Ruaha-Mbuyni - Holy Trinity, New Prague,MN; CVP Report for May 27-2011

2010 CVP
Companion Village Project
Visit Report
5th Visit 2rd Year -- May, 27 2011

Village Ruaha Mbuyuni (Kwale)
Pastor Elia Konga
Companion Holy Trinity Ev.Lutheran Church
Attendees 13
Weather Sunny
Reporters Nafeti,Don, Karen Mang’ulisa and Pongolani

Purpose of the visit
The purpose of the visit is to demonstrate and give instructions on yield measurement.

Topics--Greetings
Pastor Lunodzo Mang’ulisa introduced the Ag. Institute staff and he also delivered greeting from the Iringa diocese. Don delivered greetings from St. Paul area Synod and US Ag.Isnstitute Advisory Committee. Done also explain the important of the yield data we are expecting to take from the demo plot.

Went through the handouts
• 5th Visit handout
• Yield recording sheet
• Rain record sheets to know the amount of rain received during this season

Demonstrations
We showed them how to measure 10m row and take the yield data. Corns were still green and not yet matured. They also have not yet planted beans as we were expecting them to have planted beans before the rain season end.

Question
They asked if they can be helped to get a new water pump
We told them that we can not promise them anything regarding the new pump because the Institute supplies mostly the farming inputs for the demo plot.

Comments
• They are hiring water pump which is not reliable as sometimes they doesn’t get
• Corn plant they planted for the first time in January dried because of drought and they had to replant in March the one which are still in the field and they are not doing well as well because they are not getting enough water.
• The pump they were using for irrigation had mechanical problems, hence it doesn’t work. We told them to plant the crops when they get the first rain in order to use rainfall to grow crops than depending on irrigation only, also they should fix the pump to solve the current problem with drought.

Conclusion
We encouraged them because of irrigation potential they have they should think of fixing the water pump and go on with irrigating the corn plot and plant the beans as well.