Idunda CVP Visit Report - May 23-2012

Companion Village Project Visit Report 5th Visit 2nd year May 23, 2012. Village Idunda Parish Pastor Letson Chusi Companion St. James Lutheran Church Attendees 16 Weather Moist and cold Reporters Rev. Mangu’lisa, Venance and Pongolani Purpose of the visit • To explain how to take yield measurement Topics 1. Went through the handouts o 5th Visit handout o Yield recording sheet We went through the handout to make sure the Parishioners could remember the procedures to be followed when taking yield measurements. 2. Demonstrations There was no any demonstration because they had already harvested corn and beans. Corn information Idunda is another Parish situated on the mountains characterized by heavy rains for more than eight months in a year. The soil is moist throughout the year. The Parishioners planted only one variety of corn provided by the institute of Agriculture (H. 6303). The corn was harvested and stored in a storeroom. A lot of corn from the CVP was badly rotten and germinating due to high moisture content (See pictures). Parishioners showed us some local corn harvested from the pastor’s plot. It looked less affected by the rotting problem. We were shown a bunch of local corn which was smoked, it looked very well. Comments Rotting problem is a serious one at Idunda and Kivalamo. Probably it is also a problem at Ipalamwa and Lulanzi where it rains so much for a long period of time. For Idunda and Kivalamo we better focus on the local varieties as seed for the CVP. For Lulanzi, this season’s yield will guide us in making choice. This year’s yield situation at Ipalamwa will provide us some knowledge on the variety of seed to use. Conclusion The Great diversity of the local conditions prevailing in Iringa Diocese requires diverse treatment as well. AS we continue performing the CVP, we continue to learn better the differences between different areas in the region and we have to be flexible to accommodate the differences. At least, two factors are important to be considered for the CVP in the high mountainous areas; the variety of seed to plant and the time of planting which have to be different from the variety and time used in other areas of the Diocese.