July 3, 2013
Market and Farmer’s Day with AVRDC
Today I traveled to a small village outside Tengeru called Maweni (home to about 1,000 individuals) where I met with the agricultural extension officer and a small farmer named “Mr. Babu.” I went with a colleague from AVRDC World Vegetable Center, as this village has undergone trainings from AVRDC. During my visit, I learned that the village mainly grows vegetables for home consumption (almost every household has their own garden) and some sales. And although many farmers can afford chemicals, which are widely available in the Arusha region, the farmers in Maweni Village use few chemical inputs and instead utilize ash, marigold, onions, and cow urine for pest control (except during the seed production process, which requires "many chemicals" because of rampant pest outbreaks, especially during the dry season). Fortunately, Maweni has a stable source of water: a nearby stream, and their irrigation strategies are as follows: they conserve water in tanks and then allocate a specific amount to each farmer (especially now during the dry season); they utilize both furrow and flood irrigation with the hopes of implementing drip technologies in the future. Farmers can also hire a money-maker pump for 1,000 tsh (63 cents) daily for watering their crops. In addition, Mr. Babu had a meter deep holding pond lined with plastic to collect stream and rain water. When they first started, they acquired seeds from AVRDC and since then, they’ve been able to save seeds. They grow Chinese cabbage, Ethiopian Mustard, Cow Pea, Jute Mallow, Amaranth, Nightshade, Tomatoes, African Eggplant, and Okra (many indigenous African vegetables), which again, are more tolerant to the local environment and climate change, productive, and nutritious. The farmers cultivate their land individually, though they come together with regard to savings and credit schemes. The livestock groups utilize improved breeds of goats for increased milk production. When I inquired about technology, the agricultural extension officer informed me that larger farmers use tractors and motor tillers but that small farmers are using hand hoes and occasionally oxen plows. In Maweni village, a “normal” (read: small) farmer normally cultivates 1-3 acres, whereas a “large” farmer can plow up to 20 acres and because they have a higher income, they can afford technological luxuries such as tractors. To contextualize the cost of plowing: one acre with oxen costs about 30,000 tsh (~$19 USD) and with a tractor: 40-50,000 tsh ($25-31 USD). Apparently, this village has one farmer with a tractor and his neighbors will negotiate rentals since the majority of the farmers only have oxen. I asked about the gender division in labor and was told that men and women work together in farming (e.g. weeding and planting), however, during plowing, the male will supervise. Moreover, spraying is “a man’s job,” since men are trained by seed companies and partner institutions such as AVRDC and Horti-Tengeru. The agricultural extension officer also explained to me “conservation agriculture,” more commonly known as zero-till or no till. Apparently it is low cost and doesn’t allow for much disturbance of the soil, but rather, farmers will spray round-up once at the beginning of the season, dig holes, plant seeds, and protect the field with cover crops or maize stalks, tree leaves, or grasses. In Maweni, crop rotation is practiced and many farmers keep cows and goats, which they then use the livestock manure to fertilize the crops. However, an issue that keeps coming up in my research is that there isn’t enough land for grazing to maintain the proper number of livestock, which limits the manure and fertilizing capabilities. Apparently, the community has tried to train in composting, which has unfortunately failed because of its “time consuming” nature. The alternative of using human waste to fertilize is still a foreign concept here, maintaining a negative social connotation. An interesting article was recently written about Nepal and their use of human waste in agriculture. Some post-harvest processing and handling occurs in Maweni, including drying and grinding beans, but for the most part, they do not have enough time or resource to preserve surplus produce and create value added products. With regard to climate change, the agricultural extension officer noted that it is affecting the water supply especially because most farmers rely on a single nearby source. Unsurprisingly, the farmers here tend to grow more maize than other vegetables because it requires less maintenance and water. They have been trained in creating nurseries for trees (such as papaya and neem) and are encouraged to use flowers as part of their fencing to attract bees for pollination. They keep some bees, but mainly by the river since they don’t have the stingless variety. Mr. Babu prefers to plant in raised beds as opposed to double dug beds in the ground because they are more easily managed and require less preparation (though a trade-off is smaller size). Maweni means “stone area” in the local language, which is indicative of the fact that they can use local materials (stones) to construct the raised beds, which have roughly a four year lifespan. They also have key-hole (kitchen gardens) in addition to raised and double dug beds.
July 4, 2013
Visit to the Patandi Community Garden and Ikusura Women’s Group with the Watoto Foundation Boys
We visited this community-based women’s project where they are processing fruits and vegetables, tie-dying kongas, making beads from recycled paper, buying and refurbishing sandals with beads and recycling second-hand fabric by sewing bags. They have a solar dryer and a well-developed demonstration plot, sponsored and funded by USAID and Obama’s “Feed the Future” Initiative and the Tanzanian Agriculture Productivity Project (TAPP). They have a rain catchment system and drip irrigation, as well as using old soda and water bottles to “drip” water into the sack gardens. The sack gardens require seedlings instead of seeds, and they showed several different sizes of sack gardens to illustrate how even small cement bags can be reused in this "urban" agriculture scheme. To facilitate the growth of climbing plants, they have also connected sacks with sticks and rope. They have two types of compost: one that they burn in order to derive ash to treat the crops and the hot compost pile. And instead of spraying chemicals when pests come, they grow maize on the infected plots, as well as utilizing intercropping (e.g. planting onions with cow peas keep pests away) and ash, chilis, papaya leaves, and amaranthus as natural pesticides. In addition to horticulture, they also keep chickens, cows, and stingless bees. The Patandi Community Garden project has become a model example for the area and I was glad to be able to see it.
Riding in Trucks with Boys
Today I must have had the most fun 15 minutes I've had in Tanzania so far, which I guess says a lot (though to be fair, I've only been here for about 2 weeks). Note: people both here and at home keep asking me if I'm having fun. Fun is not the right word. It's been fascinating, jarring, challenging, and informative, but I don't think "fun" accurately describes it. So after an interesting tour of the Patandi Community Gardens with the Watoto Foundation boys, I decided to ride back in the bed of the truck this time. And what a good choice it was. Much more fun than the cab and it felt rebellious. I was in the back with twelve boys all under the age of 18. I felt strangely safe and at ease with them feeling like they would have protected me if need be. I also knew that had then been just a few years older, I probably would have felt much more uncomfortable and perhaps even threatened. Unlike grown men, they don't really stare and are too young to be perceived as predatory, yay! We drove down the dirt and cobble-crusted road as Mt. Meru appeared in the background, pulling out onto the Arusha-Moshi Highway. It must have been a funny sight: a truck bed filled with black boys and the odd Mzungu out. But it was liberating, as we cruised going 60, weaving around boda bodas and slower vehicles. The sun was setting but still shining, the sky was a crystal blue with some wispy clouds, and the wind whipped through my hair, which the boys laughed wildly over. We even saw Kilimanjaro, which after more than a month of being here, it was only the second time she's graced us with her presence, and both times I was with these boys. They must be good luck or something. They are certainly an inspiration, something so hope-filled about them. Knowing the struggles they've faced already at such a young age and yet maintaining the desire and willingness to succeed and strive for more. I'm really looking forward to continuing to facilitate a Slow Food Thousand Gardens sponsorship/partnership with Slow Food Mohawk Valley back home at the Watoto Foundation.
July 6, 2013
Njiro Cinema Complex: A Mzungu Oasis
Today I finally made it to the Njiro Complex or Cinema Complex in Njiro Hill, the middle class suburb of Arusha I mentioned in a previous most. THE MOVIES ARE HERE! I could actually watch Monsters University if I wanted, which seems like such a novel concept and exciting prospect. I was meeting with the genetic resources scientist from AVRDC World Vegetable Center for lunch and happily ordered Indian food: paneer palak (cheese cubes in a rich spinach sauce). I am elated, as I miss cheese, Indian food, and I hate to admit it, but even paper napkins (gasp). I am afraid that these moments of being jarred out of the African mindset are damaging and disorienting, but I also find them simultaneously comforting. There is even wifi here and a “supermarket” with hand sanitizer (score). Part of me is mad at myself…if I had wanted Americanized things and the comfortable lifestyle, why did I leave the U.S.? I know I should be embracing Tanzania and all of its wonderfully unique facets and instead I internally squeal when I see ice cream, a fellow mzungu, or a private vehicle at my disposal. It is also strange to think that I could be sitting anywhere in the world right now: a café in Boston, Rome or Delhi. I realize, however, that this entire year is a learning experience. It’s about embracing the local culture and also being patient with and forgiving of myself.
July 10, 2013
Ngongongare, Ngurdoto, and Umangu Visits with WODSTA
I also got a chance to visit a few villages nearby to my homestay that are working with WODSTA (Women for the Development of Science and Technology Association). The relevant technologies include solar water heaters, improved stoves, solar dryers for food preservation, and the “wonder basket.” The wonder basket is a hand-woven basket filled with cotton and nylon-bags of saw dust. Women can put pots of hot water in the basket, which they then cover, insulating the contents like a thermos. The basket design allows women to cook rice or beans and they can carry the basket on their heads while walking. It seemed a little ridiculous, but apparently there is demand for it in the villages (it goes for 6-8,000 tsh or $4-5 USD). However, when I asked which technology they have enjoyed the most so far, they said definitely the improved stove (jiko janja or “clever” stove) because they can cook ugali, fry chips etc. so it is the most versatile. One of the principal goals of the projects, however, is to reduce deforestation by promoting wood-saving, more efficient technologies (with the ultimate hopes of mitigating climate change, reversing the rain patterns/drought, and producing more crops for increased income generation). In addition to visiting Ngurdoto Village, I was introduced to the Umangu Project, which consists of 20 women, ten of which are involved in agriculture, packing and preserving produce, keeping bees for honey and making soap from jatropha oil; the other ten women are involved in a village banking scheme.
Market and Farmer’s Day with AVRDC
Today I traveled to a small village outside Tengeru called Maweni (home to about 1,000 individuals) where I met with the agricultural extension officer and a small farmer named “Mr. Babu.” I went with a colleague from AVRDC World Vegetable Center, as this village has undergone trainings from AVRDC. During my visit, I learned that the village mainly grows vegetables for home consumption (almost every household has their own garden) and some sales. And although many farmers can afford chemicals, which are widely available in the Arusha region, the farmers in Maweni Village use few chemical inputs and instead utilize ash, marigold, onions, and cow urine for pest control (except during the seed production process, which requires "many chemicals" because of rampant pest outbreaks, especially during the dry season). Fortunately, Maweni has a stable source of water: a nearby stream, and their irrigation strategies are as follows: they conserve water in tanks and then allocate a specific amount to each farmer (especially now during the dry season); they utilize both furrow and flood irrigation with the hopes of implementing drip technologies in the future. Farmers can also hire a money-maker pump for 1,000 tsh (63 cents) daily for watering their crops. In addition, Mr. Babu had a meter deep holding pond lined with plastic to collect stream and rain water. When they first started, they acquired seeds from AVRDC and since then, they’ve been able to save seeds. They grow Chinese cabbage, Ethiopian Mustard, Cow Pea, Jute Mallow, Amaranth, Nightshade, Tomatoes, African Eggplant, and Okra (many indigenous African vegetables), which again, are more tolerant to the local environment and climate change, productive, and nutritious. The farmers cultivate their land individually, though they come together with regard to savings and credit schemes. The livestock groups utilize improved breeds of goats for increased milk production. When I inquired about technology, the agricultural extension officer informed me that larger farmers use tractors and motor tillers but that small farmers are using hand hoes and occasionally oxen plows. In Maweni village, a “normal” (read: small) farmer normally cultivates 1-3 acres, whereas a “large” farmer can plow up to 20 acres and because they have a higher income, they can afford technological luxuries such as tractors. To contextualize the cost of plowing: one acre with oxen costs about 30,000 tsh (~$19 USD) and with a tractor: 40-50,000 tsh ($25-31 USD). Apparently, this village has one farmer with a tractor and his neighbors will negotiate rentals since the majority of the farmers only have oxen. I asked about the gender division in labor and was told that men and women work together in farming (e.g. weeding and planting), however, during plowing, the male will supervise. Moreover, spraying is “a man’s job,” since men are trained by seed companies and partner institutions such as AVRDC and Horti-Tengeru. The agricultural extension officer also explained to me “conservation agriculture,” more commonly known as zero-till or no till. Apparently it is low cost and doesn’t allow for much disturbance of the soil, but rather, farmers will spray round-up once at the beginning of the season, dig holes, plant seeds, and protect the field with cover crops or maize stalks, tree leaves, or grasses. In Maweni, crop rotation is practiced and many farmers keep cows and goats, which they then use the livestock manure to fertilize the crops. However, an issue that keeps coming up in my research is that there isn’t enough land for grazing to maintain the proper number of livestock, which limits the manure and fertilizing capabilities. Apparently, the community has tried to train in composting, which has unfortunately failed because of its “time consuming” nature. The alternative of using human waste to fertilize is still a foreign concept here, maintaining a negative social connotation. An interesting article was recently written about Nepal and their use of human waste in agriculture. Some post-harvest processing and handling occurs in Maweni, including drying and grinding beans, but for the most part, they do not have enough time or resource to preserve surplus produce and create value added products. With regard to climate change, the agricultural extension officer noted that it is affecting the water supply especially because most farmers rely on a single nearby source. Unsurprisingly, the farmers here tend to grow more maize than other vegetables because it requires less maintenance and water. They have been trained in creating nurseries for trees (such as papaya and neem) and are encouraged to use flowers as part of their fencing to attract bees for pollination. They keep some bees, but mainly by the river since they don’t have the stingless variety. Mr. Babu prefers to plant in raised beds as opposed to double dug beds in the ground because they are more easily managed and require less preparation (though a trade-off is smaller size). Maweni means “stone area” in the local language, which is indicative of the fact that they can use local materials (stones) to construct the raised beds, which have roughly a four year lifespan. They also have key-hole (kitchen gardens) in addition to raised and double dug beds.
July 4, 2013
Visit to the Patandi Community Garden and Ikusura Women’s Group with the Watoto Foundation Boys
We visited this community-based women’s project where they are processing fruits and vegetables, tie-dying kongas, making beads from recycled paper, buying and refurbishing sandals with beads and recycling second-hand fabric by sewing bags. They have a solar dryer and a well-developed demonstration plot, sponsored and funded by USAID and Obama’s “Feed the Future” Initiative and the Tanzanian Agriculture Productivity Project (TAPP). They have a rain catchment system and drip irrigation, as well as using old soda and water bottles to “drip” water into the sack gardens. The sack gardens require seedlings instead of seeds, and they showed several different sizes of sack gardens to illustrate how even small cement bags can be reused in this "urban" agriculture scheme. To facilitate the growth of climbing plants, they have also connected sacks with sticks and rope. They have two types of compost: one that they burn in order to derive ash to treat the crops and the hot compost pile. And instead of spraying chemicals when pests come, they grow maize on the infected plots, as well as utilizing intercropping (e.g. planting onions with cow peas keep pests away) and ash, chilis, papaya leaves, and amaranthus as natural pesticides. In addition to horticulture, they also keep chickens, cows, and stingless bees. The Patandi Community Garden project has become a model example for the area and I was glad to be able to see it.
Sack gardens are a way to conserve space
Riding in Trucks with Boys
Today I must have had the most fun 15 minutes I've had in Tanzania so far, which I guess says a lot (though to be fair, I've only been here for about 2 weeks). Note: people both here and at home keep asking me if I'm having fun. Fun is not the right word. It's been fascinating, jarring, challenging, and informative, but I don't think "fun" accurately describes it. So after an interesting tour of the Patandi Community Gardens with the Watoto Foundation boys, I decided to ride back in the bed of the truck this time. And what a good choice it was. Much more fun than the cab and it felt rebellious. I was in the back with twelve boys all under the age of 18. I felt strangely safe and at ease with them feeling like they would have protected me if need be. I also knew that had then been just a few years older, I probably would have felt much more uncomfortable and perhaps even threatened. Unlike grown men, they don't really stare and are too young to be perceived as predatory, yay! We drove down the dirt and cobble-crusted road as Mt. Meru appeared in the background, pulling out onto the Arusha-Moshi Highway. It must have been a funny sight: a truck bed filled with black boys and the odd Mzungu out. But it was liberating, as we cruised going 60, weaving around boda bodas and slower vehicles. The sun was setting but still shining, the sky was a crystal blue with some wispy clouds, and the wind whipped through my hair, which the boys laughed wildly over. We even saw Kilimanjaro, which after more than a month of being here, it was only the second time she's graced us with her presence, and both times I was with these boys. They must be good luck or something. They are certainly an inspiration, something so hope-filled about them. Knowing the struggles they've faced already at such a young age and yet maintaining the desire and willingness to succeed and strive for more. I'm really looking forward to continuing to facilitate a Slow Food Thousand Gardens sponsorship/partnership with Slow Food Mohawk Valley back home at the Watoto Foundation.
View of Kili from my homestay, a rare view as it is usually shrouded in clouds
July 6, 2013
Njiro Cinema Complex: A Mzungu Oasis
Today I finally made it to the Njiro Complex or Cinema Complex in Njiro Hill, the middle class suburb of Arusha I mentioned in a previous most. THE MOVIES ARE HERE! I could actually watch Monsters University if I wanted, which seems like such a novel concept and exciting prospect. I was meeting with the genetic resources scientist from AVRDC World Vegetable Center for lunch and happily ordered Indian food: paneer palak (cheese cubes in a rich spinach sauce). I am elated, as I miss cheese, Indian food, and I hate to admit it, but even paper napkins (gasp). I am afraid that these moments of being jarred out of the African mindset are damaging and disorienting, but I also find them simultaneously comforting. There is even wifi here and a “supermarket” with hand sanitizer (score). Part of me is mad at myself…if I had wanted Americanized things and the comfortable lifestyle, why did I leave the U.S.? I know I should be embracing Tanzania and all of its wonderfully unique facets and instead I internally squeal when I see ice cream, a fellow mzungu, or a private vehicle at my disposal. It is also strange to think that I could be sitting anywhere in the world right now: a café in Boston, Rome or Delhi. I realize, however, that this entire year is a learning experience. It’s about embracing the local culture and also being patient with and forgiving of myself.
July 10, 2013
Ngongongare, Ngurdoto, and Umangu Visits with WODSTA
I also got a chance to visit a few villages nearby to my homestay that are working with WODSTA (Women for the Development of Science and Technology Association). The relevant technologies include solar water heaters, improved stoves, solar dryers for food preservation, and the “wonder basket.” The wonder basket is a hand-woven basket filled with cotton and nylon-bags of saw dust. Women can put pots of hot water in the basket, which they then cover, insulating the contents like a thermos. The basket design allows women to cook rice or beans and they can carry the basket on their heads while walking. It seemed a little ridiculous, but apparently there is demand for it in the villages (it goes for 6-8,000 tsh or $4-5 USD). However, when I asked which technology they have enjoyed the most so far, they said definitely the improved stove (jiko janja or “clever” stove) because they can cook ugali, fry chips etc. so it is the most versatile. One of the principal goals of the projects, however, is to reduce deforestation by promoting wood-saving, more efficient technologies (with the ultimate hopes of mitigating climate change, reversing the rain patterns/drought, and producing more crops for increased income generation). In addition to visiting Ngurdoto Village, I was introduced to the Umangu Project, which consists of 20 women, ten of which are involved in agriculture, packing and preserving produce, keeping bees for honey and making soap from jatropha oil; the other ten women are involved in a village banking scheme.
Wonder basket
Lunch: maize cooking in the improved stove and cassava
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