19
May

SUNfarming implements largest agri-solar plant with training center in South Africa

n a pioneering initiative and co-financed by DEG/KfW, the German company SUNfarming has started the construction of the largest agri-solar plant in South Africa. This plant will not only produce clean energy on an area of 30,000 m² but will also contribute to food production for the rural population in the region from Potchefstroom to Pretoria.

The innovative concept of the system allows a unique dual use of the area. While the photovoltaic modules convert solar energy into electricity, the same area is used for agriculture, which is protected from extreme weather conditions by the system. This symbiosis creates numerous benefits for the local population.


The infrastructure of the project is already at an advanced stage. The Agri-PV tables have been erected, the semi-transparent SF PV modules are installed and the well for the water supply has been prepared. The structural work for the fully equipped training facilities has already been started. The water-saving irrigation system and the shading nets will be installed shortly after the local winter.

A core element of SUNfarming is the multiple use of land and resources. The agri-solar system not only provides a sustainable source of energy, but also protects the environment and supports local agriculture. Rainwater is used efficiently, which is particularly important in arid regions.

This pioneering project demonstrates how innovative technologies and sustainable practices can bring positive change to rural communities. SUNfarming and its partners are committed to a future where energy production and agriculture go hand in hand to meet the needs of people and the environment.

This Agri-PV training project, co-financed by DEG/KfW, will continue to be operated by the non-profit organization FEED LTD South Africa and FEED e.V. Germany after the end of the project period.

30
Sep

SABC Video News: SUNfarming Vitality Porridge Training Project – Helping People Help Themselves

The Vitality Porridge Project offers immediate help against hunger and at the same time sustainable help for self-help via certified training courses in vegetable cultivation and healthy nutrition for the local population. So far, over 40 schools with over 16,000 students and at least 60,000 family members are participating in the project.

Labour is needed for production in the food industry. Accredited Agri-SETA trainers in organic vegetable production, provided by SUNfarming South Africa, take over the training of these workers. In this way, additional new jobs are created locally. Our trainees are much better equipped to find work in agriculture after completing our trainings.
300 unemployed people are trained in the training programme. For the top 60, the project offers further training on the farm property provided by SUNfarming in Potchefstroom. As licensed SUNfarming franchisers, a large number of them will help to supply supermarkets with organic vegetables and herbs.

As an emergency aid, Vitality Porridge is distributed to school children as a daily vitamin- and nutrient-rich supplement to their school lunch during the project period. In addition, the children receive a 5 kg bag to take home to their families. As there are often not enough plates in the schools, Vitality Porridge can also be distributed and drunk more diluted as a milkshake. The children love it all the more this way, because it tastes like a vanilla shake, they say.
The course participants can also take home a 5kg bag of Vitality Porridge. The school programmes supported by KfW/DEG aim to tackle malnutrition, one of the biggest development problems in African countries, at its root. Children are empowered directly at school and teachers are trained to pass on the knowledge they have gained about the essential importance of healthy food to the children. Through training and education directly in the production facilities and in cooperation with the church communities, jobs and sustainable future prospects are also created for the people in Africa.

"We would like to expressly thank all project partners without whose support we would not have been able to realise the emergency food aid and training programmes in the Vitality Porridge Project," Peter Schrum continues.

SUNfarming Vitality Porridge Project in South Africa is a PPP project and is funded by KfW/DEG. The project is supported in its organisation by develoPPP, Skills for All, german cooperation, F.E.E.D. (Food-Energy-Education-Development e.V.).


You can find all information at www.feed-ev.de or contact our Edith Brasche, Vice-President FEED e.V..

3
Jun

SUNfarming wins Intersolar Award 2017!

And the winner is: SUNfarming Food & Energy Training Project!

For the first time, SUNfarming has applied for an Intersolar Award, the greater the jubilation was to win the Award in the category "Outstanding Solar Projects".
The jury was impressed by the global development potential as well as the great social benefits, including the creation of new jobs. With the aim of producing food and energy economically, while at the same time resource-saving in one and the same place, 15 agro-solar greenhouses have been built on the campus of North-West University in South Africa. The project shows how photovoltaics are integrated into agro-solar substructures of large food and energy systems. With its professional knowledge the North-West University is an indispensable, operational partner in the Food & Energy project.
The Intersolar Award: Powering the future with innovation!
In the 2017 jubilee year, 133 projects from 21 countries were sent for the coveted Intersolar Award. One of Intersolar's goals is to promote the industry's innovative power. For this reason the organizers award the award every year. For 10 years, the world's largest solar energy company has offered solar companies a unique platform to demonstrate their innovative power and to stand out from the competition.
Peter Schrum, principal shareholder of SUNfarming, thanks his project partners (DEG / KfW and North-West University) and his team with a call: "To multiply Food & Energy also in other countries, we need technically savvy Senior Experts who do not want to retire and want to share their knowledge with others. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. "
David Morr, SUNfarming Projectmanager International Projects, to the question whether the project is also a matter of heart: "This is the madness! For 5 years we are fighting for our product Food & Energy to carry it out into the world and now to receive an Award is simply top."