Kidabaga - CVP Report Jan 21-2010

2008 CVP
Companion Village Project
Visit Report
4th visit Year Two
January 21, 2010


Village Kidabaga
Pastor Joyce Ngandango
Companion Faith, Forest Lake
Attendees 12 (2 men, 10 Women)
Weather for the past month Rainy
Elevation 1931m
Reporter Gabriel, Roger

It was raining heavily as we arrived. We started a meeting with 4 people then the group kept on increasing slowly as the rain decreasing.

Purpose of the visit
• Bean planting and fertilizer application demonstrations
• Bean seeds, fertilizers and Pesticides delivery
Topics
1. Corn plot and Rain records
Corn Seed variety planted H 614
Planting date Kidabaga plot: November 25,2009
Ilamba plot: December 16, 2009
Replanting date Nil
First weeding January 06, 2010
Pests/Diseases Rodents
The rain records are well kept as instructed.
2. 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
3. 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 seeds 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 knee high.
III. Pesticides
It was demonstrated how mix the pesticide “Thionex” which is used to control crop damaging insects.
4. Fertilizers, bean seed and pesticides delivery
The congregation was given 2 bags of NPK for bean and 2 bags of CAN for corn. The bean seed variety delivered is “Urafiki” (30kg). We also gave them 1 bottle of Thionex pesticide.

Comments/questions from audience
 They have rodents’ problem in their plots, it’s the farm is isolated from others and surrounded by bushes.
We told them they should try to clear the nearby bushes, also they should do monthly weeding as instructed. If the problem persists we will find pesticides to control the rodents
 They heard that beans add nitrogen in the soil, why do we tell them to apply fertilizer?
I told them its true beans helps in nitrogen fixation however fertilizers are required to supply nitrogen and other nutrients which are needed by the bean plants to grow in earlier stage of the plants growth. Moreover we are applying fertilizers in the plots to build up the soil fertility of the particular land. The soil analysis indicates that some nutrients are missing; fertilizers put them back into the soil.
 The Pastor asked us to go on Sunday for the demonstration meeting because in the Sunday services almost all members do attend.
We told her that according to the University rules we cannot work on Sundays. Moreover we have many demonstration plots, if we use the Sundays only we won’t be able to visit all of these plots.

Conclusions/Recommendations
Pastor asked us to hold the next demonstration to the site of the plot. We told her we shall plan our next demonstration to that place. I asked them few questions as the review of what we have been demonstrating to them up to now. I asked them how many have started to use these techniques in their farms, they said they have not started yet but they will do in their bean farms. I told them even the simple techniques like not burning the crop residues and minimum tillage will increase yields and save them money and time. We could not visit the plots, they are far from the church and it was raining. We shall pay a visit in our next meeting.

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