Training in specific agricultural techniques and greenhouse maintenance will be documented through a pictorial manual (note that illiteracy is high).
Trainees will prove their knowledge by setting up and maintaining greenhouses properly. This will be documented through photos and videos and text write-up posted on this page.
The proof of having learned the techniques will come through the high yield results of corn, beans, and other vegetables that are determined during needs assessments (Weeks 1-2).
Documentation of livelihood will be made through photos/videos as well as testimonials that will be posted on www.sowingops.org.
Participants will report experiences with food insecurity at the beginning and after the 2-mo. intensive in-class and on-the-job training from the expert agronomist.
We will weigh each member of the participating families in March, in April, and six months later.
In addition, we will we conduct a pre- and post- verbal survey (at the beginning and at the end of the project, and then again in six months and again in one year) for each adult, listing responses for each member of the family on a form with numerical measurements (from 1 to 10) for symptoms of malnutrition and sufficient food, conducted by a medical professional and based on medical statistics from the local municipality, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas: These include sense of hunger, stomachache, fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, infections and delayed healing.
We will say that we are collecting this information for people who are funding the project so that they see the benefit of their funding.
The ranking, from 1 to 10, will be with 10 being the worst possible situation – completely unbearable – and with 1 being acceptable.
