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11/05/2022

Ganon sana!

PANUNUMPA NG KAWANI NG GOBYERNO

Ako'y kawani ng gobyerno, tungkulin ko ang maglingkod
nang tapat at mahusay.
Dahil dito, ako'y papasok nang maaga
at magtatrabaho ng lampas sa takdang oras kung kinakailangan.

Magsisilbi ako nang magalang at mabilis sa lahat ng nangangailangan.
Pangangalagaan ko ang mga gamit, kasangkapan
at iba pang pag-aari ng pamahalaan.

Pantay at makatarungan ang pakikitungo ko sa mga lumalapit
sa aming tanggapan.
𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗦𝗔𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗔 𝗔𝗞𝗢 𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗡 𝗦𝗔 𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗡 𝗔𝗧 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗦𝗔𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗔.
Hindi ko gagamitin ang aking panunungkulan sa sarili kong kapakanan.

Hindi ako hihingi o tatanggap ng suhol, sisikapin kong madagdagan
ang aking talino at kakayahan upang ang antas ng paglilingkod sa bayan
ay patuloy na maitaas.

Sapagkat ako'y isang kawani ng gobyerno at tungkulin ko ang maglingkod
nang tapat at mahusay, sa bayan ko at sa panahong ito,
ako at ang aking mga kapwa kawani ay kailangan tungo sa isang maunlad,
masagana at mapayapang Pilipinas.

Sa harap ninyong lahat ako'y taos pusong nanunumpa.

13/02/2022

THE RE-GROWTH OF MARKET GARDENING
POSTED ON DECEMBER 15TH, 2021 HELEN DAVIES

Our Marketing and Communications Manager, Helen, with thoughts from the UK.

Recently I’ve noticed that in the UK there has been increasing talk about agriculture. By this I mean the economic and environmental sustainability of our current agricultural system. And it’s not something I thought much about before, but learning about the loss of bees, soil structure and nutrients, to the subsidies required to make farming profitable I have started to find how and where I get my food fascinating. This was partly exacerbated during pandemic lockdowns with many (including myself) rediscovering the importance of outdoor space and growing food at home.

Could it be that bubbling under the surface an agricultural revolution is starting to take hold? There is a steady increase in young gardener influencers on social media, more and more people discovering their local veg box schemes and I’ve noticed an influx in homegrown tomatoes – seriously… did everyone in the UK grow tomatoes last year?!

Growing food at home or on an allotment is one thing, but on a slightly larger scale there is market gardening – a term that is emerging (or re-emerging, it’s not new) on the scene. Market gardening is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables, and flowers for sale. At around 1 – 2 acres in size, these gardens are bigger than the standard allotment, but smaller than an industrial farm.

A close up picture of a selection of vegetables growing.
Polyculture on a small scale – tomatoes, beans, courgettes and broccoli
What’s this about veg boxes?
Veg boxes became a thing in the UK in the 1990s when small-scale producers realised that they could build up their own local customer base. Veg boxes are sold direct to consumers from the farm and usually contain a selection of local, seasonal produce.

During 2020 there was a shift to more locally grown food in the UK as queues for supermarkets and social distancing pushed people to explore different options. According to the Food Foundation, UK veg box sales increased by 111% in the first few months of the pandemic lockdown, with weekly veg box sales more than doubling on pre-pandemic levels. A lot of these boxes originated on small plots through a network of community growing schemes.

What’s really interesting about this is how the small producers were able to adapt to this demand and meet people’s needs. Whereas the large mono-cropped farms of the agricultural revolution were less adaptable.

For those new to gardening, you could be forgiven for thinking market gardening as we now know it is a new concept, or only done as a hobby. As a society we have grown so used to the quintessential UK countryside views of fields hundreds of acres in size. But small-scale gardening for profit has actually been around in some form for centuries (earliest traces of “vegetables raised for market” can be traced back to 1784).

A selection of fruit and vegetables grown in a market garden. The image shows tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, strawberries and salad.
An example of fruit and vegetables grown on a small scale and sold in a veg box.

Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash
The concept of a market garden
Typically, a market garden will grow a diverse variety of crops (polyculture) and rely on manual labour and smart gardening techniques rather than big machinery. The idea is to focus on efficiency in production over a small area. It is a business model that has the potential to be significantly profitable as well as sustainable.

In fact, an efficient market garden can earn 100 x more per square meter of land than industrial farming. This incredible statistic may have you wondering why all farms aren’t like this. The answer lies in the beauty of the market garden model – there is a practical upper bound to tending your crops this way. The magic is lost as soon as big machinery is involved.

A Futurepump point of view
At Futurepump we are proud to be advocates of small-scale farming. It is our belief that small-scale agriculture forms an integral part of our future. We enjoy working with farmers from all around the globe each with farming techniques suited to different climates and societies but all with the same fundamental goal – to produce enough food to feed the world.

Futurepump solar pumps are designed to cater for farmers growing on this scale by providing a sustainable and efficient way to irrigate. We believe robust and efficient tools are essential to promoting the re-growth of productive and profitable agriculture whilst minimising environmental degradation.

13/02/2022

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IRRIGATION TO GROW IN DRY SEASONS
POSTED ON NOVEMBER 24TH, 2021 FREYA HERMAN

When the weather starts getting warmer, this is when your plants can thrive. Depending on where you are in the world, this may mean going into spring and summer, or transitioning from rainy seasons into dry seasons.

But it should all mean the same things for your plants. There is more sunshine, more pollinators and the potential for the best growing conditions.

One really important thing to get right during these warmer, drier times is making sure your plants are getting the right amount of water.

If you don’t know already this practice is known as irrigation, getting water to your plants in a controlled and measured way. And if you get it right you’ll have happier and healthier plants that produce more flowers and food.

Crop being watered by rain water droplets
Sprinkler irrigation “raining” down water on happy, green crops
Now this can be easier said than done at times. In a recent customer poll, an overwhelming 94% (80 people) said changes to rain patterns have impacted and changed the way they have to farm.

With these increasing uncertainties in the rains and how long dry weather will stick around, it is more important than ever to be prepared and have access to affordable, efficient and sustainable irrigation. This will better prepare you to manage these uncertainties and if you choose sustainable methods, such as solar, you’ll be reducing the environmental impacts too.

So, whether you’re setting up irrigation for your farm, market garden, allotment or even backyard, get a plan in place and consider some of the following dry season irrigation tips to set yourself up for success.

Solar panel and solar pump powering a sprinkler on a farm whilst the farmer digs the ground. A range of plants from young fruit trees to leafy greens, this farmer plans to grow in the dry season.
Solar powered irrigation keeping this farm growing through a hot, dry season in Kenya
Where are you getting your water from during dry weather?
You’ll need to make sure you have access to enough water to meet your plants’ needs throughout the drier weather. In drier times or regions, over-abstraction of water sources can and does cause widespread issues. So, it is important to consider how you will get, store, and use water efficiently.

Water storage and conservation can be a real help for this.

A rainwater harvesting set up on a smallholder farm in Kenya: they'll be able to grow in the dry season without waiting for the rain.
Collecting rain water using gutters, pond, and water tanks are all options
Plan ahead and collect rainwater in water butts or storage tanks during rainier periods. This way you’ll know how much water you have and be ready to use it.

Also, if you are using a water source on or near your land, make sure that you monitor the water levels and have the correct permission to access it (according to your local planning rules).

There are many helpful ways to conserve water as you use it too. Pick the most efficient irrigation method that suits you and your plants (more on this below).

You can also use water conservation methods. Such as mulching to protect both your water and soils and try irrigating early or late in the day. Both of these actions will help to reduce the amount of water lost from your farm due to evaporation.

Your plant choice matters too
When planning what plants to grow, you should also consider if you should be growing ones that require less water or have drought resistant variants.

This may not be an issue if you know you’ll have access to enough water throughout the drier weather. However, if it is looking increasingly likely that these dry periods could go on for longer or even turn into drought in your region, then this may be something to keep in mind.

A variety of plants growing well thanks to reliable irrigation. More reason to grow in the dry season.
A variety of plants growing well thanks to irrigation
Which type of irrigation is best for you?
As mentioned above, it is best to choose the irrigation method that is most efficient that suits your needs. There are a few options and what is right for you is going to depend on a few things.

Irrigation Type Advantages Disadvantages
1. Sprinklers Relatively cheap
Easy to set up and use
Not labour intensive
Can cover a large area Not the most efficient
Need to buy sprinklers
2. Drip Very efficient
Direct, gentle irrigation
Not labour intensive
Can cover a large area Expensive start-up costs
More difficult set up
3. Mist Efficient
Not labour intensive
Can cover a large area Expensive start-up costs
More difficult to set up
4. Manual Cheapest option
Easy access Labour intensive
Time consuming
Not suitable for large areas
Less efficient
5. Furrow / Flood Not expensive
Easy access
Can cover a large area Less efficient
You’ll need to consider the size of your plot. Can you set something up like drip irrigation of all your plants and leave it? Or do you need something more mobile that you can rotate around different plots and plants such as sprinklers?

Your budget will play a big part too. Drip irrigation pipes will cost a lot more than sprinklers. And the cheapest option will be manually moving water around your plants with a hose or cans. This can work well for small plots but it is tiresome and give you less control over the amount of water you use.

Tomatoes with drip irrigation in a greenhouse. These will thrive if the gardeners grow in the dry season.
Drip irrigation for tomatoes in a greenhouse, fed by water pumped up to a water tank
If you want to delve deeper, we’ve got a lot of resources that could help you! From explaining the basics of solar irrigation to an in-depth comparison of popular irrigation methods.

Solar Powered Irrigation
How you get your water to your plants for irrigation is also key. For rural, remote, and off-grid areas, portable water pumps are the best way to efficiently and easily move water around.

This is because the water pump can do all the hard work of abstracting, lifting, and moving water over large areas. Plus, they will work with most irrigation methods.

SF2 solar water pump in Italy, helping tree saplings to grow in the dry season, especially the hot summer last year.
SF2 solar water pump in Italy, keeping tree saplings growing in the hot summer last year
There are many different types of water pumps available but not all water pumps are built the same.

You may be familiar with petrol or diesel water pumps. Whilst these have been “the norm” for some time, they are unreliable, short-lived and expensive to run as well as contributing to climate change.

We are changing how people irrigate for the better. At Futurepump, we make surface water pumps that are simple to use and maintain.

Our range is suitable for irrigating up to two acres and lifting water from water sources up to 7m (22ft) deep. They are powered by solar panels – making the most of the abundant sunshine, especially during dry, warm seasons when irrigation is needed most.

Also, we believe it is important that agricultural products last a long a long time and be easy to maintain. So we have designed and built our current range of water pumps with an industry leading 10-year warranty promise.

We even challenged other water pump manufacturers to match our warranty promise but we are still waiting for anyone to do this.

13/02/2022

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR WATER PUMPS
POSTED ON MAY 19TH, 2021 FREYA HERMAN
Happy farm hand with SF2 solar water pump
When deciding which water pump to use to irrigate your farm, there are some advantages and disadvantages of solar water pumps we thought would be helpful for you to know.

As you’ll know from past decisions, all new tools and technologies for your farm have pros and cons. Solar pumps are no different. Using the information below to guide your decision will make sure you get the right water pump for your needs.

Solar Water Pump Advantage – Zero Fuel Costs
Sprinkler in front of solar panel
Solar water pumps are powered by solar panels. Once you have the panel, all the energy you need comes from the sun and is completely free!

This is a major advantage over fossil fuel pumps which require you to constantly buy fuel. Fuel can add a significant cost to your farm irrigation.

Using free solar energy is also an advantage over manual irrigation which takes up a lot of your valuable energy and time (more on this later!).

Solar Water Pump Disadvantage – Can’t Pump Water When It Is Dark
We were just talking about how great solar panels are (and they really are great!), but they do need sunlight to work. If you are wanting to irrigate in the early morning or late evening, you may find there is not enough sunlight for your solar water pump to work.

However, with a bit of planning you can reduce this disadvantage.

One of the best things to do is get a water tank. During the sunniest parts of the day, use your solar pump to pump water to your tank. You will then have water available via gravity feed whenever you need to irrigate your crops.

You could also use a battery with your pump when the sun is not out, but we don’t recommend this as batteries can be expensive and have very short lifetimes.

Tank supplying water to greenhouse and drip irrigation
Tanks holding water for drip irrigation
Solar Water Pump Advantage – Less Labour & Maintenance
Solar water pumps can really reduce the amount of labour and time that is needed to irrigate your crops. Just connect it to your chosen irrigation method, turn on your solar pump and it does all the work for you.

Solar pumps also require less labour and maintenance compared to fossil fuel pumps. First, you won’t run out of fuel and need to travel to the petrol station when your crops are desperate for water. Second, solar pumps, especially with good warranty periods, won’t let you down, whereas fossil fuel pumps require a lot of servicing and regular maintenance.

This ease of maintenance applies especially to surface solar pumps (ones that are not submerged in water). Because they don’t need to be kept watertight they are repairable. In fact, most maintenance can be done with basic tools on your farm.

Just remember to keep your solar panels clean to keep it producing as much energy as possible!

A farmer cleaning the solar panels of an SF2 water pump. This minor maintenance is part of the advantages and disadvantages of solar.
Farmer cleaning the solar panels of the SF2
Solar Water Pump Disadvantage – High upfront costs
The upfront cost of solar water pumps can be a barrier to some farmers, as you need to buy the water pump and panels all at once.

However, in the long-term, solar pumps are the cheaper option for irrigation. This is because of the advantages already discussed – no ongoing fuel costs, long pump lifetimes and low labour and maintenance costs.

Josephine setting up her Futurepump SF2. She has considered the advantages and disadvantages of solar.
The Futurepump SF2 being used to grow crops and sell water to neighbouring farms during the dry season in Kenya, 2019
It’s a good idea to consider how long you will want your water pump to last and calculate the cost of fuel and maintenance over this time. You will be surprised to see how quickly what you spend on fuel adds up and, therefore, the savings you will make!

On top of that, it is very promising that the cost of solar is continuing to fall, whereas the price of petrol is on the rise. This means that this disadvantage is getting smaller and smaller!

Solar Water Pump Advantage – Environmentally Friendly
Manual irrigation of crops during the dry season
Growing crops through the dry season
Solar water pumps are sustainable and use renewable energy. They do not produce harmful pollutants which keeps the air and soil on your farm clean.

Compare this to fossil fuel pumps, they create a lot of pollution both with fumes into the air and spills of fuel into your soil.

This one is very important to us. Rainfall is becoming more unpredictable and, as the climate changes, agriculture will become more difficult across the tropics. The agricultural sector needs to find new, sustainable practices to help tackle the problem and ways to cope with the changes. Solar irrigation is a fantastic option that is available now.

At Futurepump, we are experts in the manufacturing of solar water pumps.

We have worked hard to make the most of these advantages for farmers choosing our solar water pumps.

Futurepump solar pump range - SF2 and SE1. Consider advantages and disadvantages of solar
Our most popular solar water pumps – SF2 (right) for two acres and SE1 (left) for one acre
All our solar water pumps come with a tool kit and a full 10-year warranty. This means ten whole years of worry-free irrigation, with no fuel costs, low-labour input and easy maintenance!

We sell our solar pumps through trusted distributors in over 15 countries (and counting), and there are finance options available in some locations. Find your nearest distributor for more details.

13/02/2022

WHAT IRRIGATION OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS?
POSTED ON JULY 21ST, 2021 FREYA HERMAN
Farmer switched of SF2 solar pump to power spinklers
What is irrigation?
Irrigation is the process of watering your crops in a controlled way. Instead of relying on increasingly unreliable rainfall, irrigation means you can tailor the amount of water you use and when, by what each crop needs to grow best.

How does irrigation benefit smallholders?
Irrigation has many benefits for smallholder farmers!

By giving your crops the correct amount of water, you will be improving their growing conditions. Too much water can cause stunted plant growth as soil that is waterlogged reduces oxygen getting to the roots, and too little water means your crops will dry up.

Irrigation can also reduce water loss on your farm, making it an efficient way to water your crops. You control how much water you use and you can choose to irrigate in cooler periods of the day when the sun is not as strong, reducing evaporation. You can also reduce evaporation by choosing irrigation methods that give smaller, steady amounts of water to your plants.

Lots of irrigation methods can be set up and left to irrigate your crops, meaning less labour for you and more time to get other things done.

This is why irrigation has been widely seen to increase the quality and yield of crops!

Another big benefit of irrigation is not having to wait for the rains, with a water source near your farm you can keep growing crops all year round.

What types of irrigation are there?
There are many different ways to irrigate on your farm, and what you choose will depend on your crops, soil, budget and water source.

Irrigation methods range from the simple and easy, to those requiring the purchase of specialised equipment. Below, we have highlighted some of the main irrigation types we see on smallholder farms:

Sprinkler irrigation
Sprinkler irrigation – 3 to 4 sprinklers are optimum for the Futurepump SF2 solar pump
SPRINKLERS

One of the most popular types of irrigation we see on smallholder farms. They are affordable and very easy to use.

Sprinklers are attached to sections of hose pipe with connectors and water is supplied by either a water pump or water tank. They are moved around the farm to evenly water all the crops.

Water droplets are ‘rained’ down in circles from sprinklers, so a lot of ground can be covered. However, as water is sent from a height to a wider area, it is not as efficient as other types of irrigation.

Sprinklers can be left to irrigate your crops until they need to be moved or stopped, giving you more time to do other things such as farm work or a well-deserved rest.

Drip line irrigating new crops
Drip line irrigating new crops
DRIP

We are seeing more and more drip irrigation used on smallholder farms and there is a good reason why – it is one of the most efficient ways to irrigate your crops!

It is called drip as this method uses hose pipes with small holes or nozzles along it to drip feed water to the base of your plants. These are known as drip lines and are laid along where your crops are planted. Water is usually supplied to the drip lines from tanks, using gravity to power the slow flow of the water. Water pumps are used to get water into the water tanks.

Drip is very efficient as water is slowly given to the base of your plants throughout the day, reducing over-watering, evaporation and water loss. It also allows you to do other things as you can leave it to irrigate (how about another rest!)

However, drip irrigation can be difficult to move around your farm and does require the purchase of drip lines, a water tank and potentially other equipment, which makes it a more expensive option.

Home-made mist irrigation
Home-made mist irrigation
MIST

Mist is less common on smallholder farms.

Mist irrigation works by spraying a fine ‘mist’ of water onto your crops. It is similar in a way to drip, in that water is put through small holes or nozzles but at a higher pressure. This allows you to water quicker and a wider area, but it is less efficient.

Again, mist can be left to irrigate while you do other things but it also requires the purchase of equipment, such as a water tank or water pump, so it has higher start-up costs.

Manual irrigation of crops during the dry season
Manual irrigation of crops during the dry season
MANUAL

Manual irrigation is by far the most common form of irrigation as anyone physically able to, can manually irrigate their crops.

Manual irrigation is you moving water from plant to plant. This is very labour and time intensive and is usually done with a hose or bucket, so it is only suitable for smaller areas.

These ways are also the least efficient as you have less control over the water, and it is usually delivered in larger quantities that are not as good for the plant and can increase run-off from your farm.

However, this is financially the cheapest way to irrigate your farm and it is currently the only easily available option for many smallholders, especially in dry seasons.

Flooding the soil
FURROW OR FLOOD

This is the practice of flooding the soil around your plants, sometimes using furrows (troughs) between raised ridges where your plants grow.

This type of irrigation needs large amounts of water, usually supplied with a water pump. Also, you will need to plan and plant your crops with ridges and furrows.

It is quite an inefficient way to irrigate, as pools of water will evaporate easily, especially in warm, sunny conditions. Plus with the large volumes of water you could lose some from your farm in run-off.

13/02/2022

5 CHEAP AND EFFECTIVE WAYS TO SAVE WATER ON YOUR FARM
POSTED ON NOVEMBER 27TH, 2019 HELEN DAVIES
A small plant in a puddle of water leaking from a hosepipe
Keeping crops alive during the dry season is hard work. It is a constant battle when water is scarce and the sun is hot.

However, for those of you who are business-minded you will know about the huge benefits that can be reaped if you can grow, harvest and sell in these seasons. As standard, rain-fed crops leave the market, the price of irrigated crops soars.

Therefore, it is worthwhile investing in that dry season crop. And yes, you can invest in drought resistant seeds, complicated irrigation canals and drip irrigation. But did you know, there are some really simple, effective and cheap ways to use your irrigation water more efficiently?

1. Mulch
Cabbages with organic mulch around their bases
We cannot overemphasise the importance of mulching. Mulch is something laid on the surface of the soil to protect the soil from the air, water and the sun.

To mulch, first w**d the soil then spread a thick layer of organic mulch on the soil. Examples of organic mulches are:

Chopped leaves
Straw
Grass clippings
Wood chips
Shredded bark
Pine needles
Mulching helps save time and labour as it discourages w**ds and pests and conserve water through reduced evaporation.

Organic mulch also goes a long way to improving the soil health. And guess what…? Healthy soils also retain more water.

2. Irrigate early morning or dusk
The sun setting on a small farm
At the hottest and driest time of the year it is most efficient to water your crops in the morning or in the evening. This avoids water loss from evapotranspiration (water evaporating from the land and leaves of plants). Evaporation happens most in the midday sun.

If you have a solar powered irrigation pump, this works most effectively in the midday sun – but you can use this to your advantage, pump water to an over-head tank during the day and use gravity flow to irrigate at the most optimum times.

3. Avoid hit and miss watering
A farmer spraying water from a hose
Hit or miss watering is where you are not careful with the application of water to your crops. This can be especially damaging to crops like tomatoes. Make sure water is going to the roots of the plant, not the leaves. But also be aware that different plants have different water needs – learn about the specific watering needs of each of your plants and act accordingly.

4. Don’t over-water
A hosepipe flooding the land around some small plants
It’s a common misconception that plants would be happy with lots of water all of the time. But often farmers are over-watering crops unnecessarily. Save water! Plants will only take what they need and then all that extra water goes to waste through evaporation, run-off or infiltration.

In the simplest terms – if your soil feels dry below the surface (test by sticking your finger in), then it needs more moisture. You can also get some handy tech to help you with this, rain gauges help you to measure how much rain you’ve had and simple soil moisture sensors can let you know when the ground lacks moisture.

Be strict with yourself – don’t over-water!

5. Check for leaks and damage
water flooding out of a hosepipe near a pump
If you’ve already invested in an irrigation system, make sure you’re not losing any water before it reaches the crops. Irrigation pipes and equipment can become damaged or blocked which causes leaks. Thoroughly check your equipment for leaks and repair them so that all the water you have gets to the crops.

05/12/2020

Palm Trees now available for sale @ our Center!

19/10/2020

We're now selling Palms older, as old, and younger than this Web Page at prices lower than most of the sellers!

TurtlePalm Sanctuary and Research Center

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