The Knowledge Hub is Shicol’s innovation space where we experiment with re-combinations of traditional knowledge and modern science/technology. We will continue work on the Knowledge Hub with a new project that focuses on the links between ecology and economy in our rural context.

In the new project we will experiment with creating a combination of biodiverse agroforestry along with cold storage. We want to know how we can increase biodiversity on farms while at the same time increasing profitability. Solar powered cold storage could keep produce fresher for longer, so that fruits and vegetables can be sold at a better price out of season, or can be kept for food processing to create a new value chain.

At the same time, such a system should be chemical-free and work with diverse crops including trees. We will incorporate traditional knowledge on biodiverse farming into our experimental design.