Fencing poles erected and top soil of the organic chicken farm refreshed

A blue print for developing the Organic chicken farm

Organic Chicken farm pasture preparation. Reclaiming village land in India.

Cleaning disused land for the organic chicken farm

Hard work Cleaning disused land for the organic chicken farm.

Organic chicken farm pasture preparation.

Organic chicken farm being cleared for fresh top soil.

A view of the development of the organic chicken farm.

organic chicken farm. clearing.

organic chicken farm preparation with passers by.

organic chicken farm.workers with less supervision.

Lots of rubbish to clear for the organic chicken farm.

Perspective on the organic chicken farm.being created.

An ambitious action plan by email

Organic Chicken Farm Action Plan

1. Measure the land. (complete by 12 PM, Thursday 26 October)

2. Draw a map of the land with identification of boundary walls and any trees.

3. Take pictures of the land using a higher viewing position.

4. Cleaning of the land. (complete by 12 PM, Friday 26 October)

4.1. Contract workers to clear the land. Give them clear instructions and supervise.

4.2. Clear the land of any rubbish and building rubble.

4.3. Please retain any boulders or rocks.  These should be kept aside neatly.

4.4. Do not remove any good grass or plants that may be of value like vegetables.

4.5. Do not remove any big trees.

4.6. Take care to leave drains on the edge of the land for run-off of excess rain water.

5. Take pictures of the cleared land.

6. Buy grass plants or grass seeds. Depending on what is available. Consult me or brother.

7. Plant the grass in all open spaces that have been cleared. (complete by 12 PM, Saturday 26 October)

8. Take pictures of the land using a higher viewing position

From organic chicken farm concept to first steps

An Indian friend approached me about starting a business in South Africa.  We examined a few options in Africa but nothing much came of it.  We both work and live in the middle east. My big picture thinking led me to describe food production as one of the key challenges of our times.  Furthermore young people are so preoccupied with technology jobs and businesses.  Sayed agreed and talked about his dream of keeping cows.  So we resolved to start something even if was just chickens to start with.  Instead of South Africa, we decided to go with his village in India since we could coordinate with workers using email and telephone quite cost effectively.  We realised that the entire project will be managed electronically with issues with language, time difference and technology.

Sayed identified a very small piece of land in Settigunta, Andhra Pradesh, India that we could informally lease for at least six months at no cost.  The land was in really poor condition used for dumping waste.

The land is just 16m long by 9m wide, that's 144 sqm.  Just about enough to get a micro farm going.

Poor condition of the land

Lots of work to clean out the land

The land