Stephanie Ng's Visit- May 2012
When we arrived, no one was present at the well site. When I looked at the well closer I realized that well was not like our other wells with a hand pump and all. Instead, this well was enhanced for an agricultural initiative funded by M. Night Shyamalan Foundation. Instead of pumping water and collecting the water, the water is now directly piped underground to irrigate the adjacent farm. Therefore, instead of getting water from the well site, the community goes to the tank nearby which has a pipe pumping water to it.
This agricultural initiative was established several years prior and after a few successful seasons, the community, under the guidance of Reuben (our agricultural expert who actually a member of this community), decided to skip this planting cycle and let the soil be replenished with nutrients. Consequently, the community is letting nature run its course for now leaving the farm full of weeds and other indigenous plants. Even though this communal farm is not producing any produce, the community is not starving or set back since each household has their own small garden whereby they are continuing to grow crops for their sustenance. They hope that their decision to let the soil gain back the nutrients will result in an even greater harvest next year.
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