Impact Video on Agric Practical

Dear All

Local government benefits from Metu Maarifa

 Local government benefits from Metu Maarifa

Metu sub county host the maarifa centre in their office compound, this proximity has benefited the sub county staff; they have free access to internet and computer use. Most of the staff have benefited from free computer training, while the sub county extension officer and National Agricultural advisory officer works closely with ALIN staff in filling Agricultural information needs of the community.  

The chairman local council III Metu sub-county surfing computer.

 My name is Ogoro Peter Anyanzo, I doubles as the LC III chairperson of Metu Sub County and frequent user of this facility (Metu maarifa centre resources). “The centre has made me cut costs, I don’t buy newspapers anymore, and it has lessened by paper work because of internet connection. On behalf of the sub county I must applaud the work of Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN) in Metu Sub County and Moyo district as whole”.

The chairman, also a member of Metu Maarifa advisory committee further commented on the benefits of accessing the knowledge centre.

Some trainees attending classes at Metu Maarifa Centre.

“If all can come and learn to access information through internet, reading materials like the publications available and other services offered at the knowledge centre, then, people may have a changed behaviour and attitude from drug abuse, smoking weeds and many others. The way of doing things in my sub county and the district at large will completely be changed. And I encouraged all the community members in Metu Sub County and Moyo district to come and share their experience and learnt more at the information point known as Metu Maarifa Center Hon. Ogoro added.     

“THE BURDEN OF AFRICAN WOMAN”

African woman is looked at as the child bearer and entirely child rearing at home rests on her.

Daily, the African woman wakes up as early as 5:00am to make ends meet.

A woman carries ground nuts atop her head and a baby strapped on her back in Adjumani district and the residents believe it’s easy to carry items on their heads rather than by hand or in a backpack according to these photos taken on July. 15, 2012. People prefer this way so that they could use their hands to maneuver difficult terrains and also do other errands with their hands. (Mama Bunia Susan said)

Women in Patabo village carrying their kids at their back & some food with them

Work, work, and work from dawn to sun set to meet the demands of the daily bread.

The African woman takes a lead in the field activities like harrowing, weeding, harvesting and storing all rests on her, yet the men take ownership of the properties at the end.

The burden of an African woman, toiling with her child at the back; going all round looking for wild vegetables collecting firewood after every field work and any other days.

African woman serves the husband with water for bathing and other serves he demands from her yet men only rests after the field work. 

Mama Bunia Susan carrying a child of her son.

At her age, she is burdened with grand children whose mothers and father’s might have been taken up by alcohol. Or sometimes left orphans because of the HIV/AIDS which is the epidemic diseases now as known world-wide.

Sometime, the African woman is involved in harvesting wild white ants from a distance she said.

The burden of African woman, at the end of it all, she may end up been buried at her father’s home because of cultural practices such as bride wealth, dowry or lack of child bearing to mention but a few.

A man & some women busy in their garden field digging. 

She takes active roles in collecting grass and fetching water for the construction of the hut; and yet the man claims he is the pillar of the house.

The burden of African woman.

METU MAARIFA REPORT FROM THE USERS

Mr. Cherubin Oduti, farmer and Entrepreneur

              Mr. Cherubin in his shop

Mr Cherubin Oduti is farmer in Metu Sub County; he was one of the first beneficiaries of Metu Maarifa free computer training. According to him; he was able to get a lot of useful information from the internet and this has greatly impacted on his life. “Through the publications I have learnt new methods of using land” he further said, with the new farming technics I learnt, my Agricultural production has improved. Mr. Cherubin also deals in farm inputs and runs a small eating place at Metu trading center.

RE: TESTIMONY FROM MAARIFA USERS

My name is Hwedri Michael, I leave in Patabo village Ayiro parish in Metu sub-county  and I am 63 years old and  only oldest person visiting this community knowledge centre , I am Ex-police officer and now works with Metu savings and cooperative credit society and also chairperson Metu Maarifa Centre to Advisory Committee and:-

I am enrolled in ICDL computer training.

 I like visiting the maarifa centre  because  i am the Chairperson Advisory Board Metu Maarifa Centre and utilize the computer games. I also  benefit in playing this game in terms of  building my reasoning capacity in thinking widely to support the smooth running of the centre.

I am utilizing the use of computer "Mzee Hwedri said" thanks to ALIN 

It also assists me in speed typing as I am enrolled in this programme of ICDL in Metu sub-county and I pick much interest in learning computer says Hwedri.  

Interviewed by: Jurugo Simon Drikota
The Field officer- Metu Maarifa Centre 

RE: Growing Cassava as commercial Purpose

 

TME 14 CASSAVA GROWING AS A BUSINESS.

TME 14 is variety of cassava which is grown by most farmers today. In Moyo district, the variety was first introduced to the farmer groups in the various sub-counties of the district including Metu, Moyo, Dufile, Aliba, Laropi ,Obongi etc.. By an NGO called DAR with the aim of improving the livelihood of the local farmers within the districts of West Nile region.

Because of the short maturity period it has and its high quality yields, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) in Metu sub-county towards the end of the last financial year that is 2010-2011, supplied the food security farmers with cassava cuttings of the above mentioned variety.

Before the farmers planted the cassava cuttings, trainings were first conducted in all the 52 villages of the sub-county for the beneficiaries about the importance, good agronomic practices and record keeping.

Simon the owner of the cassava checking the leaves of TME 14

The following importance were realized from growing cassava (TME 14);

ü  Source of food for the farmers and the consumers as well.

ü  Source of income for the farmers which is through the sale of the cassava and its cuttings.

ü  It matures within a short period of time, which is from 6-8 months.

ü  It has a very high quality yields.

ü  It can be consumed while still raw because it is so sweet.

The good agronomic practices among others include:-

1.      Land preparation; the land for planting is prepared at least 3 weeks or 1 month earlier. This is done through cultivation of land by use of ox-plough or tractor.2^nd ploughing is done after 1 or 2 weeks and then land is ready for planting.

2.      Planting; this is done as long as the land is prepared and there is onset of rains and planting is done using clean planting materials. The holes for planting are dug using a hand hoe.

3.      Spacing; spaces are left between the rows and columns of the cassava plants. The space left is measured 1 by 1 metre.

4.      Weeding; the first weeding is done after two weeks after the plants have emerged out and the weeds are clearly seen in the field. The purpose is to maintain a very high level of field hygiene and prevents pests and disease infestation in the field. It also prevents competition between the plants and weeds for nutrients, space, air and sunlight. 2^nd weeding is done at any time as long as there weeds in the field.

5.      Pest and disease control; the following pests attacks cassava (TME 14);

a.      Cassava millibergs;these are black tiny organisms that produces white powdery substance at the growing points of the cassava plant and due to the disturbance at the shoot system. Die-back eventually occurs to the plant which leads to the wilting of the plant.

Weeding process can be done when matured

 Control

ü  Use of clean planting materials.

ü  Proper field hygiene maintenance.

ü  Practice of crop rotation.

ü  Burning of the infested plant materials.

The disease that affects the cassava includes;

A.     Cassava root rot; this is a disease that is caused as a result of poor drainage in the field which leads to water logging and the cassava roots eventually rots.

Control

ü  Ensure proper drainage in the field.

ü  Practice proper farming methods like contour line construction in the cassava field.

B.     Cassava mosaic; this disease makes the plant leaves to fold and as a result, they do not get enough sunlight. The leaves will then change to yellow due to lack of chlorophyll and photosynthesis therefore does not take place.

Control

ü  Field hygiene.

ü  Uproot and Burn the affected plant materials.

ü  Practice of crop rotation.

6.      Harvesting; this is done as long as the cassava is matures. This variety gets ready from 6-8 months as long as the above agricultural practices are done and soil fertility is maintained.

7.      Processing; this can either be done by pilling and slicing the raw cassava and spreading it to dry under the sun.

OR

Machines like the cassava chipper which grinds the raw cassava in to a fine consistency or particles which will then be spread under the sun to thoroughly dry.

8.      Storage; the processed cassava is then packed in to sacks and stored in a suitable condition of a store that is free from pests like weevils, rats that can contaminate the stored cassava.

9.      Marketing; after storage, the farmer then looks for a suitable market where and when he can market the processed cassava especially during a peak period.

As the farmers are growing the cassava for sale, they were also trained on how record keeping is done. Each farmer is supposed to know;

ü  Labour cost i.e. cost of ox-ploughing per acre, cost of food for the labourers

ü  The input costs i.e. cost of cassava cuttings, fertilizer costs, cost of hoe or panga for bush clearance.

ü  The farmer should also know the cost of production for example the quantity of the output, transport costs, cost of output.

This altogether will enable the farmer to determine the gross margin that is; he/she will know whether he is operating on a loss or profit.

Ready for harvest.

CONCLUSION.

All in all, I highly encourage farmers not only in Metu sub-county but also in the other and semi-arid areas to grow TME 14 cassava because of its great importance to them which will in future eradicate poverty in their respective homes and improve their standards of living.

Compiled by;

Limio Rose/ Jurugo Simon

METU MAARIFA CENTRE

E-MAIL: rose.limio@yahoo.com