Drip Irrigation Systems
During the 6 month dry season, there is no way for rural farmers to make a living through
agriculture production. In fact, many men and some women will leave their communities to find work in Costa Rica. Providing a regular source of water will help them to produce year round and reduce the need to leave their communities and families. With stable year round crop production farmers will have more incentive to adopt sustainable farming techniques to ensure and increase crop production.
To date, we have installed 2 drip irrigation systems in the communities of El Balsamo and El Bramadero. The irrigation systems work similar to our potable water systems. Solar energy is used to pump water to a storage tank, when needed the water is gravity fed through the drip tape. Drip irrigation is used because it uses less water than other forms of irrigation.
Each system contains:
- 2-65 watt solar panels to power a pump
- Sunpumps submersible dc powered pump
- Tank for water storage
- Pressure equalizing drip irrigation tape
Trainings are given throughout the project covering care and maintenance of the system and sustainable agriculture. See more photos of our drip irrigation systems.
Biodigestors
As an alternative to using firewood fueled stoves, AsoFénix has installed biogas-digestors. Biodigestors utilize an anaerobic process in which bacteria break down manure converting it to methane gas, which is captured and transported to a gas burning kitchen stove. A secondary byproduct from the process is an organic fertilizer composed of the decomposed manure. We have installed biodigestors in Porteritos, Bramadero, and Candelaria. These biodigestors reduce the need for firewood, which in turn reduces the amount of smoke inhalation by those using the stoves.
Currently, we are conducting a biodigestor experiment, comparing the effectiveness for the local conditions for three different designs (sausage, half bag, and cement tank).
Each system includes a(n):
- Airtight storage area
- Input tube
- Organic fertilizer collection tube
- Pressure regulator
- Gas burner
Wind Powered Battery Charging Center
Working with a volunteer AsoFénix designed and installed our first wind turbine charging
center in the community of Son Zapote. The system will allow 5 different families to charge their car size batteries which they use to power televisions and lights. The system is managed by one family, and they receive a small monthly income for charging batteries. The goal is to construct a small turbine from local materials that can inexpensively bring a battery charging center to rural communities without electricity.
The turbine is constructed of:
- small motor or a alternator connected to a gear exchange from a motorcycle
- pvc blades
- a tail made of recycled metal
- cylindrical metal tower
- charging center with charge controller
Training and Education
An integral aspect of insuring project sustainability and development of the communities is education. The goal of our education is to provide people with the knowledge and skills to not only improve themselves, to the community as a whole. We recognize that all members of the community play an important role in developing the community, so we provide training for men, women, families, and children.
These educational programs include:
- Leadership and community organization for committee members
- Sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry
- Proper personal and community hygiene
- Gender equality
- Environmental Stewardship
- Improving nutrition and the daily diet
Projects Under Investigation
One of our goals is to research and experiment with different types of renewable energy projects to adapt them to our local conditions and available materials. Currently we are working on:
Solar Cooking Ovens
We are experimenting with different models of solar ovens made with different materials. We are trying to develop a design that is inexpensive but also long lasting. We have built models ranging from cardboard and plastic to metal and glass.
Solar Water Heater
Working with National Agrarian University we are researching designs for solar water heaters. These water heaters can be used in cooking to save on firewood, since water is preheated by the sun. They can also be used in mountainous areas to provide warm showers in the colder climates. Flickr photos of this project
Solar Pasteurizers
In areas of milk production, large amounts of firewood are used to heat and pasteurize milk. We are working on designs that can harness the power of the sun to provide the necessary heat to pasteurize the milk.
Solar Water Distiller
Proper care of batteries in our home solar panel systems is essential to ensure long life of the system. One important aspect is keeping the battery filled with distilled water. The water is not locally available and often is expensive. We are researching designs to install solar water distillers in the community to provide an inexpensive supply of distilled water to help ensure proper battery care.
See all photos of complementary projects
