Kilolo - King of Kings; CVP Visit Report for Sept 13, 2011

2009 CVP
Companion Village Project
6th Visit Year Three
September 13, 2011
Village Kilolo
Pastor Yona Kinganga
Companion King of Kings, Woodbury
Attendees 11
Weather for the past month Dry
Ag institute staff Gabriel & Rev. Mang’ulisa
Purposes of the visit
• To collect the yield measurement
• To deliver grain storage chemical “Shumba”
• End of season discussion and planning for the next farming season
Topics
1. Review of the handouts
• 6th Visit instruction handout
• Yield recording sheet
2. Harvesting
Both corn and beans have been harvested. The corn yield is high as it was last year. This is one of the best demonstration plot we have. There has been a problem with the suitability of the bean seeds we brought here. The bean yield is lower than that of the last year.
Crop Corn Beans
Yield per ½ acres 15 bags 2 bags 1 tin
3. Storage
We instructed them on how to store grain for home usage and for selling at the time of high price. We instructed how to mix grain storage pesticides “shumba” and the appropriate volume of grain per bottle recommended. We left the pesticides to them to mix with their harvested grains.
4. Discussion about the farming season
Corn has performed well, the variety is good although does not tolerate prolonged rainfall season. Bean varieties did not perform as better as that of last year. We discussed with them that next planting season we will return the same variety we introduced the year before.
5. Adaptation
Some parish members have been started to adapt the techniques. Pastor and one parish member said they are using the techniques. Pastor is teaching other villagers spacing, fertilizer application, minimum tillage and other practices.
Comments/questions
 Is the close spacing not affecting the yield?
Yes, close spacing may lead into low yield if it is not properly followed. We recommend that close spacing should go together with the enough amounts of the fertilizers applied. Fertilizers will reduce plant competition for the nutrients and lead into high yield
 They said most of them would like to apply the techniques but some of the practices require buying inputs. As the inputs are getting expensive year after year, their ability to purchase them is getting lower and lower.
We advised them to establish self help groups and saving and credit cooperative
Conclusion
This is the best plot we had this year. We told Pastor that his management and the good work of the perish members has made this plot to be very good plot. We encouraged them to use the techniques to their farm so that to increase the yields of what they farm.