Magulilwa - 1st visit

March 6, 2009
Village: Magulilwa
Pastor: Lunyiliko Muhile
Companion: Amazing Grace Lutheran Church
Elevation: 1750 meters
Attendees: 24

This morning the four of us (Roger, Ibrahim, Alfred and Godwin) along with Barton Wickedzi, an uncle of Ibrahim’s, who is the Associate Pastor at Magulilwa left for the parish. In the small village just before the river and gate to enter the Kilolo District, you turn south and drive for about 7 km. That doesn’t sound like very far, but it took us a half hour. The area around Magulilwa looks like a good farming area. There are lots of large fields and the crops seemed to be doing well. Ibrahim said that this village was one of those formed during the Agricultural Revolution of the mid 1970s when people were moved into villages to facilitate the delivery of social services. After breakfast in Pastor Lunyiliko Muhile’s house we had our meeting in the church.
There were 24 attendees. I’m struck by the fact that the attendance at the first meeting of the 2009 group of CVP sites is about 2 ½ times what attendance was for the first meeting of the 2008 group of CVP sites. I would attribute the larger attendance to the fact that the word has gotten out about this project and more people are interested.
After a brief introduction, Ibrahim went through the handouts:
1. DIRA – Institute of Agriculture Village Plot Agreement
2. Plot Management
3. Chronological Plot Management of Crops Planted in December of 2009
4. Frequently Asked Questions
5. Record of Events

There were many good comments and questions including:
· Pastor Muhile expressed appreciation for this program and thanks to Amazing Grace for sponsoring it. He said that a lot of people in the parish make their living from farming and this program will help them harvest more. They can produce more to feed their family and others helping to relieve hunger in their community.
· Pastor Wickedzi wondered why we were coming in March when they don’t usually plant till December. After the presentation he said he understood why we came now to take soil samples and to teach the improved techniques so that everything would be ready when it came time to plant in December. He said usually when it comes time to plant people are scurrying around trying to figure out what to do, with this program you are teaching us how to plan ahead.
· Attendees said they usually get between 7 to 12 bags per acre. This is a good yield and is probably due to the fact that the soil is good and the parishioners are experienced farmers. When we told them that our yields at Mgongo were over 15 bags per acre, they were excited and said that they would probably get more than 15 bags since they had better soil and more rain.
· There were questions about plant spacing. They have been using 90 cm rows with seeds 30 cm apart in a row. They plant one or two seeds per hole. We talked about how the closer spacing helps control weeds by forming a canopy sooner. We also said that using fertilizer with the higher plant populations would maximize yields.
· There were questions about fertilization. Attendees cited examples of the wrong use of fertilizer. Ibrahim discussed types of fertilizer and the need to match fertilizer with the results of the soil test.
· There were questions about intercropping, particularly with corn and beans, and statements that it provided diversity. Ibrahim encouraged them to accomplish diversity by planting the different crops separately. This reduces competition and makes it easier to weed and care for the crop.
· Ibrahim asked if they would rather be given corn or taught how to grow corn. They all answered that they would rather be taught how to grow corn.