Our next 2 day training on “Renewable Energy in the Developing World” — solar photovoltaics and solar powered water pumping — will be held with Portland State University, all day Saturday and Sunday on November 20 & 21, 2010.  For more information, please contact: jason@greenempowerment.org. To register, please contact Sherri at Green Empowerment, (503) 284-5774.

Monique Leslie, who is conducting fieldwork in Nicaragua for CuencaClima, provides an inside of the rainy season that affects the farmers in the Teustepe municipality.

Walking through Jose Felix's mixed fields of corn and beans. He's one of the more progressive farmers in the area, with drainage systems and shade grown crops.

Limited to a short growing season, farmers in the Teustepe municipality are very busy in the rainy months of June through October. It is at this time that lands are cleared of weeds, and crops are planted, nurtured and protected from pests. If the season goes well, families will harvest enough beans, corn and millet to last a year, with enough left over to
sell.

Weather station in El Jocote. Locals built a barbed wire fence around it to keep it safe. So far, we've had nothing but good experiences with the equipment.

Last year the rainy season was abnormally short, meaning that many families did not harvest enough crops to last them through the year. Outside food donations helped, but many farmers worry about their future food security. This year is looking better, and if the current precipitation patterns continue, farmers should have enough food to feed
themselves and to generate income.

Having been to the area before during the dry season, I was fascinated to see the difference during the rainy season. To my surprise, the streams seemed low given the amount of recent rain. It didn’t take long for me to experience a heavy rainfall. Roads were shut down and people (myself and my family included!) became stranded in our homes for many hours. It turns out that the stream levels do raise, and quite drastically, but only for a short time. These types of flashy watersheds are unable to retain rainfall, allowing precious water to runoff before it can infiltrate soils and nourish crops and native vegetation.

An old check dam in El Jocote built in the 1970's. People wash their laundry here, and cattle drink the water.

Weather patterns are an important aspect in understanding watershed behavior. Precipitation, wind and sunlight, are integral components for plant life, and dictate the ability of a landscape to produce crops, generate productive soils and support healthy forests. A good understanding of local weather patterns starts with detailed observations. Part of why I was in Nicaragua was to further that goal through the installation of a satellite modem, allowing for real time weather data monitoring.

A combination of local knowledge and weather data will lead to improved climate change monitoring. Water harvesting possibilities can also be more effectively designed. Equally important, is the possibility to identify more diverse and appropriate crops that may be better suited for the challenging climatic conditions.

Some beautiful Bramadero faces!

Walking around the countryside of Boaco, I always had a group of friends with me, to keep me on the right trail, to answer my numerous questions, and to install equipment. Most importantly, my local friends were there to keep a watch out for those dark rain clouds that had the ability to turn our little jaunt up a hill into a muddy slide back home.

Mayquelin and Juneili, wonderful guides.

Fuel-Efficient Mango Cobbler

Caitlyn Peake, a PSU environmental science graduate and current AsoFénix intern updates the Green Empowerment community on some of her recent work with AsoFénix.

I have been out of touch too long now and so I want to take this opportunity to share snippets of my work here this summer in Nicaragua.  One update is that I only intended to stay here for six months, but have since extended my time here for up to three years! The opportunity presented itself and the work is amazing so I decidedto stay and keep  working with AsoFénix.  The last three months here have jam-packed coordinating interns, groups, biogas digesters and improved cook stoves.  Here are some work updates:

Groups
In June a group of business students from Portland State University came and worked with AsoFénix.  Students toured our hydroelectric, wind, solar, biogas and potable water projects to learn about the work that AsoFénix does.  One highlight from the trip was installing solar panels in the community of Poza de la Piedra with the technicians from the neighboring community El Corozo.

PSU Students Installing a Solar Panel

After leaving Nicaragua students diligently spent their summer developing business projects for AsoFénix.  The focus of the projects is for students utilize their talents to help us become more economically sustainable and to grow economic opportunities in the communities we work in.

Biogas Digesters
This summer our biogas technician, Ronald Torrez has been hard at work repairing biogas digesters, conducting surveys and providing general support to families with the assistance of one of our summer interns, Fiona Dearth.  Ronald enjoys working with families and “likes to support families with knowledge and help them learn about caring for their biogas digesters.”  Here are some of the pictures of Fiona and Ronald installing new tarps on some of the biogas digesters and working with a family to install a roof to better protect their biogas digester.

Fiona and Ronald installing a new tarp in Candelarias

Fiona and local child find a beam for the roof of the biogas digester

Improved Cook Stoves & Oven
My passion for the summer has been improved cook stoves.  With Fiona’s help we constructed more improved cook stoves in the community of El Roblar.

Fiona and family member prepare materials for the improved cook stove

Building the Eco- Justa improved cook stove

The final product

I also had the opportunity to build a fuel-efficient oven with Emilia Bello’s family in El Roblar.  Based on a design from the Aprovecho Research Center, the entire family helped to build the Winiarski Rocket Oven and to eat all the delicious things Emilia bakes in it.

Even the smallest members of the family helped out

Emilia with her new oven

Baking mango cobbler

As fall approaches, Seth and Sarah Hays will be finishing their service after three years of working with AsoFénix.  They have contributed so much of their time, energy and ideas over the last years and AsoFénix will be sad to see them depart.  However, we are welcoming changes and looking toward the future as we move into a new office, begin the installation of new projects and welcome new interns.