The Work of Eden in Buchosa

On Thursday, Peter and I (Tim) went to two villages in the Buchosa district, Busenge and Itabagumba, where we have begun a conservation agriculture project. With delays at the ferry crossing, it took us four and half hours to get there. We arrived in Busenge, a very rural village, clearly far removed from many of the influences of the wider world. Everyone had time and stopped to greet me and chat. When they weren’t talking to me, they all used their tribal language, Kisukumu, as they conversed with one another.

When we begin a new project, we usually have low expectations for the first year. It takes people time to adjust to the new methods of farming. Can they trust us? Will it really work? But I was surprised in Busenge; yes, they were late in planting, but that was more down to the lateness of our seminar than any reluctance on their part! We quizzed the group members to see if they remembered what we had taught. Two grandmothers were able to give the correct answer of spacing of 60cm between maize plants - “It’s two rulers,” they said. We all chuckled when a young man thought his correct 60cm spacing was in fact 25cm! One Bibi (grandmother) had surrounded her shamba with a fence to keep the livestock out, which in our experience is rare. 

Bibi in her fenced shamba

Pastor John in his shamba

Later, as we met with some of the participants we talked about how God put Adam “in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” When we discussed whether we do both of these responsibilities, the answer came back unanimously, “No, just the first one, to work the soil.” We usually ignore the second, to care for it, which explains why crop yields are falling year by year, as the soil progressively deteriorates. We were able to remind the participants the purpose of the conservation agriculture training groups is to teach people to do both of these responsibilities. We emphasize the importance of the second responsibility, done through enriching the soil, covering the soil, planting nitrogen-fixing crops, using agroforestry, crop rotation and as I added, putting a fence in place as Bibi did. No, we cannot just say it’s bad luck the animals came in and ate the crops!

As we turned to leave we were called by the pastor to have chai first. His heavily pregnant wife had made a nice breakfast. The Sukuma tribe are well known for their generous hospitality. We then went on the second village, Itabagumba, arriving only 2 hours late!

We were late but so were the villagers. While we waiting for them to come, we walked with the pastor, Simeon to his house. Simeon is also the Bishop of the West Mwanza Diocese, a wonderful man with a kind heart. After inheriting this land from his father, he returned to the village a few years ago after a successful career as an engineer in Dar es Salaam. As we approached his place, I was stunned! While only a few hundred metres away was poor sandy dry soil, here, this part of creation had been beautifully cared for. Banana trees, papaya trees, mango trees, pineapples and other plants in wonderful biodiversity, making the most of the rich moist fertile soil.

Bishop Simeon with Peter in his shamba

There was also this delicious mystery fruit that we don’t know the name of!

Anyone know?

When we saw his extremely healthy maize planted amongst the trees, we asked him if he had put manure in the ground. He hadn’t as he said the soil was already enriched enough. The shamba had been looked after so well for many years that it was now supporting and caring for itself. It was an excellent example of permaculture. Everywhere in the Mwanza Region we see the destruction of the environment, particularly with the cutting of trees. But here I was reminded that if we fulfil those two responsibilities God has given us, his creation can become abundant and fruitful again and we can enjoy its fruits. And talking of fruits, Simeon sent me home with two loaded bags of mangos, pineapples and mystery fruit!

Bishop Simeon in his maize

The Difference in where the Beans have Been

Meet this lovely group of people … the small church in the village of Chabakima!

A group photo by the CA demonstration plot

On Sunday, it was good to be with this church group again. Tim preached a great impromptu sermon after being told someone else was preaching … but plans changed! We went with Elisha, who also shared and encouraged the church in the Conservation Agriculture (CA) project we are working on together. After the service it was lovely to share lunch with everyone. Large pots of rice and beans were brought in, and a special pot of liver for us, the guests.

Elisha encouraging the church

We are working with Pastor Peter starting CA groups in this village. We started last year by forming a group of community farmers and a planting a demonstration shamba (crop field) beside the church building.

Things don't always go according to plan … as well we know! And that was the case with the demonstration plot. This year, after successfully harvesting their maize last year from their field intercropped with nitrogen-fixing beans and mulched to keep in the moisture, the pastor who really likes cassava just went ahead on his own and planted a whole field of solely cassava. No CA techniques used whatsoever. There wasn't much that Peter and Elisha could do then! But the interesting thing is the visual lesson that all can still learn ... the cassava planted in the area that had been selected and started last year for the CA techniques is flourishing! Right next to it the cassava planted in unenriched soil is really struggling. The difference where the beans have been is starkly incredible! So hopefully a lesson learned and the demonstration shamba will be better next year!

Cassava in last years CA section where the beans had been

Adjacent cassava struggling

After lunch, we went to visit the shamba of one of the group members. His son, Stephano, showed us how things were going. It has been another hard year with very little rain in Chabakima. But Baba Stephano has a great field of intercropped maize, beans, field peas and cassava. They are thrilled with the amount of maize they have just been able to harvest and with the project in general. They are excited to continue in the project and we hope that Baba Stephano will become a Lead Farmer helping other Chabakima farmers.

Stephano with Elisha at his shamba, with maize just harvested

Jack beans and Kunde (field peas)

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

Pests, a Permit and a new Upendo wa Mama

The rains have started! After the drought which preceded the recent dry season, this is cause for rejoicing! Farmers are now putting their conservation agriculture "classroom" training into practice as they plant. We are now working with farmers in 7 communities with around 130 farmers. So as you can imagine, Peter, our CA project manager is very busy! And there is always a new challenge ... and right now, the challenge is this ...

Pests!

These pests are proving to be a real problem in one village. The whole village has been plagued by these bugs which burrow deep into the root of the maize plant. By the time the plant breaks through the soil, the damage is already done. For these farmers who can only afford to plant once, to see a whole crop destroyed before it even comes out of the soil is devastating. We are praying for more consistent rain which we think will strengthen future plants against the pest.

There is so much going on at the moment, it is getting rather difficult to keep up on the blog! But here are a few highlights!

Dar es Salaam

We were in Dar es Salaam all together the other weekend with Victory Christian Church. Staying by the Indian Ocean was beautiful! Tim was teaching at the Bible School on the Saturday and then preaching for the church services on the Sunday.

Sunday morning service at VCC

A Work and Residence Permit

Tim and the girls returned home to Mwanza on the Sunday night and I stayed on with Pastor Huruma and the family to begin working with a lovely group of women with albinism. I am thrilled to say that finally after a long and complicated procedure, with the generous help of Under the Same Sun, I now finally have a visa! It arrived just in the perfect nick of time this week, as I was about to fly out to Malawi! In the midst of a very busy and rather crazy week, Tim helped by taking my passport into Immigration and getting it stamped with my residence permit the day before I left! While still serving with the TAG church, this visa will enable me to volunteer alongside UTSS to help with their work with women with albinism. What a privilege!

It is wonderful to be working alongside the great team at UTSS. Rahab, who helps particularly with the women's group, travelled to Canada a year or so ago and as well as attending King's Community Church in Langley, also shared a meal at my parents!

New Upendo wa Mama

I was so delighted to finally meet these ten women in Dar es Salaam after waiting so long! All of them either have albinism or have children with albinism and are wanting to establish their group for support and income-generating. Their stories as similar to those of the mamas in Mwanza. They have chosen to also be called Upendo wa Mama (Mother's Love). In our days together, as we made the beads out of strips of old paper, we started reading Genesis about how God brings light and order into the darkness and chaos. We read about being created beautifully in the image of God for a purpose. It is a life-changing message. And my prayer is that as these women work together and grow, they would be a living demonstration to others of this truth.

Making beads together

Anniversary Celebrations ... with a Cobra

So Tim and I celebrated 16 years of marriage on Friday! We are so thankful for these years which have been amazingly full, with plenty of adventures! We celebrated by heading an hour or so up around the Lake, to a beautiful spot called Papa's. As a charity for orphaned and abandoned girls, they house and school children and as part of the project manage sustainable agriculture and run a restaurant and accommodation. After a very busy time here and also following the long time apart and then little time alone together, Tim and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity there just to rest and be together. (Kind friends had Amisadai and Louisa staying for the night.) The hours passed all too quickly, but we returned refreshed on Saturday afternoon!

We had a bit of excitement during our evening meal on Friday... there was a commotion not far from the restaurant veranda. Cries of "SNAKE" and sounds of much hitting ensued. Then the power suddenly cut out. We sat in the darkness with our chicken and fish as the commotion intensified and waited for the generator to kick back in. Then I ventured out to the commotion. Victorious cheers as the Maasai defeated the cobra. A quick photo. And then back to finish my dinner.

The dead cobra

The Maasai who attacked the cobra!

We did manage a walk to the top of the hill!

A view of Papas from the top of the hill

The Restaurant is the large shelter on the right,

there are two small bandas on the left - ours was the one on the right!

Back in Kayenze

We were so delighted to be back with the church in Kayenze on Sunday! We received such a warm welcome after our long absence! It was a much longer service than normal with the sermon running over an hour and half and then lots of singing and announcements after that! Pastor Amon is doing such a great job as the church takes the lead with running the agriculture project in Kayenze and surrounding villages. Amon is encouraging farmers and has done much of the new teaching with Peter and will take responsibility for refresher training for the existing groups in the villages.

Choir singing for the Offering

Working with Many New Farmers!

Peter has been very busy these past few weeks. He has been training new groups starting in the conservation agriculture project. Many people are interested and excited! About 60 new farmers have been trained so far this season in the new villages. This week he is doing some of the short refresher training with existing groups. And preparations are underway with all the farmers for planting, which we should be able to start soon. We are all praying for good rains this year!

Peter demonstrating with the farmers

Pastor Amon doing some practical teaching

Upendo wa Mama

Exciting steps forward with the Mamas Group! We met last week for a thorough cleaning of the garage at Standing Voice which we will be using as a workshop. Phew! What a crazy, dirty job! But we did well and prepared it for painting which was supposed to start on Saturday, but will now be tomorrow!

Stepping up for Sewing!

Also last week I picked up a sewing machine for the mamas, after some confusion when they went for sewing training in May at Mwanza Sewing Training Centre. Incredible to see the ancient machines they are able to fix up for a new life!

Fitting our machine with a motor so it is able to run as a treadle machine or with electricity!

A beautiful old machine sitting next to me while our machine was worked on!

There seems so much more to say as there is rather a lot happening at the moment! A rural island health update is needed and the girls need to update on goats and baby bunnies! Next time ...