Collaboration with ZFPA – helping farms to make the switch

ZPFA reached out to HomelandGreen for assistance to launch a Restore project that promotes, amongst others, adoption of regenerative practices in local farms.   The Restore project is funded by ZPFA’s restaurant partners.

Zero Foodprint Asia (ZFPA), an extension of Zero Foodprint (ZFP) in California, is a nonprofit organization mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions. ZFPA hosts a crowdfunding program that gathers funds from member food businesses such as restaurants, cafes, bars and food retailers. Members pledge 1% of every restaurant purchase to ZFPA to fund regenerative farming practices that draw down carbon from the atmosphere and help combat global warming.

                              -- Excerpt from ZFPA Annual Report

Our role in this collaboration

The basic premise of regenerative farming is science and evidence-based, it starts with restoring the vitality of the soil. 

This document (Fundamental Principles of RF practices.pdf) summarizes the principles and methods HomelandGreen shares with farmers.

Some Tools and tests used in the Restore Project

	CO2 meter
	Field CO2 meter
	Electrical conductivity probe
	MicroBiometer
	Moisture meter
	Penetrometer
	Soil cube observation
	Soil infiltration test
	Plant roots observation
	Brix meter
	Nitrate meter
	Chlorophyll meter

Challenges unique in Hong Kong farms

• Farm sizes are small and scattered ranging from 1,200 m² to 25,000 m². Much smaller than those in North America and Europe.
• Planting plots or paddocks are short, 3 m to 30 m in length.
• Intercropping is practiced by default as they are mostly market gardening farms for vegetables. More than 10 types of crops are grown at any time.
• Paddocks switched between various leafy veggies to fruiting plants such as eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, gourds/melons and corns.
• The F:B ratio requirements for these crops are different. The new crop has an easier time if the F:B ratio is similar to the previous crop.  It is observed that corns on paddocks that previously grow leafy veggies take longer to establish.   The farmers need to adjust the soil microbiome mix before planting to ensure the corns grow to their full potential early on.  Unfortunately, most farmers are not aware of this and commonly falsely resort to applying more fertilizers.
• Brassicas including Chinese kale and Choy sum are veggies of choice here in Hong Kong. It is a challenge to grow brassicas in the humid and hot summer season resulting in reliance on fertilizers and pesticides.
• Cultural practices such as intercropping and crop rotation without considering F:B ratios requirement of crops yields hit-and-miss results. Crops may show sign of poor health with increased abiotic stress. 

• Soil pH is also driven by F:B ratio. No wonder some crops adapted to high F:B ratio prefer low soil pH (acidic) and low F:B ratio prefer neutral to higher soil pH (slightly alkaline; more lignin)

Other fronts

	A farm visit focusing on soil (A video of the farm visit)
	Composting workshops
	Preparing fish hydrolysate Video on fish hydrolysate making.MP4
	Providing consultation for student research project
	Workshop on regenerative practices Video on workshop.MP4
	Field works Video on field work.MP4

June 2023