Mgama-St. Paul Lutheran-CVP Visit Report for Mar 29-2011

2011 CVP
1st Visit, Year one
March, 29 2011


Village Mgama
Pastor Edward Mgeyekwa
Companion St.Paul Lutheran Church
Attendees 33
Elevation 1757 meters
Weather They get good rain
Reporters Nafeti, Gabriel, 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
Rev. Lunodzo Mang’ulisa delivered greeting from DIRA and introduced the Ag Institute stuff and encouraged people to participate fully in the project. Roger gave the greetings from St. Paul Area Synod and St. Paul Lutheran Church and went through the practices we teach and recommend on the demonstration plots we have.

2. Handouts
The handouts were distributed and then reviewed
• CVP Plot record of events
• DIRA – Institute of agriculture agreement
• Chronological Plot Management of Crops handout
• CVP Instruction – 1st Visit

3. Agricultural background of this area
The village population is around 2300. Farmers here grow corn, beans, carrot, peas, onions, sunflower, tomatoes and Irish potatoes. Famers use improved varieties of corn such as H 614, H 625, H 628, H 691 and some varieties of beans salunde and Uyole. The corn yield here is 8-10 bags/acre and beans is 3 bags/acre. 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 20 bags of corn/acre and at least 10 bags of beans/acre.













4. Soil sampling
After the meeting in the church we went outside the church and together with the
Members of congregations we took soil samples from 4 points around the church.
Two types of samples were taken, from 6 inches depth and 12 inches depth. The
Samples will be taken to the laboratory for analysis


Comments/questions from audience
1. There are many demonstration plots around Iringa region, so do we provide them with similar variety of corn, if yes/no how do we compare their performance?
We provide corn variety depending on number of factors such as altitude, rainfall pattern and duration. That means we cannot provide the same variety to all the demonstration plots we have around the region, but still we can compare their performance because we give them the right kind of inputs according to the area.

2. We tell them to incorporate crop residue on the plot in August but at that time there are no crop remains.
They have to wait until the weeds come out and start weeding

3. What is the right time for 2nd fertilizer application to corn?
We recommend applying fertilizer when plants are knee high, the time when plants are about 60 days from planting.

4. If we follow the recommended practices how many bags to harvest?
We expect to harvest more than 20 bags of corn per acre and at least 10 bags of beans per acre

Conclusions
People seem to be interested with the program. We told them that we will be back in August to measure the plot and give them the soil analysis results.