Agriculture Report 16th April 2008

(Click to enlarge photo's)
Vinho School and Nhamatanda Director of Agriculture Visit

Immediately after being welcomed at Vinho School, the children feel the moisture that has been retained under mulch because of mulching done a few weeks ago.

The school director explains what has to be done to prepare the nursery to the children.

Mulch is removed from the area marked out for the nursery to prepare the seedbeds. Cabbage, Swiss chard, Tomatoes and Onions will be planted here.

After the mulch is removed the ground is tilled in preparation to add compost.

Grass piled on the edge of the machamba has composted nicely. The children collect the moist, decomposing organic matter from the bottom of the grass pile, to add to the soil in the nursery seed beds.

The compost is spread onto the prepared ground and mixed into the soil of the seed beds.

When the compost is mixed in well, the children pull soil up to cover any exposed compost then level the prepared seed bed.

The seed bed is divided into 4 separate beds.

Beans are planted between the beds to provide the seed beds with Nitrogen. Each planting station is marked with a stake.

Before and after: the seed bed is prepared, and then covered again with mulch to conserve moisture until we bring the seed (on 17^{th-next day})

The children are each given 2 bean seeds which they plant 3 paces apart, (2 seeds per station) Even the little chap in the pic above! These bean plants will provide N to the vegetables when transplanted from the nursery to the main garden.

Rosa re-caps with the children what has been done and what has to be done still.

Monica leads the children in a game that quickens wit, a fun end to a great and productive visit.

Some of the children look on as we discuss the next visit with the school director.

From the school, we drove to Nhamatanda to meet with the Director of Agriculture. The Director is 100% behind our efforts and advised us how to proceed to implement the Vinho Ladies Market Garden Project. A meeting has been set for next week with all parties concerned. We were also given vegetable seed for the Vinho School garden. One thing that was discussed is our involvement with the existing Government extension worker in the Bebedo Area. The Director is enthusiastic that our involvement will complement their efforts to spread the use of Organic Farming for which they have only been given a very small budget. We have a great need for a motorcycle in Vinho, and I propose to construct a simple lockable storeroom at the school with money we are not spending from the Agric budget. The motorcycle and some bicycles can be locked there for safe keeping. The bike would not only be useful for me, Rosa and Monica, but also Suleiman and other members in the department.

Grant Norvall