Agricultural Training and Support - Discussion on best approaches
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In Kabondo, poor harvests are due to poor agricultural practices, ignorance and lack of necessary materials for sustainable agriculture. Crops are planted on exhausted soils and weeds compete heavily with the planted crops. The result is very poor yields that cannot feed the families till the next planting season. This leads to a vicious cycle of poverty year in and year out.
The community would like to provide agricultural training to improve outputs, as well as support through the provision of seeds and tools.
The first step is to discuss some approaches to training and ways to provide support.
Hi Barb,
Ken Hargesheimer (hope I spelt that right) :lol: is the man you need to talk to. He is a neighbour here and has helped many communities. He helped James (LR Kagitumba, Rwanda), to set up gardening beds with a technique that is to easy to set up, replenishes the soil and cuts back on labour over the years.
I am sure he would take a look at your project and give you some good advice. I will have a look and see if I can find a link to his profile for you
Regards
Mel
Okay, here's a link to his profile.
Ken Hargesheimer
Send him a message or an email. He is a really helpful man and can provide you with all sorts of information on farming to replenish the soil etc.
Mel
Hi Melissa,
Thanks. I have been in contact with Ken and I am just wading through the CD of info he sent me.
Barb
Cool,
His info really works. I have used some of his techniques in my own backyard vegie garden and it has never looked healthier
Mel
I've been going through the information and it seems the organic no-till approach would be worth trying. Aside from seeds, there is little inputs needed. No fertilizer, no pesticides, no specialized tools. All that is needed is the seeds, some instructions and some basic hand tools that could even be made locally.
It may be good to set up a demonstration bed first so community members can learn how to use these techniques. Eric will have to provide more information on what seeds are locally available (non-hybridized versions) and what tools are already available.
Barb
Dear All
This link may be of help to you-
www.fao.org/
For Africa-Email: fao-raf@fao.org
Best regards,
Sushmita,
India
Hi Sushmita,
Thanks for the link. I will check it out and pass along to Eric.
Barb
Hi Barb
Is there any progress with setting up something using Ken's methods? If that can be done for little or no costs it seems like it is worth a try on a small scale to see how it goes.
Mary
Hi Mary,
I am waiting on a few materials from Ken and when I go to see Eric, I will pass them on. Then the community can decide what they would like to start with. So to answer your question, not much as been done yet.
Barb
We could advertise for a volunteer Permaculturalist to go run a training course and set up a system of sustainable agriculture. I've seen a similar request for a Ugandan community on the website of the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia:
http://permaculture.org.au/2008/07/19/permaculturist-wanted-for-uganda/
From my experience of working on farms, this element of our project will be very hard to manage from a distance and successsful agriculture needs experienced people to actually walk the land to understand and manage the issues involved.
The Australian institute is running a Permaculture aid worker training camp in Nov 08 so maybe some of their attendees will be looking for projects when they finish?
best wishes
James
Permaculture is the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems which have the diversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems. It is the harmonious integration of landscape and people providing their food, energy, shelter, and other material and non-material needs in a sustainable way. Without permanent agriculture there is no possibility of a stable social order.
Hi James and Eric,
Thanks for the information James!
I too agree that someone needs to be available to work with community and provide training and answer questions. It is great that there are some possible options available in the area. Another project we could look into is the Grow Biointensive program. There are 2 centres operating in Kenya. The first is Manor House Agricultural Centre http://www.mhacbiointensive.org/
and the second is the Common Ground Project based in western Kenya. See http://www.growbiointensive.org/partners_main.html
While in Kenya I provided a copy of the John Jeavons book (the basis for Grow Biointensive) to Eric. BIOINTENSIVE focuses on composting to improve soil fertility, deep soil preparation to enhance growth, mulching to conserve moisture, close spacing to increase productivity, and biological controls to manage pests and plant diseases.
In addition, while touring Kabondo, we were taken to the home of a local farmer that has been providing demonstrations to the community. Maybe there are possibilities here for working with him to teach some new agricultural methods.
What do you think Eric?
Barb
Hi Barb, James,
First, i did write to the Director of Permaculture and got a reply two weeks later. They told me that they were willing to help train our farmers/community members on proper farming methods if we could pay for the air tickets and accomodation/meals of their trainers from Australia.This is obviously one road that is beyond our reach and they stopped my efforts in its tracks.
I am however happy with the Biointensive programs especially the Manor House Agricultural Centre. I have visited the two sites that Barb has posted and i think they are doing wonderful work.I think the best option would be to organise may be a one day trip to the centre by a select group of our farmers who can then come back as change agents in the community, leading by example.I know people can be graetly motivated if they are not only told but if they also see first hand the good work of others. I have been reading the book Barb gave me and has also shared the knowledge therein with my Board members and some community representatives. I have also followed closely the work done in Kyomya, where 80 farmers have been trained and supported to engage in sustainable agriculture. Like Kyomya, Agriculture is the mainstay of our economy and if adequate capacity is given to people here along this line and processes put in place for long term self reliance, we can make poverty history and we would not have to ask for support for our orphans project for a significant percentage of our disadvantaged families, forever.
What is going on in Kyomya is proof that people can do wonders if given just a little knowledge and little support to make the first step. Muhammad Yunus Founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Laureate in his book "Banker to the Poor" (Barb, Thanks for gifting me with this book, it has been a revelation to me)says that the fact that people are alive amidst abject poverty is testimony to the fact that they have certain innate skills for survival which need only be given small support to a light a fire of change and development and above all self reliance that will eventually help end world poverty.If they didnot have these skills they would be dead.
I know that the skills of the people of Kabondo especially in agriculture can be harnessed to end poverty. Kabondo receives very favourable rainfall, there is no reason for the kind of poverty i see
around and which led to our ranking as among the poorest districts in Kenya.
Eric
LR
Hello James
I agree with you that issues of agriculture cannot be done from a distance like other activities like support to orphans. Some body has to be on the ground assisting people, answering questions, probing the subsistence farmers on their strength and weaknesses and helping them learn new approaches and best practices. Thank you very much for this link to permaculture and i want to take it up enthusiastically to see what comes out of it.
Eric
LR
Email me a postal address and I will mail you agriculture dvds to study.
Ken Hargesheimer
GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK
USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, AR; Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d’Ivoire, Nigeria,
Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan
Minifarms@gmail.com
Workshops in organic, 0-tillage, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching worldwide in English & Español
Proven Practices for School Gardens
These are based on the internet, US & international agriculture magazines, experiences teaching agriculture in many countries, research and farmer experiences in those countries and a demonstration garden. They are ecologically sustainable, environmentally responsible and economically viable. There is unlimited, documented proof. , These can double the yield and reduce labor by half, compared to traditional methods. There are 90,000,000 no-till hectares worldwide.
Fukaoka Farm, Japan, has been no-till [rice, small grains, vegetables] for 70 years. Dripping Springs Gardens, AR, has been no-till [vegetables, flowers] for 8 years. An Indian farmer has been no-till [vegetables] for 5 years. A Malawi farmer has been no-till [vegetables] on permanent beds for 25 years. A Honduras farmer has been no-till [vegetables & fruit] on permanent beds on the contour (73° slope] for 8 years. Ruth Stout [USA] had a no-till garden for 30 years and 7,000 people visited her garden.
No technique yet devised by man has been anywhere near as effective at halting soil erosion and making food production truly sustainable as no-till (Baker)
1. Restore the soil to its natural health. Contamination: inorganic pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc
2. Maintain the healthy soil [produces healthy plants which have few diseases, pests and weeds. Healthy soil produces healthy crops to have healthy students]
3. Feed the soil; not the plants
4. Maintain plant diversity [with crops and/or green manure/cover crops]
5. Increase the soil’s organic matter every year.
6. Little or no external inputs. [It is not necessary to buy anything, from anybody, for the garden. Certain things are recommended]
7. Plant all land every year [no fallow land]
8. Leave crop residue on top of soil [no burning]]
9. 0-tillage - no digging, no cultivating. [No hard physical work is necessary so children can easily garden]
10. Permanent beds [for crops]
11. Permanent paths [for walking]
12. Hand tools
13. Organic fertilizers
14. Organic disease control.
15. Organic herbicides.
16. Organic pesticides.
17. Biological pest control.
18. Attract beneficials [insects, bats, birds, toads, frogs, non-poison snakes, grasshopper mice]
19. Protect pollinators [honey bees, native bees, wasps, yellow jackets, butterflies, dirt daubers, butterflies]
20. Protect soil organisms [worms, micros]
21. Soil always covered
22. Use mulch/green manures/cover crops.
23. Feed the soil through the mulch.
24. Organic matter [Free? Take to farm when economically feasible. Use as mulch; compost surplus]
25. Compost [For surplus organic matter and/or special use. No vermicomposting as worms will be in the beds]
26. Bucket drip irrigation: [imported bucket drip kits [US$12] or using local tubing made by gardeners. [$3]
27. Seed [Open-pollinated]
28. Crop rotation.
29. Intercropping
30. Cassava–[plant & harvest; no hilling
31. Alternative crops [many under-utilized, indigenous crops have excellent potential]
32. Imitate nature. Most gardeners fight nature. ¡Nature always wins!
Ken Hargesheimer minifarms@aol.com
When Soil is Plowed
Dr. Elaine Ingham, describes an undisturbed grassland—where a wide diversity of plants grow, their roots mingling with a wide diversity of soil organisms—and how it changes when it is plowed.
A typical teaspoon of native grassland soil contains between 600 million and 800 million individual bacteria that are members of perhaps 10,000 species. Several miles of fungi are in that teaspoon of soil, as well as 10,000 individual protozoa. There are 20 to 30 beneficial nematodes from as many as 100 species. Root-feeding nematodes are quite scarce in truly healthy soils. They are present, but in numbers so low that it is rare to find them.
After only one plowing, a few species of bacteria and fungi disappear because the food they need is no longer put back in the system. But for the most part, all the suppressive organisms, all the nutrient cyclers, all the decomposers, all the soil organisms that rebuild good soil structure are still present and trying to do their jobs.
But tillage continues to deplete soil organic matter and kill fungi. The larger predators are crushed, their homes destroyed. The bacteria go through a bloom and blow off huge amounts of that savings-account organic matter. With continued tillage, the "policemen" (organisms) that compete with and inhibit disease are lost. The "architects" that build soil aggregates are lost. So are the "engineers"—the larger organisms that design and form the larger pores in soil. The predators that keep bacteria, fungi, and root-feeding organisms in check are lost. Disease suppression declines, soil structure erodes, and water infiltration decreases because mineral crusts form. Dr. Elaine Ingham, BioCycle, December 1998. (From ATTRA News, July 06)
Video Game: food-force.com [download free. 12 languages]
Websites: dirtdoctor.com, newfarm.org [English, Japanese]; invisiblegardener.com, rodaleinstitute.org, cityfarmer.org , echonet.org [English, Español], ruaf.org [[English, Español, French, Arabic, Chinese, Portuguese]; leisa.info [Bahasa Indonesia, English, French, Portuguese, Español]; tearfund.org/tilz [English, French, Portuguese, Español]; cipotato.org/urbanharvest [English, Español]; hdra.org.uk; kidsregen.org; gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/index.php
Children gardening: ecoliteracy.org/programs/wellness_policy.html; slowfoodusa.org/education/index.html; Curriculum: Farm to Table-nehbc.org/education.html; slowfoodusa.org; sustainabletable.org/schools, earthboundfarm.com/Kids/index.aspx; kidsregen.org; kidsgardening.com; gardenorganic.org.uk/schools_organic_network/index.php; Setting up and Running a School Garden. A manual for teachers, parents and communities; Setting Up School Gardens www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0218e/0218e00.htm;
DVD Videos
I did not read all postings. I have alread mail dvds to you.
GARDENS/MINI-FARMS NETWORK
USA: TX, MS, FL, CA, AR, NM, WA; Mexico, Rep. Dominicana, Côté d’Ivoire, Nigeria,
Nicaragua, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Haiti, England, India, Uzbekistan
minifarms@gmail.com
Workshops in organic, no-till, permanent-bed gardening, mini-farming, mini-ranching using bucket drip irrigation,
worldwide in English & Español
Build a Demonstration Bed
Healthy soil produces healthy plants, with high yields, to have healthy people and prevents most disease, pest, weed and erosion problems.
This bed will demonstrate to people that this really works.
1. Mark off a bed 2 meters wide and 5 meters long. Can be any width or length.
2. Do not dig or till the bed. Cut down any weeds, etc and leave on top of the soil.
3. Plant a green manure/cover crop [seed are available in every country] in the bed. Irrigate using a drip line[s] if it is the dry season. I will tell you how to make the dripline out of poly tubing and a plastic pail. Dripline is 100 feet and irrigates one row of vegetables using 40 liters of water every other day. Cost in Nicaragua was US$3. Can be moved to another row of vegetables.
4. Let the gm/cc grow until time to plant a food crop. Cut the gm/cc down level with the soil, so it dies, and leave it on top of the soil.
5. Open up rows [4?] in which to plant a crop [maize?] or clear small areas [6 inches round] to plant agusi, tomatoes and/or squash, etc.
6. Harvest. Leave plants on top of the soil.
7. Do not dig or till.
8. Mulch the soil with dead grass, leaves or any organic material.
Another way is to plant maize and when it is 300 to 400 cm tall, plant Mucuna [or other gm/cc such as Lablab, etc] between the maize plants. When the maize is harvested, leave the stalks standing. The Mucuna will grow and climb up the maize stalks and cover the ground. When it is time to plant the next crop, cut the Mucuna off at the ground and leave on the soil. Plant the next crop in the Mucuna.
This demonstration bed will prove to everybody that this works. No hoeing, no digging, no tilling!
I will help every step of the way. All you have to do is email me.
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