farmers Association would be given this honey extractor/centrifuge which will move from one farm to another and will greatly increase the safe and sanitary removal of honey from the beehives.  Honey business is thriving since demand exceeds supply.

Workineh will teach farmers to use urine and compost from school latrines to fertilize and increase crops, decrease malnutrition and lower costs by $240 per farmer per year by not buying chemical fertilzers.

Traditional beehive - vulnerable to animals raiding it.

Lessons on how to mold the combs for the frames

120 Sickles and watering cans were  purchased and distributed thanks to the generous donations that Project Ethiopia has received!

These will be used by the women and children to weed and water the gardens near their homes. 

51 beehives arriving and with the honey extractor create a thriving business.

Farmers having a look at them and understanding how everything works.

With the honey extractor, farmers have a faster and cleaner way to remove honey from the combs.

More beehives are needed - will you help?

Men are shown here demonstrating the use of the sickles.
 

What We've Accomplished So Far in Sustainable Farming:

  •    51     $50 - modern beehive
  •      1   $211 - honey extractor centrifuge
  •      2   $412 - casting molds for honey combs
  •      2    $11 - honey comb embedders
  •   200     $2 - sickle for woman or child to weed or harvest
  •   100     $3 - watering cans
 
 
Project Ethiopia  c/o Interfaith Community Church 1763 NW 62nd Street, Seattle, WA 98107
Project Ethiopia has 501(c)(3) status so US donations are tax deductible.