Ifunda - House of Prayer -- CVP Visit Aug 6-2011

2010 CVP
Companion Village Project
6th Visit Year One
August 6, 2011

Village Ifunda
Pastor Jenoca Mwilafi
Companion House of Prayer, Oakdale
Attendees 2
Weather for the past month Dry
Institute staff Gabriel and Rev. Mang’ulisa
Purposes of the visit
• To collect the yield measurement
• 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
Corn has been harvested. The yield has been low. Beans were not planted in the last rainy season. They will be planted next week (September 13, 2011).
Crop Corn
Yield per ½ acres 2 bags
Unfortunately, they did not record the yield in 10 miters as instructed.
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
The corn plot issues with the soil profile. At the beginning the plants were yellowish later on they turn green but still were very thin. Last month Three Professors from University of Minnesota visited Iringa. One of them was soil science professor, Mike …………… We visited the plot and his advice was that the land had hard soil pan just few inches from the surface. The hard pan has limited the growth of the plant roots. There is nothing these farmers can do. We discussed with the Pastor on changing the plot location. In the coming farming season they will have a new plot located close to the Parish

Comments/questions
In our discussion with the Pastor, he said they will make sure all the plots are located close to the parish. This will ensure good management and access to many parish members.

Conclusion
We did not get big audience here because the information about our visit was delayed. We told them that we will make sure we communicate with them earlier for the Pastor to announce to all parish members.