Foundations for Farming Monitoring Report from Touch Africa Now

Location: Nyakagando Community, Kiryandongo District

Date:  Second week of April, 2018

Activity Objective: To assess and provide onsite technical support to trained farmers

Recent Events

Background

This activity is a follow up on the training of farmers activity that was done on 5th to 7th March, 2018 in Nyakagando. The training was jointly conducted and facilitated by Touch Africa Now (TAN) Uganda and Bright Hope World New Zealand. After the training farmers were formed into groups and as an output they took an action of putting the acquired knowledge and skills into practice by growing maize using the modern farming method.

During the second week of April TAN staff conducted a field visit to the farmers to provide more technical support. Five families were visited; they had planted maize as a group in Nyakagando Primary School and one couple had planted two acres of maize. 

Observations

- The maize planted using skills acquired during the training all germinated and is promising better yields (see above photo) whereas maize planted by neighbors using traditional methods was stunted and sparsely populated (photo on right). 

- During the visit to Nyakagando we observed that some farmers did not apply mulch on their gardens. The team from TAN guided them on how to practice mulching in the next farming season; this will help in giving strength to the maize plant.

- Some of the farmers are used to the traditional method of disturbing the soil and they didn’t apply manure while planting the maize. As a result during heavy rains the wind pushed their maize plants down. This showed that the root of the maize was not strong due to lack of nutrients.

- Some farmers did not procure the recommended seeds and measurements were not properly done. The technical team advised them to follow the right procedures; this will help in harvesting better yields and reduce hunger in the community. 

Challenges

1) The farmers are facing the challenge of Army worms which attack the maize stalk as it grows. TAN is helping the farmers with the idea of spraying the surround of their maize gardens with insecticides and farmers were encouraged to practice early planting of crops in the next farming season.

2) Farmers reported that they depend only on maize produce for meals as well as family income. This may result into seasonal hunger and famine during the dry spells. 

3) Some farmers with cassava gardens were infested with cassava mosaic disease and cassava brown streak which caused loss of yields up to 100% according to National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI).

4) A few who applied mulch reported that it was eaten by the termites.

Recommendation

1) More follow-up is paramount to support farmers in post harvest handling.

2) There is a need for training and supply of cassava stems that are resistant and tolerant to devastating viruses and pests. This will supplement farmers' maize crop yields. 

Comments

The outcome of the training was good and many farmers impressed it by practicing. Those who attended with their family members have done it much better than other individual farmers.