Alas, building has commenced!
The greenhouse team began work early this morning – we met the carpenter and his apprentice just after sunrise to mix concrete and build the greenhouse frame. As each post was installed, the construction manual was cross-referenced for editing. The differences between the written procedures and those that the carpenters used were noted and will be used to refine our procedure. Wood preservative was purchased from the market and applied to the lower portion of the vertical posts for protection from termites. And now, after a day’s worth of hammering and sawing, a greenhouse frame stands proudly under the cloudless Choma sky.
The team also had a productive day in the community, interacting with local farmers and inquiring about their gardening and farming procedures in order to better understand local practices. These interviews inform the decision-support tool, which will ultimately provide farmers with recommendations on how to grow better, and gave insight into the locals’ views toward greenhouses.
With the skeleton of one greenhouse already built, spirits are high in Zambia. Exciting news to come!
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