Support 200 Nepalese farmers to become food secure

Happy 2026! We’re back with another update as projects get back in motion after the winter break.

As mentioned in our October update, this year we partnered with Sanskriti Farms on our flagship educational programme in Ireland, Where There Is No Engineer (WTINE). Shree Krishna Dhital, Director of Sanskriti Farms, has engaged with students in Irish universities during semester one - and will continue to do so in semester two - by providing insights into the local context, giving feedback on their projects, and answering questions. This collaboration is key to the programme and offers students an invaluable, hands-on opportunity to learn about global challenges faced by communities in different contexts.  

Meanwhile, the team in Nepal is currently finalising the analysis of the KAP surveys conducted with biochar users. Once this is complete, we will organise a meeting to discuss the findings and agree on the next steps for the project. 

As you may be aware, ongoing funding cuts across the development aid sector continue to pose challenges for many organisations and projects, including ours. We are actively working to secure additional funding to continue this work and ensure a lasting positive impact for the communities involved. We hope to share more positive news on this front in our next update as 2026 unfolds.  

Thank you once again for your continued support of this project! 

With the summer break behind us and projects picking up momentum again, we’re excited to share a few updates with you. 

As we mentioned in our June report, funding continues to be a challenge across the sector. The loss of funding from the Global FEWture Alliance has led to some adjustments in the project’s short- and medium-term plans, with a few activities currently on pause. However, we remain committed to securing new funding to ensure the financial sustainability of this important project, which continues to make a positive difference in the lives of farmers in Nepal. 

We’re working closely with our partners - Sanskriti Farms, Kathmandu University and the University of Maryland - to strengthen our collaboration around biochar. Together, we’re sharing resources and expertise, and exploring next steps to advance the project. The team in Nepal is also finalising data from the KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) survey conducted with both users and non-users of biochar, and we look forward to reviewing and discussing the findings in the coming weeks. 

In parallel, we’re partnering with Sanskriti Farms on our Where There Is No Engineer (WTINE) educational program in Ireland. This flagship initiative engages engineering, product design, and architecture students in developing creative solutions to real-world challenges faced by communities around the world - in fact, the biochar kiln itself was originally developed as part of this program! This year, the WTINE challenge is based in Phoolbari, Nepal, home of Sanskriti Farms. Having their expertise and local knowledge involved is an invaluable opportunity for students to learn from real practitioners and design meaningful, context-appropriate solutions. 

The uncertainty surrounding funding remains a complex issue affecting vital work globally, but with challenges come new opportunities. We’re optimistic about what lies ahead and look forward to sharing more positive updates with you soon. 

Thank you, as always, for your continued generosity and support - it truly makes a difference.