A couple of eventful months have passed since our last update, and Tractors for Africa has made major progress during that time. A few of the highlights include: Refurbishing our second tractor Procuring implements, tools and fertilizer to accompany the tractor Hosting another successful send-off fundraiser for the tractor Shipping Read more…
With over 40 acres tilled, 20 families helped, and an experimental yield plot showing a 190% increase in yield (plowing vs hand tillage), we consider 2016 a success. However, we went into it knowing that we would learn along the way, and learn we did. We used what we learned Read more…
We had a lot to learn before our first shipment in 2016, but in the end, it was a huge success. We learned how to pilot our shipment through customs, tilled 43 acres of land, coordinated the logistics of scheduling tillage and travelling between fields, and discovered which types of Read more…
One perk of leaving Burkina Faso is that one feels like the President of the United States. Ouagadougou’s airport does not have traditional gates, so everyone has the chance to climb the steps to the plane and wave at the adoring crowds and press. On June 20th, Louis Ricard and Read more…
With the growing season well underway, farmers are no longer tilling their fields for planting. Farmers have moved on to weed removal (using hoes) and insecticide application (using hand-operated backpack sprayers). This means that most tractors are sitting idle for the rest of the year. However, our tractor is not Read more…
As we approach mid-July, the tillage season in Burkina Faso is drawing to a close. The rainy season runs from mid-June through September, so crops that are planted after today will not have enough rain to reach maturity. The two exceptions to this rule are super early maturing varieties of corn Read more…
Today marks the 7th day since we started the tractor, and what a ride it has been! Last Tuesday when we began to plow the first field to the astonishment of 100 villagers, we had no idea just how much demand there would be. Word spread quickly, and every time Read more…
It took some work to get the tractor started given the measures taken to prepare the tractor for shipment, but with some excellent advice from my dad and Kent Shea, the tractor started right up! We tested the plow, cultivator and disk in front of 60+ villagers to the astoundment of Read more…
As our tractor makes its way across borders and through customs, Louis and I have arrived in Burkina Faso to assist in the unloading and setup of the tractor and equipment. Yesterday we ran some errands in the capital, Ouagadougou (pronounced as “Waw-gaw-doo-goo”, by far the world’s most fun-to-pronounce capital Read more…