High Altitude Geothermal Greenhouse

Infographic (Text version with hyperlinks below)

What is the Peruvian Wisdom Project?

The Peruvian Wisdom Project is a non-profit association that promotes free social programs, such as; education, housing, sanitation, food, clean energy, and medical assistance. This is accomplished through the creation and management of shelters, nurseries, greenhouses, and forms of food production and preservation while encouraging the development and well-being of community members.

Mission Statement: Bringing health, stability, and sustainability to Andean communities.

Purpose: We are actively building innovative, off-the-grid greenhouses specifically designed for high-altitude Andean communities of more than 4,000 meters above sea level in Perú and Bolivia.

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What is the current need in the high-altitude communities of the Andes?

Rural communities commonly struggle with anemia and malnutrition. These challenges become even more pronounced at higher elevations. Communities above the tree line find it extremely difficult to cultivate agricultural products. Without firewood to cook with, these communities use the dung from their flocks as cooking fuel which causes breathing problems. They survive off pastoring alpacas and llamas on the sparse, natural vegetation that exists. It takes multiple hectares just to feed a handful of animals.

What is the design concept of the greenhouse?

The greenhouse concept is a result of a lifetime of investigation and hard-earned experience. Although it is our own unique design, it has come about through collaborating with engineers, agronomists, and clean energy experts both in the USA and Perú.

The geothermal tubes are the heart and soul of the project which allows the greenhouses to function in high-altitude conditions. We are using a GAHT® (Ground to Air Heat Transfer) System. Below the frost line, the Earth maintains a consistent temperature of 15 degrees Celsius. We excavate a trench 1.5 to 2 meters deep and a length of 60 meters. This allows the tubes to passively heat the air.

Once the temperature is under control, it allows farmers to cultivate fruit trees, vegetables, grains, mushrooms, fodder for animals, and honey bees as pollinators.

This hyper-local food model avoids long supply chains allowing communities to transition from food scarcity to food sovereignty.

The Peruvian Wisdom Project also supplies these communities with an acclimatized seed bank, architectural drawings, training, and consultation. This not only allows for nutrition for both humans and animals but also affords an opportunity for economic development through selling or sharing food surplus.

The Peruvian Wisdom Project emphasizes food preservation through solar dehydrators, fermentation, curing, smoking, pickling, etc. We are also incorporating rainwater harvesting and biogas production in an attempt to combat global warming.

What progress have you currently made?

We are currently constructing our first pilot greenhouse as proof of concept. The property in Caicay, Perú will serve as a flagship model where we can receive the community leaders to educate and collaborate. We will finish construction of the first geothermal greenhouse at the end of 2023.

What is your 5-year plan?

The property in Caicay will contain 5 buildings:

1. The pilot greenhouse itself (in progress) which serves as an educational center.

2. Food processing center (in progress) for food preservation and distribution among widows and orphans.

3. We will construct a dormitory for visitors and volunteers.

4. We will construct a small house for the property managers.

The Peruvian Wisdom Project’s five-year plan:

2023: Complete construction of pilot greenhouse and food processing center on the Caicay property.

1st quarter of 2024: Begin germinating the seed bank and acquiring animals.

2nd quarter of 2024: Begin construction of the dormitory for visitors and volunteers

3rd quarter of 2024: Begin construction of property managers’ house.

4th quarter of 2024: Collaborate and train the first batch of community leaders.

1st quarter of 2025: Build the first greenhouse in a high-altitude community.

2nd – 4th quarter of 2025: Build 3 more greenhouses in target communities.

2026: Complete 4 greenhouses in target communities.

2027: Complete 6 greenhouses in target communities.

2028: Complete 10 greenhouses in target communities, and build a training center in the highlands of Bolivia.

How can I collaborate?

1) Become a volunteer and donate your time, knowledge and experience with the project.

2) Donate $

Who are Cody and Danitza?

Peruvian Wisdom Project was started by myself, Cody De Witt, and my Peruvian wife of 8 years, Danitza Del Alamo. We are philanthropists, community leaders, and visionaries who strive to make dreams become realities. We live our lives 100% dedicated to serving.

Here are a few things that we are passionate about:

• We manage the operations here in Perú of a Canadian non-governmental organization (NGO) called Pura Vida which helps feed, house, and educate young Peruvian women at risk. Pura Vida

• We run two businesses for teaching languages online to clients globally. Expert Spanish Lessons ( Expert Spanish Lessons ) focuses on Spanish language acquisition, while Language Heritage ( Language Heritage ) works to preserve and revitalize native languages that are in danger, such as Quechua the ancient Inca language that is still spoken today.

• We have started and administrate a free local Hike Club here in Cusco, Perú ( Hike Club Cusco public Facebook page ) with its 3,000+ community members ( Hike Club Cusco private community group ). I personally am mapping the more than three thousand archaeological sites in the Cusco region and sharing them for free with the local hiking community. We are publishing our maps on our new Hike Club website. ( Hike Club Cusco website )

• We personally organize multiple community projects per year such as school supply campaigns, sports jerseys for Cusco’s wheelchair basketball team, trail clean-ups, clean water projects, etc.

• We are also actively involved in searching and rescuing lost or missing hikers.