Phase 1 Project Plan
Iskaashatada Beeraleyda Cuur
(May 2025 – April 2026)
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1. Project Overview
• Project Area: 15 hectares
• Start Date: May 2025
• Resources:
• One existing 30m³ pond
• Basic manual tools (shovels, hoes, watering cans)
• Manual labor (2 workers)
• Farming Strategy:
• Minimal soil disturbance (“no-till”)
• Water-efficient practices (mulch and ponds)
• Rain-fed with emergency irrigation when needed
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2. Main Objectives (Year 1)
1. Plant 800+ drought-tolerant trees
2. Create a 1-hectare irrigated trial food garden
3. Broadcast cowpea, sesame, and sorghum seeds on 10+ hectares
4. Dig 2–3 new water ponds
5. Establish a scalable model for expansion across Cuur
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3. Land Division
Zone Area Purpose
Zone A 2 ha Food trees, shade, and windbreak
Zone B 1 ha Trial irrigated vegetable garden
Zone C 8 ha Broadcast crops (cowpea, sesame, sorghum)
Zone D 4 ha Buffel grass for soil cover and fodder
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4. Work Plan (Monthly Breakdown)
May – June 2025
• Organize teams, tools, seeds, and mulch
• Dig 2 new ponds (30m³ each)
• Plant 800+ trees (Zone A)
• Broadcast seeds in Zones C and D
• Apply mulch to protect seedlings
July – August 2025
• Monitor germination rates
• Water crops if necessary
• Early harvest of cowpea leaves
September – October 2025
• Full harvest: cowpea, sesame, sorghum
• Cut Buffel grass
• Begin nursery for second-year trees
November – December 2025 (Deyr rains)
• Plant second round of vegetables
• Expand Buffel grass area
• Replace any dead trees
January – February 2026
• Irrigate young trees as needed
• Harvest drought-tolerant crops
• Maintain mulch cover to retain moisture
March – April 2026
• Evaluate first year performance
• Prepare expansion plan
• Store seeds and prepare compost
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5. Planting and Input Targets
Crop/Tree Area Quantity/Seeds Purpose
Trees (Tamarind, Moringa, Ziziphus) 2 ha 800 trees Food + protection
Cowpea 5 ha 60–65 kg seeds Food + soil improvement
Sesame 3 ha 15 kg seeds Cash crop
Sorghum 3 ha 30 kg seeds Food + fodder
Buffel Grass 4 ha 40–50 kg seeds Soil cover
Vegetables (mixed) 1 ha Various seeds Family food supply
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6. Water Management
Purpose Estimated Need
Tree irrigation (800 trees) 30,000–40,000 L
Trial garden (1 ha) 20,000–25,000 L
Emergency crop watering 5,000–10,000 L
Total water needed ~75,000 L
Available Water:
• Existing pond: 30,000 L
• 2 new ponds: 60,000+ L
• Total available: 90,000+ L
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7. Labor Plan and Salaries
Item Details
Workers 2
Working hours 6 hours/day/worker
Workdays needed ~63 days total
Active months May 2025 – February 2026 (10 months)
Monthly salary/worker $200
Total salary/worker $2,000
Total salary (2 workers) $4,000
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8. Cost Breakdown (Estimated)
A) Labor Costs
• Salaries:
→ 2 workers × $200 × 10 months = $4,000
B) Seed Costs
• Cowpea seeds (65 kg @ $2/kg): $130
• Sesame seeds (15 kg @ $3/kg): $45
• Sorghum seeds (30 kg @ $2/kg): $60
• Buffel Grass seeds (50 kg @ $4/kg): $200
• Vegetable seeds (mixed varieties): $100
Total seeds: $535
C) Pond Digging Costs
• Tools (shovels, pickaxes, etc.): $150 (one-time)
• Worker bonuses for pond digging (extra effort):
→ 20 days × $5/day extra per worker × 2 workers = $200
Total pond costs: $350
D) Mulch and Compost
• Transportation of mulch materials: $100
• Compost preparation (basic ingredients and labor): $150
Total mulch and compost: $250
E) Nursery Setup
• Seedling trays, soil, shade net: $120
F) Water Equipment
• Watering cans, pipes, small storage tanks: $150
G) Miscellaneous (administration, transport, maintenance)
• Estimated buffer: $200
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9. Summary of Total Costs
Item Cost
Labor salaries (10 months) $4,000
Seeds $535
Pond tools + bonuses $350
Mulch and compost $250
Nursery setup $120
Water equipment $150
Miscellaneous (admin, fuel, repairs) $200
Total Estimated Project Cost $5,605
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10. Expected Results by April 2026
• 700–800 trees successfully planted and surviving
• 10–12 hectares fully cultivated
• 300–500 kg of food harvested
• 2–3 tons of Buffel grass harvested
• 50–60% of farm area covered with soil-protecting vegetation
• Complete preparation for Phase 2 expansion
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Conclusion
The Phase 1 Plan of the Cuur Farmers Cooperative (May 2025 – April 2026) is designed to establish a strong foundation for long-term regenerative farming in Cuur.
With a modest total budget of about $5,605, the project will:
• Improve food security
• Protect soil from erosion
• Build local skills in water management and sustainable agriculture
• Create a scalable model that can later cover the entire settlement of Cuur
We recommend immediate preparation to order seeds, recruit workers, and organize tools by April 2025 so that full activities can begin as soon as the Gu’ rains arrive.
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