Two years ago, the northwest region of Geita, Tanzania had an unusually short rainy season. The harvests were small and even nonexistent — except in the village of Igate, where one farmer agreed to use his land as a conservation agriculture demo plot.
The harvests were small and even nonexistent — except in the village of Igate, where one farmer agreed to use his land as a conservation agriculture demo plot.
In years past, his plot of land usually produced between 2-7 bags of maize, depending on rain and insect infestation.
When we visited his plot just after harvest, we were amazed to hear that he had harvested 18 bags of maize!
The lablab and mucuna bean crops were even growing over the maize crop for a second harvest.
What happened?
The Conservation agriculture techniques employed were…
- spacing
- basin instead of full tillage
- manuring, and
- intercropping
…all taught by the World Renew staff in Geita
These techniques allowed this farmer to dramatically increase his harvest and inspire his neighbors, who are implementing what they are learning from him.
Blessings,
Paul Kaufman
