A payment plan has facilitated pump sales. The pump manufacturers provided credit directly to market gardeners, so that the purchase of pumps could be financed without imposing an administrative burden on the project. The usual arrangement was for the farmer to give the manufacturer a down payment equal to one-third the cost of the pump and then pay the balance after the next harvest, three to four months later. 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.