By Peggy Bradley, Executive Director, Institute of Simplified Hydroponics
"Poverty is the worst form of violence."
Mohandas Gandhi
Foreword
Before his assassination in 1948, Gandhi prophesied that from each drop of his blood a new Gandhi would be born on earth. His dream has been realized in leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Corazon Aquino who follow Gandhi’s non-violent movement. Now we have an opportunity to follow his lead in working to end hunger and poverty in India.
Tremendous Need
According to UN estimates, India has the most hungry people. Over 200 million, or about one-fifth of India’s population, is chronically hungry. About half Indian children are classified as undernourished with a large percentage born with protein deficiency affecting brain development and learning capacity.
Fuel costs have doubled the costs of some vegetables in the past year. This makes life more difficult for the 800 million people in India who live on less than $2 a day.
In India 440 million people languish at the bottom of the economic pyramid and about 500,000 children are born deformed each year due to vitamin/mineral deficiencies. (India Together website)
Twenty-two percent of childhood disease in India is caused by malnutrition. Half of the 2.3 million deaths of children is caused by lack of food and malnutrition.
Potential for Simplified Hydroponics
From the point of view of a family in hunger, their labour is often the only thing of value to help obtain food. Yet over their heads, there is enough solar energy to grow some of the family food requirements. The labour involved is very little, the cost of set up and operation can be just pennies.
The 400 million people without enough food can be estimated to be about 100 million families. If a simplified hydroponic garden cost $100 to set up and operate, the total cost to the country would be 10 billion dollars.
In planning a food program for India utilizing Simplified Hydroponics, the cost can be borne by or supplied by the poor themselves through microcredit that helps families start their own gardens.
A Family Garden in India
For thousands of years, the human population provided for their own needs, often with the help of a vegetable garden. In recent times, with industrialization, more and more people no longer have gardens and rely on their labour to produce money to buy food.
Most daily foods in India include basic ingredients of ginger, garlic and onion. All three of these are very easy to grow in hydroponic culture. The onions can be grown in a bed grower and produce 120 full size onions in 90 days, or about one and a third onions a day.
Ginger is grown as a bush plant in a root grower and pieces are cut off as needed. If it is used every day, perhaps two plants might be needed.
Garlic grows more slowly in hydroponic culture. It can take 180 days to produce a full size bulb from a clove. So perhaps as much as 3 square meters may be needed to produce the family garlic needs.
Tomatoes are a standard in hydroponics, very easy to grow and eight plants should provide one or two tomatoes a day. Eggplant is another very easy plant to grow and six plants should provide one eggplant a day.
Potato and carrot are also easy to grow but should be grown in deeper tubs to provide root growing room.
While lettuce is not eaten very often, the people in India gather wild greens to eat as a vegetable. These greens can be grown in hydroponic culture.
There are advantages to creating and having a simplified hydroponic garden. Right now, in India the prices of food are going up rapidly due to higher costs of fertilizers and transportation. With your own garden many of these costs disappear. The fertilizer cost for 100 pounds of vegetables should only be about $1.50.
National Potential
If every hungry family is India had a home hydroponic garden, there would be 100 million gardens producing 300 million to 400 million pounds of food every day. The produced food would add 500 calories to each person's diet. With some planning these calories would be the vitamin rich and also improve the quality of life with a varied richer diet.
Some of the owners of simplified hydroponics will be likely to expand their gardens to produce foods for neighbours or nearby markets. It is possible that one out of ten can produce enough to provide the family with an extra five to ten dollars a day. This would mean that of the 400 million making less than $2.00 a day, perhaps as many as 40 million would at least double family income.
For each person now making $2.00 a day or less, most of the daily income is spent on food. With the hydroponic garden this need is reduced, and they can buy the rice, beans lentils and wheat in bulk, perhaps creating a small food supply. This increases national food security, a population more prepared for emergencies.
A reliable steady supply of fresh vegetables should improve overall health of the population. Children now suffering from malnourishment should be better developed and healthier.
As the simplified gardens become established in the country, more potential can be realized by people whose talent and ability is now under utilized. The people with gardens, and some food security, have an opportunity to increase their income and economic security.
A garden is a real joy for most families. It makes obtaining food much easier, and the quality of the food grown should match the best vegetables grown anywhere in the world. So the daily food becomes enjoyable and helps to improve overall quality of life. Favourite foods that were too expensive can now be grown for just pennies.
Family costs
A garden can be started for about $100 investment and labour of about one to two hours a day. It needs a space of 20 square meters, but smaller gardens can also be built on rooftops, balconies, sunny patios.
As the gardens become established technology they can easily be designed into new housing, and retrofitted into much of the existing housing.
A garden starts to be productive within 60 days and fully productive in 90 days. With a protective structure the garden can also be productive in difficult climates of too much rain or cold. This structure may cost $100 to $400 in India.
| Table 1. Expected daily vegetable production from a micro-garden average range ( 2 kilos per day) | |||||||
| Vegetables | Area in M2 | Grams per Day | Ounces per Day | Calories | Proteins | Fats | Carbo-hydrates |
| Carrot | 2 | 113 | 4 | 50 | 1.2 | 0.22 | 12 |
| Cucumber | 1 | 226 | 8 | 30 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 | 57 | 2 | | | | |
| Ginger | 1 | 57 | 2 | | | | |
| Leek | 1 | 57 | 2 | 35 | 0.86 | 0.17 | 8 |
| Lettuce | 1 | 226 | 8 | 30 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 6 |
| Green Bean | 1 | 113 | 4 | 35 | 2.06 | 0.14 | 8 |
| Onion | 2 | 113 | 4 | 44 | 1.3 | 0.18 | 10 |
| Peapod | 1 | 113 | 4 | 47 | 3.16 | 0.23 | 9 |
| Potato | 4 | 226 | 8 | 180 | 4.78 | 0.24 | 40 |
| Salad greens | 1 | 226 | 8 | 56 | 5 | 1 | 12 |
| Greens | 2 | 226 | 8 | 58 | 6 | 0.46 | 12 |
| Tomato | 2 | 226 | 8 | 48 | 2 | 0.74 | 10 |
| Total: | 20 | 1979 | 70 | 613 | 30.86 | 4.18 | 133 |
National Costs
In India, if a ten year plan was enacted to offer support for simplified gardens, with 40 million families supported each year, the cost would be about 4 billion dollars a year. This cost could be borne by the international NGOs, the federal and local governments, and the families themselves.
Training in how to set up and operate the gardens could be accomplished through national television programming. The organoponic gardens in Cuba, now credited with ending hunger in Cuba, were largely established through a national television show. The video programming exists and is being used in pilot projects around the world.
The dollars invested in the gardens should be returned by the families who have gardens in the form of a microcredit loan. Every effort should be made to help the families pay off the loan in extra fresh vegetables, or labour exchange in a national program. Established garden owners could repay part of the loan in training others.
The second year, to help another 40 million would cost another 4 billion dollars. Hopefully some income would have started from the first year families and reduce the cost of this investment.
How to Begin
The simplified hydroponic gardens need to be introduced to a country through a pilot project that sets up the first demonstration garden. This first garden would be set up by an international expert in the technology, along with local people who will carry the garden forward through its first year. This first garden would be a test garden to find a logical garden for India. Substrates available locally are tested with nutrients produced locally, and used with local seeds. This early garden evolves to be effective in the local conditions. This takes six months to a year.
In that first year, people can be transported to the demonstration garden and taught the technology in a three day training course. This training course is available on DVD in a nine lesson course so the DVD can help these trained people teach the technology to others.
In the 22 years since this technology first started in Colombia, tens of thousands of families have benefited from their gardens. It is proven technology that can help end hunger and poverty.
Establishing these gardens in India may be a pathway to Gandhi’s dream for his country, to end hunger, poverty and misery.
Demonstration Garden Requirements
For the demonstration gardens, the first requirement is adequate supplies to make the inorganic hydroponic nutrient. This nutrient is based on the Steiner formula developed in Holland, a standard recipe in the field of commercial hydroponics.
Cost for the components varies and for the purposes of this proposal are estimated at $900.00 for the requirements for 20 families for a year. This should provide enough fertilizer for 14.6 tons of food for the 20 families (730 kilograms of food per family per year).
This fertilizer requirement averages about 6 cents per kilo for food, or 12 cents a day for 2 kilos of food.
| Table 2. Fertilizer Requirements for Family’s 20m2 Micro-garden per Year | |||
| Fertilizer | Grams/ | Single Family | 20 Families |
| 1000 Liters | 20m2/Year | Kilograms | |
| Potassium nitrate | 293 | 8.204 | 164.08 |
| Monopotassium phosphate | 136 | 3.808 | 76.16 |
| Potassium sulfate | 252 | 7.056 | 141.12 |
| Iron EDTA | 23 | 0.644 | 12.88 |
| Manganese EDTA | 15 | 0.42 | 8.4 |
| Copper EDTA | 1.5 | 0.042 | 0.84 |
| Zinc EDTA | 2.6 | 0.0728 | 1.456 |
| Boric acid | 6 | 0.168 | 3.36 |
| Molybdic acid | 0.2 | 0.0056 | 0.112 |
| Calcium nitrate | 1092 | 30.576 | 611.52 |
| Magnesium sulfate | 496 | 13.888 | 277.76 |
| Total: | 2317.3 | 64.8844 | 1297.688 |
| Tons of Food Produced: | 0.73 | 14.6 | |
1. Table Grower Components
For the first demonstration garden, and training, two construction kits will be needed so that students have access to tools during the training. The kit as in Table 5 will cost $108.25 per family. In the case of the demonstration garden only two kits will be needed.
| Table 3. Table Style Micro-garden Construction Kit (20m2) | ||
| Materials | Amount | Single Family Cost |
| Black 6 mil plastic, 2m2 wide sheets | 20 | $6.80 |
| Plastic tubing 3/8" dia. (cm) | 150 | $1.30 |
| Recycled lumber for: | | $20.00 |
| Sides of Bed 1 m long, 12 cm wide | 20 boards | 10.00 |
| Ends of Bed 1.2 m long, 12 cm wide | 20 boards | 12.00 |
| Bottom slats 1.2 m long, 8 cm wide | 70 boards | 8.00 |
| Bed Legs 0.65 m long, 12 cm wide | 40 boards | 10.00 |
| Nails 1.5", stainless steel | 650 | $3.50 |
| Staples 1/2", stainless steel | 360 | $1.00 |
| Substrate: lava rock cubic m3 | 0.64 | $15.00 |
| Substrate: coir coconut fiber m3 | 0.64 | $15.00 |
| Styrofoam sheets | 2 | $5.65 |
| Total Cost: | | $108.25 |
For the training course, eight builders tool kits are required so that a class of 20 students has adequate tools to complete the practical part of the training. In the training each student should participate in the building of two bed growers.
| Table 4. Table Style Micro-garden Builders Tool Kit | |
| Items | Cost |
| Hand Saw, 1 each | $5.00 |
| Measuring Tape, 1 each | $4.00 |
| Pry Bar, 1 each | $4.00 |
| Hammer, 1 each | $4.00 |
| Nails 1.5 inch, Stainless Steel, 1500 each | $4.00 |
| Staple Gun, 1 each | $15.00 |
| Staples, 1000 each | $3.00 |
| Small level, 1 each | $4.00 |
| Hand drill and bit, 1 each | $12.00 |
| Scissors, 1 each | $3.00 |
| Total Cost: | $58.00 |
3. Tub Growers for the Demonstration Garden
The demonstration garden will also have a tub garden area, with growers made from plastic containers. The garden sets up two of the plastic containers at $104.10 each or $208.20.
| Table 5. Tub Style Micro-garden Construction Kit | |
| Item | Cost |
| Plastic Tub 30 x 20 x 6, 20 each | $60.00 |
| Plastic fittings, 20 each | $8.00 |
| Plastic tubing 3/8" diameter, 150 each | $1.30 |
| Nylon netting for filter, 20 each | $0.20 |
| Sealant, 4 tubes | $0.60 |
| Substrate: coir coconut fiber, 1.28 cubic meters | $30.00 |
| Exacto knife with extra blades, 1 each | $4.00 |
| Total Cost: | $104.10 |
Each garden owner needs to have supplies for handling insects in the garden. The Pest Control kit includes insect traps and sprays for the start up gardener. Five kits are needed for the garden classes.
| Table 6. Micro-garden Pest Control Kit | |
| Items | Single Kit Cost |
| Yellow plastic material (2 square meters, 6 ply) for white fly traps. | $7.00 |
| One quart (litre) of motor oil for spreading on the yellow plastic to trap white flies. | $2.50 |
| One plastic spray bottle, (1 litre) to use for organic sprays to prevent or kill insects. | $3.00 |
| Dr. Bonner’s peppermint soap (concentrate) to mix and spray on and kill soft insects such as aphids and aphid larvae. | $2.00 |
| Garlic extract for use in making a preventive weekly spray for the garden to repeal most pests. | $3.50 |
| Powdered milk for making a spray to control powdery mildew. | $2.00 |
| One roll of audio tape for placing around garden to deflect birds. | $3.00 |
| Clear plastic quart bags (6 ply with twist ties) to fill with water and hang in garden to attract insects. | $3.00 |
| Seeds to grow pyrethrum flowers to make insect spray from mature plants, basil and marigold to repel. | $4.00 |
| Total Cost: | $30.00 |
5. Nutrients and seeds 1st year supply
Each garden owner will need a steady supply of nutrients and some seeds as shown in Table 9. This cost can be reduced if the garden owner learns to seed save, and can be eliminated if the garden owner can switch to saved seeds and organic nutrient produced at home.
| Item | Cost |
| Grow Nutrient (8 ounces), 1 each | $1.50 |
| Root Nutrient (8 ounces), 1 each | $1.50 |
| Bloom Nutrient (8 ounces), 1 each | $1.50 |
| Calcium nitrate (32 ounces), 1 each | $4.00 |
| Magnesium sulphate (12 ounces), 1 each | $1.85 |
| Variety of vegetable seeds for 3 crops, 3 sets | $12.00 |
| Measuring spoon, 1 each | $0.25 |
| Total Cost: | $22.60 |
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