Kitowa - CVP Report Mar 23-2010

2010 CVP
1st Visit, Year one
March 23, 2010


Village Kitowo
Pastor Hezron Kiswaga
Companion First Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rush City
Attendees 15
Elevation 1793m
Weather The area has normal rainfall seasons, although there is sometimes a delay in the first rain.
Reporters Gabriel, Ibrahim, Roger and Rev. Lunodzo

Purpose of the visit
• Introducing the CV project to the congregation
• Taking the soil samples for soil analysis
• To deliver box file and a hand hoe
Topics
1. Introduction
Roger gave the greetings from St.Paul Area Synod and First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Rev. Lunodzo Mang’ulisa introduces the project by encourage people to participate fully in the project.
2. Handouts
The handouts were distributed to all then reviewed
• CVP Plot record of events
• DIRA – Institute of agriculture agreement
• Chronological Plot Management of Crops Planted in November/December 2010
• CVP Instruction – 1st Visit
3. Agricultural background of this area
The village population is app. 3,000. They farm corn, beans, sunflower, peas, cowpeas and tomatoes. The corn seeds used here are local varieties and improved varieties; Hybrids (H625, H628, H615 and H614). Also they have been reusing bean seeds of improved varieties which were introduced in this area, years ago. Fertilizers used here are DAP, TSP, Urea, CAN, Minjingu Phosphates and Cow manure. The corn yield is 5 - 10 bags/acre and bean yield is 2.5bags/acre. We told them that the aim of the demonstration plot is to enable them to learn the techniques which will lead into harvesting more than 20bags of corn/acre and at least 10 bags of beans/acre.
4. Soil sampling
After the meeting in the church we went outside. Together with the members of congregations we took soil samples from 4 points around the church, places where the demonstration plot is expected to be. Two types of samples were taken, from 6 inches depth and 12 inches depth. The samples will be taken to the laboratory for soil analysis
Comments/questions from audience
• They were worried that if they leave crop residues in the farm after harvesting, they will have problems at the time of planting because it will be difficult to use hoes to make holes for seeds
We told them, if the crop residues become the problem it should be put between the rows at the time of planting but they should not be burned
• They asked if it’s okay to use these crop residues to make compost
We told them, it’s okay. Whoever has the ability to make compost using crop residues we encourage him/her to do so.
• They said in some parts of the village there are very heavy clay soils. With this type of soil, creeping of weeds in the dry season will be difficult and if they do not dig the land they are worried that the harvest will not be good.
We told them that we teach minimum tillage because we do not want farmers to fail to plant at the right time because of failure to get tractor, oxen or enough hand labor to dig the land. However we have tried the minimum tillage in the places with the same kind of soil and it has worked fine. We are going to give a try in their area too using the demonstration plot.
• The plant population of 33,000 plants/acre for corn seems like too many plants per acre, they are worried that plants will be competing for nutrients and become very thin and fail to produce big ears.
We told them that this plant population goes together with fertilizers usage. Those who cannot afford enough fertilizers we advice them a little bit less plant populations. With enough nutrients in the soil, the plants will not compete.

Conclusions
Other members of the congregation suggested to their fellow members to try first what we are going to teach them, then they will be in good positions to ask more questions. We asked pastor to invite everybody in the village. We told him that in our next visit, we would like to see even village leaders attending the demonstrations.