Pommern Secondary School-CVP Visit May 7-2012

2012 CVP Companion Village Project Visit Report 5th Visit 1st year May 07, 2012. Village Pommern Secondary School Pastor Haran Ngede Companion Faith Lutheran Church Attendees 33 Weather Cloudy and cold Reporters Rev. Mangu’lisa, Venance and Pongolani Purpose of the visit • To explain and demonstrate how to take yield measurement Topics 1. Went through the handouts o 5th Visit handout o Yield recording sheet 2. 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 tape measure, tassels from plants within the 10m were removed to mark them for easy identification at the time of harvesting. Plots information The school corn plot looks very good and attracts passersby to spare time to look at and ask some questions. The plants bear big ears which are properly filled. The spacing between lines is properly followed but some gaps were observed between plants, a sign of failure to do gap filling soon after plant germination. The plot was well weeded. It is a shame for the bean plot. There was very few bean plants in a weedy plot, some bean plants were planted under the big eucalyptus trees and were badly affected by the aleopathy. Comments They were praised for the good looking corn plot but were queried for the poor performance of the bean plot. They asked many questions about pests and diseases, a usual tendency for students, their questions were answered accordingly. Conclusion Pommern Secondary School is the only school doing well with the corn plot. It was not clear as to why the school failed to perform well with the beans. The performance of any school plot depends on the seriousness of the head of the school just like the performance of any parish plot depends on the interest of the pastor/ evangelist of the particular parish/ preaching point on farming activities. Students are easily influenced by the teachers. Therefore, a teacher appointed to supervise the plot must have interest in agriculture. Unfortunately, teachers appointed to do so, change or leave the school often making supervision difficult. We requested the headmaster to appoint a permanent teacher for this purpose. The teacher appointed to work on the demonstration plot was reminded to follow the teaching of good farming practices closely in order to achieve the targets of the program.