Ilambilole - CVP Report Jan 14-2010

2008 CVP
Companion Village Project
Visit Report
2nd visit Year Two
January 14, 2010

Village Ilambilole
Pastor Doricus Kimbavala
Companion Our Saviors, Hastings
Attendees 13
Weather for the past month Rainy
Reporters Gabriel, Ibrahim, Roger and Alfred

Purpose of the visit
• Bean planting and fertilizer application demonstrations
• To deliver bean seeds, fertilizers and pesticides
Topics
1. Greetings
Roger derived greetings from Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Hastings, MN, the Saint Paul Area Synod and the US Advisory Committee
2. Corn plot and Rain records
Corn Seed variety planted DK 8031
Planting date December 19, 2009
Replanting date January 08, 2010
First weeding January 08, 2010
Pests/Diseases Small black insect eating the plant shoot
We checked the rain records in the box file. They have been recording in a separate paper and they have not put in the file yet. We told Pastor to write down what they have recorded in the rain gauge sheet we gave them in our last visit. They have received 177.5 mm or 6.99 inches of rain since the first rain on December 21.
3. Review of Handouts
o Bean seeds and fertilizer information was added in the Fertilizer need template in the box file of the congregation.
o 4th visit handout was reviewed
4. Demonstrations
I. Beans
It was demonstrated how to measure inter row spacing (30cm) and intra row spacing (10cm). String was used to make trench and in the trench bean seeds were placed 10cm apart. Fertilizer was placed 5cm from the seeds. Both seed and fertilizer were covered.
II. Corn
It was demonstrated how to make second application of fertilizer in the corn. Two holes were made 5cm from the plant and fertilizer was put then covered. We told them to do this when the plants are at knee high.
III. Pesticides
We instructed them how to use pesticide called Thionex for killing plant damaging insects.
5. Fertilizers, bean seeds and pesticides delivery
The congregation was given 2 bags of NPK for beans and 2 bags of CAN for corn. The bean seed variety delivered is known as “Wanja” (30kg). According to Uyole Agricultural research center where the variety was obtained, Wanja is drought resistant hence it is suitable for Ilambilole village.

Comments/questions from audience
 They asked why the beans spacing has been changed. Last year they were told to plant in the spacing of 50cm to 9cm, this year we tell them to plant in the spacing of 30cm to 10cm
We told them the spacing has been changed because we aim to get more plants per area. This will enable them to get high yield in a small area.
 One member asked that last year the spacing of corn was 60cm by 22cm why this year we tell them to use 60cm by 20cm?
We told him that last year we instructed them to use the spacing of 60cm by 22cm, however later on we changed to 60cm by 20cm. This was changed since last year (I think this member did not attend other meetings in last year).
 They said that last year they were told to put crop residues in piles why this year they instructions do not state the same.
We told them that now we are not instructing them to collect the crop residues and put in lines because we believe this will reduce labor in the farm, however, this will not change anything in the yields their going to get.

Conclusions/Recommendations
We visited the nearby farm of one member of congregation who has decided to follow the techniques from the demonstration plot. The plants look nice. She told us she did not apply fertilizer at the planting time but she plans to apply nitrogenous fertilizer when plants reach knee high. At the end of the meeting Roger asked them few questions as the review of what they have been taught from the time the demonstration plot has been established up to this moment. He also asked them what advantages have they seen so far in their own farms. They said they have observed the increase of yields and save time and money to till the land.

NB:
• 1 bag of NPK is 50kg and 1 bag of CAN is 50kg