2011 CVP
1st Visit, Year one
March, 24 2011
Village Idasi-Ng’ang’ange
Pastor Simon Msula, Daudi Kisoma ( evangelist)
Companion Roseville Lutheran church
Attendees 43
Elevation 1835 M
Weather They get adequate rain
Reporters Nafeti, Gabriel, Roger, Rev. Lunodzo and Pongolani
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
Rev. Lunodzo Mang’ulisa delivered greeting from DIRA and introduces the Ag Institute stuff and encouraged people to participate fully in the project. Roger gave the greetings from St. Paul Area Synod and Roseville Lutheran Church and went through the practices we teach and recommend on our demonstration plots we have. Roger also explained the relationship we are trying to establish with the pyrethrum company of Tanzania and encouraged farmers to grow the crop because market for it is available.
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 720, with 200 families. Farmers here grow corn, beans, finger millet, peas, and Irish potatoes. Famers use local varieties of corn and beans. Most of the famers do not use fertilizers. The corn yield here is 5 bags/acre and beans is 1-2 bags/acre normally mixed with corn. We told them that the aim of the demonstration plot is to let them to learn the techniques which will enable them to harvest 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 congregation 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
5. Simon Msula testimonial
Pastor Simon Msula encouraged people to incorporate these techniques on their own farm. He gave a testimonial where he said that he planted hybrid seed and applied fertilizer on a little over half an acre of corn. He got 15 bags from his small plot, but the tops of some of the cobs were rotten. However, even after culling out the rotten cobs he had 8 bags of good corn. This year he has planted again following our recommended practices, he said the corn looks real good and he is expecting a good harvest.
Comments/questions from audience
1. They have a problem with coach grass and with new land. So with minimum tillage how are they going to handle that?
In the new land digging of the weeds and spreading then under the sun is probably a good idea. After starting farming the land, monthly weeding by clipping the weeds especially during the dry season with a lot of sun shine will help to reduce the creeping weeds infestations.
2. We asked them if they are using commercial fertilizer on their farms.
They said that they are not applying fertilizers on their farms and we told them we are going to use fertilizers on the demonstration plot which will provide learning opportunity to them on what kind of fertilizer to use and at what rate of application.
Conclusions
We emphasized the importance of following instructions because the success of the program depends upon them following what we instructed. Also we encouraged them to visit Ng’ang’ange Parish station to see the progress of the demonstration plot there. Pastor Simon Msula gave them his experience with the demonstration plot located at the parish.
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