Ipogoro CVP Visit Report - Aug 2-2012

2012 CVP Companion Village Project 6th Visit Year Four August 2, 2012 Village Ipogoro Pastor Nixon Mwitula Companion Augustana Lutheran Attendees 22 Weather for the past month Dry Reporters Gabriel, Pongolan and Venance Purposes of the visit: • To collect the yield measurement • To deliver grain storage chemical “Shumba” • 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: Both corn and beans were harvested and threshed. We saw well dried corn in good shape put in plastic bags. The harvest was as shown in the table below: Crop Corn Beans Yield per ½ acres 14.5 bags 2.0 tins 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 Pastor had organized a big meeting of evangelists and church elders from all the preaching points for the purpose of discussing about demonstration plots. Some of the members of this meeting were new to the CVP; therefore, we went through the 3rd and 4th visit handouts together with the plant population at different levels of fertilizer so that we could give them in detail what is taught and done at the CVP. We spent much time answering questions about fertilizers; seeds and pesticides which were asked by knowledge thirsty attendees. The parish had succeeded to produce 14.5bags of corn in half an acre; an exemplary yield despite of the bad weather which hit the region this year. Unfortunately the bean yield was extremely low due to the dry spell that occurred between Jan. and March this year. 5. Adoption: Most of parishioners have been adopting some of the techniques. The District Pastor showed us his yield which he got from his farm after using the techniques. He harvested a lot of corn that he was going to store in the new storage silo under construction. Construction of the silo will be completed soon. The pastor testified before the audience how he is reaping from the demonstration plot as well as his own farm after using the techniques taught at the demonstration plot by the Institute of Agriculture from Tumaini University. Pastor Nixon is very active and likes farming. Probably that constitutes to the success of the parish demonstration plot. Comments/questions  We encouraged the Pastor and the church elders to show the good farming methods to the other members of the church and villagers so that they can see and follow in order to get rid of famine in the region.  We asked them to make use of the silo under construction for grain storage by increasing production. Conclusion We congratulated them for the good job they have done in the demonstration. We encouraged them to adopt the techniques taught. The Pastor and Parish members were very happy with the performance of the corn demonstration plot.