Push-Me-Pull-You

Our latest work in agriculture reminds me of the Pushmi-Pulyu in Dr Dolittle. But we are not talking about animals or livestock integration. No, in a couple of the villages we are working with, we have introduced Climate Smart Push-Pull Technology, a method used for controlling pests and improving soil fertility. We are introducing this to farmers like Mama Veronika who with nine children to feed from her small plot of land, has faced the discouraging disaster of pests devouring her crops.

Mama Veronika (right) with her twins and baby and neighbour (left)

The tiny maize pest: Stem-borer

The Striga plant is a parasitic plant which attacks maize

Mama Lea holding the parasitic striga plant

So what is Climate-Smart Push-Pull Technology?

It is an improved method of the conventional Push-Pull that fights the challenges common after a drought when the soil is poor and plagued by striga and stemborer. Desmodium is planted in between rows of maize. Its roots stop the striga weed from growing and attaching to maize while improving soil fertility and its leaves also cover the ground and prevent soil erosion. The smell of the desmodium "pushes" the stemborer moths away from the maize. Brachiaria grass is planted around the maize (or sorghum) plot and attracts ("pulls") the stemborer moths to it to lay eggs, but few larvae can survive on Brachiaria grass so the maize is saved! Both plants are also excellent fodder for animals and will improve health and increase milk production.

Starting with the seeds

A few weeks ago, Tim went with Peter, Elisha and John to an Agricultural Research Centre just outside Mwanza to learn more about the technology from Dr Rwiza, the research scientist there. They had a good tour of their demonstration plots and came back full of enthusiasm and with the gift of some rather expensive seeds!

Brachiaria Grass growing round the outside of the maize

Desmodium growing in between the maize

Peter, Dr Rwiza, Tim, John, Elisha and Simon

Putting it into Practice

The guys then went to the villages of Igumumoyo and Nyamililo with the research scientist to work with our farmers to plant out a Push-Pull Demonstration plot in each village.

At Isaac's house in Nyamililo - 'the classroom'

Planting begins

Supporting us in this Agricultural Project, is Team Hope in Ireland. This week we are delighted to have Niall and Sue Barry from Ireland visiting us and it was wonderful to be take them to Igumumoyo to see the work in this village getting off the ground! We trained 27 farmers in Conservation Agriculture in September. Even after the late rains and plague of pests which followed the drought, while many farmers in this village have struggled to harvest, our farmers are pleased with their harvest after the first rains. And with the work we are doing to beat the pests, they are encouraged and optimistic for greater harvests to come! Almost all of them have planted again now to make the most of the second rains. So wonderful to see the transformation of hope at work! Huge thanks to Team Hope for their help making it possible!

We began our day with a time of introductions and sharing at the church

With some of our the farmers participating in the project on the church demonstration plot

Walking out to the fields

We visited the shamba of Mama Veronika who talked to us about her involvement in the project. She is 38 years old and has nine children, the oldest is 23 and the youngest a baby and in the middle somewhere there are sweet 6 year old twins! As she said, providing food is a struggle. It was great to hear her testimony that, "...through the project, even though there were challenges [pests], we got a better harvest. We ask you to please continue this project. There is plenty of food in our home now. And in the home there is joy!"

Mama Veronika talks about the project 

After visiting another woman's shamba, we went to see how the Push-Pull Plot was looking. It had only been five days, but already the maize and desmodium were poking green through the sandy soil! It was very encouraging to see the good germination and exciting to see something new started!

At the Push-Pull Plot