WATER IS ESSENTIAL
Nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean water. From human consumption, to hygiene and sanitation, to the role it plays in growing the food communities need to survive and thrive: water is essential. Before starting Moka Origins farm, our team in Cameroon had partnered with 5 different communities to establish water systems that provide access to safe drinking water to over 5,000 people.
When we started Moka Origins farming project in 2015, a critical first step was ensuring that our community and farm had a reliable source of clean water. Today, our water systems serve 3 critical facets of our Moka farm and mission.
Program manager, Edwin Ngong, with community water tap.
1. CLEAN DRINKING WATER TAP FOR OUR COMMUNITY
We installed a community water tap along the roadside of our farm that community members can use instead of traveling to the river to get water.
Digging the well for the drip irrigation system in 2015.
2. WATER WELLS TO PREPARE FOR THE DRY SEASONS
We hand dug a 20 foot well near the main section of Moka's training farm. This well water is pumped into a 5,000 liter storage tank, which then flows out to our drip irrigation system and waters our cocoa farm, food crop trees, and medical crops. This ensures that our cacao and other fruit trees will continue to grow and produce throughout Cameroon's harsh dry season.
Piping and generator that pumps water from the river to the water tower.
3. IRRIGATION SYSTEM FOR MOKA FARM
We designed and built a pumping system that draws water from the river that borders Moka Farm, and sends it into a 10,000 liter water tower. The water then flows through a thousand feet of piping to water taps located throughout Moka Farm. This water is used to bucket irrigate our cacao and fruit trees and is also available for local farmers to use and water their farms.
River that borders Moka Farm, Mbonso, Northwest Region, Cameroon.
Water tower that supplies water to Moka Farm and surrounding local farms.
One of Moka Farm's taps used for bucket irrigation.
As the dry season once more comes to an end here in Cameroon, we're grateful to experience rainfall again, the water it provides, and all of our water systems in place that ensure that we can continue to grow cacao and food crops, nourish ourselves, and provide for our communities. Happy World Water Day!