Support 200 Nepalese farmers to become food secure

With the summer break behind us and projects picking up momentum again, we’re excited to share a few updates with you. 

As we mentioned in our June report, funding continues to be a challenge across the sector. The loss of funding from the Global FEWture Alliance has led to some adjustments in the project’s short- and medium-term plans, with a few activities currently on pause. However, we remain committed to securing new funding to ensure the financial sustainability of this important project, which continues to make a positive difference in the lives of farmers in Nepal. 

We’re working closely with our partners - Sanskriti Farms, Kathmandu University and the University of Maryland - to strengthen our collaboration around biochar. Together, we’re sharing resources and expertise, and exploring next steps to advance the project. The team in Nepal is also finalising data from the KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) survey conducted with both users and non-users of biochar, and we look forward to reviewing and discussing the findings in the coming weeks. 

In parallel, we’re partnering with Sanskriti Farms on our Where There Is No Engineer (WTINE) educational program in Ireland. This flagship initiative engages engineering, product design, and architecture students in developing creative solutions to real-world challenges faced by communities around the world - in fact, the biochar kiln itself was originally developed as part of this program! This year, the WTINE challenge is based in Phoolbari, Nepal, home of Sanskriti Farms. Having their expertise and local knowledge involved is an invaluable opportunity for students to learn from real practitioners and design meaningful, context-appropriate solutions. 

The uncertainty surrounding funding remains a complex issue affecting vital work globally, but with challenges come new opportunities. We’re optimistic about what lies ahead and look forward to sharing more positive updates with you soon. 

Thank you, as always, for your continued generosity and support - it truly makes a difference.