Because of religious constraints, no stated interest rate was charged on these loans, but farmers who paid cash in full at the time of purchase received a discount. The EnterpriseWorks treadle pump and related technological improvements enable both men and women farmers to expand land under cultivation, increase crop yields, and in some cases even lengthen the growing season. Row covers promote faster onion growth. Floating row covers decrease the need for pesticides and result in faster growth and healthier seedlings. Onions can be harvested earlier when onion sets are planted instead of onion seeds, enabling farmers to get a better price for their product since onions are less available on the market at that time.
Manual pumps conserve deep-lying water.
Lessons Learned Private sector partnerships offer the best framework for launching a new commercial enterprise. Prior to this project, EnterpriseWorks had begun disseminating the Bielenberg treadle pump in Mali and Cameroon through specific NGO partners. In this project, Senegalese pump manufacturers had to take responsibility for identifying their own customers, providing them with supplier credit directly, handling distribution of the pumps, and making any necessary repairs. EnterpriseWorks has achieved much more significant results working directly with private producers in Senegal through its own local office than it has working through intermediary NGOs. Instead, EnterpriseWorks helped participating manufacturers and sales agents establish a profit-making system for the commercial production and distribution of pumps to farmers, which is likely to continue long after EnterpriseWorks' involvement ends.