Mlowa-Christus Victor; CVP Report for May 31, 2011

2009 CVP
Companion Village Project
5th Visit Year Three
May 31, 2011

Village Mlowa
Pastor Lunogelo Mbwilo
Companion Christus Victor Lutheran, Apple Valley
Attendees 12
Weather for the past month Dry
Reporters Gabriel, Don and Karen

We got here a little bit earlier. We sat down with the Pastor discussing about the demonstration plot. He also added that members of this congregation are very eager to establish the Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOS) which can be used to finance rice crops which is more popular here.
Purpose of the visit
• Explain and demonstrate how to take yield measurement
Topics
1. Greetings
Don delivered greetings from Christus Victor Lutheran-Apple Valley, St. Paul, Saint Paul Area Synod and US Ag Advisory Committee. He spoke about the importance of getting the right yield measurements and explained why they are highly needed.
2. Went through the handouts
o 5th Visit handout
o Yield recording sheet
o Rain record sheets to know the amount of rain received during this season
3. Demonstrations
We demonstrated how to measure the 10 m row (in three different locations within the demonstration plot) for the yield determination, this was demonstrated by using a miter tape, we used spray paint to mark the demarcations within which the measurements should be taken.
Plots information
We drove long way to get to the plot. The road we have been using previously has been flooded therefore we had to go another toad. They have termite’s problem here. To avoid the attack of the termites to the corn crop, they had to harvest earlier. Therefore the corn plot has been harvested and preparations for the next season have started.
Beans plot is good too. This time the spacing was properly followed, and they expect a better harvest than last year.



Comments
 They said “The bean variety introduced this season is very good. We like the was it performed in the field, however we have to wait and see the way it taste and the cooking duration it taste”
We told them that in the places we have introduced it, they said it is good. However we would like to get your views when you harvest and start to use them
 They said that they still have problems with the livestock keepers because soon after they harvest, the animals are left to graze in the fields therefore they do not get to keep their crop residues for adding organic matter in their soil. We advised them to trade the crop residues with cow manures from the livestock keepers. That seems to be impossible because the livestock keepers are nomads, they do not stay in one place for a long time therefore, cow manure do not get accumulated enough.
 This season, the problem of the elephants eating crops has been decreased.

Conclusions
Pastor of this Parish is very active. He promised to work properly with his Parish members in taking the yield measurements. Their plots have much improvement this season. They said they have been getting enough water for irrigation.