Lambrineu Foundation - Chilli Peper Project

Project purpose
Before the tsunami, the Lhok Nga Sub district counted 120 chili farmers. After the tsunami, 85 chili farmers are still alive. The Lambrineu Foundation, from its Community Home in Lampaya village, aims at supporting these Lhok Nga chili farmers to re-start production activities. The agricultural recovery program proposed in this paper focuses on the so-called re-starters: chili farmers that were producing chili peppers before the tsunami hit the area and are therefore experienced and capable of bringing this project to a success. These re-starters only lack the initial start-up funding to produce again. The Lambrineu Foundation has carried out in-depth research on the required capital that is needed per hectare (or per re-starter), thereby making it possible to propose an accurate work plan to the Rabo Foundation. Broadly speaking, funding is required to clear the land from tsunami ruble and to purchase farm inputs (seed, fertilizers and pesticides).

After initial discussions with the Rabo Foundation, the Lambrineu Foundation proposes to also use this project initiative to develop a long-term relationship between the Lhok Nga area and the Rabo Foundation in the future. The additional purpose of the project is therefore to create a Chili Farmers Association, using a demand-driven and bottom-up approach. In other words: the chili farmers organize themselves in a new market-oriented organizational body, rather than being part of already established but incompetent cooperatives.