Kidugala CVP Visit Report - May 23, 2012

2010CVP Companion Village Project 5th Visit Year Two May 23, 2012 Village Kidugala Pastor Wallace Lupenza Companion Immanuel Lutheran Attendees 6 Weather for the past month Dry Institute Staffs Gabriel, Karen and Don We drove from Njombe to here. Unfortunately there has been miscommunication about our coming and the demonstration meeting. We met another parish pastor and she help in organizing the meeting. After half an hour, we started the meeting Purpose of the visit • Demonstrating on how to take yield measurements Topics 1. Review of the handouts o 5th Visit handout o Yield recording sheet 2. Demonstrations It was demonstrated on how to measure the 10 m row (in three different locations within the demonstration plot and neighbors farm), this was demonstrated by using a 10 m string. Farmers were instructed to count the number of corn plants and ears. Yield recording sheets were provided. 3. Bean disease We told them that we heard about the bean disease in this area. Unfortunately we were not able to help because we got the information very late. We advised them to inform us as earlier as possible whenever there is occurrence of a crop disease. We may advice through the phone or visit the area and learn the type of the disease. If the matter is complicated we may involve other experts from the University of Minnesota or from Sokoine University in Tanzania. We insisted that it is very important to inform us about the progress of the demonstration plots Plots information • Corn is still in the field for further drying. There has been no major problem in this plot. In the other part of the plot, the plants are thin and the yield expected is low. We told them that the soil type of that part of the farm might be lacking organic matter. Crop rotation and leaving crop residues might help to solve the problem. We instructed them not to plant very close to the big trees because the shadow and nutrients competition affect the crop plants. • Bean crop was severely affected by the bean disease. They have already harvested the crop from the plot. We told them we will need to know the yields obtained. We what them to measure what they have got and record in the yield sheet provided. Conclusion We insisted the importance of communication. However we thank them for the good job they are doing in managing the demonstration plots. We told them that we will be back in July/August to talk about marketing and crop storage.