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A new approach that changed life in the community
2007-09-15 08:45:06
By Deodatus Mfugale
Time flies in Tandai village of Mvomero District of Morogoro region.
It is almost six years since the community started a different farming approach but Ignas Kusengi still recalls how their patches of land could not support any crop, the slopes were dotted with gullies and water flowed in many of the streams only during the rainy season, as if the situation prevailed only weeks ago.
Today, however, with the implementation of the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) concept, most of the farms have fertile soils, thus increasing crop production.
A tree planting campaign has controlled erosion and with conservation of water bodies and proper management of water, farmers can grow crops throughout the yearr. even during the dry season.
Implementation of the process is grounded on the promotion, development, coordination, and management of water, land, forests and other natural resources so as to improve the socio-economic welfare of communities.
`Things have changed within a very short time here as we can now grow almost everything in our small plots without waiting for the rainy season,` Kusengi explained as he was harvesting beans from a small farm in which he has also planted tomatoes and Irish potatoes. There are also some peach trees around the plot.
The farm itself was a big terrace on a hill slope. Kusengi had two of these, each measuring only a few square metres.
Around them, he has planted trees which will soon be ready to produce timber and building poles.
Like all the other villages of Mgeta in the district, Tandai is located on a slope.
Arable land is scarce and the little farming which villagers conduct has to be done on this fragile land.
However, traditional farming methods had resulted into severe erosion, what with wanton tree cutting for timber, building poles and firewood.
Expansion of farms and the vertical cultivation style did little to conserve and protect the soil.
Thus the top soil was washed away by runoff as a result, streams and springs could only discharge during the rainy season and crop yield diminished leading to frequent food shortages and economic hardship.
Yet, the situation has changed following intervention by a civil society organization, The Network of Small Farmers in Tanzania (MVIWATA).
`What we did was to raise awareness on the problems the community was facing and we embarked on a campaign to conserve the environment as a solution. We encouraged them to manage the available natural resources so as to lift themselves out of poverty. The community understood our message and started to act,` explained Stephen Ruvuga, the Director of MVIWATA.
Having encouraged the villagers to organize themselves in groups, MVIWATA trained them in making terraces and contours, and raising tree seedlings which they planted on the boundaries of their farms and around the terraces.
The measures were meant to halt erosion, conserve soil fertility and stabilize the terraces and contours.
Ruvuga explained that, to encourage farmers to implement the new approach to farming, the Network introduced a new crop, Irish potatoes.
`We have scored two goals here. First we encourage the farmers to make contours and terraces so as to control erosion and secondly we advise them to plant Irish potatoes on the contours so as to stabilize them. Potatoes are a new cash crop in this area which has helped to raise incomes of the villagers, `he explained.
Many farmers in the village have adopted the new approach to farming and acknowledge the positive changes they have realized.
`There is more water in the streams and the soil is moist even during the dry season. Many people do not need to irrigate their farms and the crop has been good in recent years,` explained Kusengi.
Due to shortage of arable land, farmers have to get all their needs from their small plots.
And since the weather is not favourable for growing cereals, the farmers grow vegetables and harvest them in a span of one to three months and sell them to get other food requirements.
Under the circumstances, farmers can harvest their crops at least three times a year and are thus guaranteed a regular income.
Among other things they grow cabbages, carrots, beans, tomatoes and spinach.
They also grow fruits like peaches, plums, apples and strawberries.
To address the shortage of arable land, farmers have been trained in highland farming.
The idea is to enable them to cultivate all the arable land available without impacting on the soil fertility and sparking erosion.
`Now we can grow crops almost everywhere except, of course, on rocks.
Many people have turned to farming because they know they will get a good income,` explained Abas Rajab, a farmer in the village, adding that the important thing was for them to halt environmental destruction and protect existing streams, rivers and springs.
`Our target is to stop soil erosion and improve soil fertility so as to enable us get a good crop and raise incomes,` stressed Rajabu.
Speaking about the water situation in the village, Francisca Lucas explained that formerly most of the water bodies discharged water that had the colour of soil, so it was rarely used in the homes.
`But now the water has retained its natural colour although we still have to boil it before drinking.
As more and more people in Tandai and other villages turn to the new farming approach, MVIWATA has also discouraged the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
These pollute water and affect soil fertility in the long run.
Villagers are thus encouraged to practise organic farming by using manure from livestock.
They have also been trained to make their own compost.
On the other hand, a women`s group comprising members from various villages produces and promotes the use of organic pesticides which they make from plants locally known as kibembeni, utupa, mkundekunde, wunduwundu and fungamalele, among others.
The leader of the group, Grace Mkwidu, explain that the pesticide is in the form of either liquid of powder and can be applied to fruits as well as vegetables.
Experts from the Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro have confirmed that the organic pesticide made by the group is effective.
`Six hours after application, people can eat the vegetables or fruits without worrying about their health.
You don`t have to wait for one week or more as is the case with chemical pesticides. Yet not many people want to use it simply because of old habits,` she clarified.
In just about five years, the villagers have recorded a significant change in their lives.
Some of them have built good houses while others have started retail businesses in cereals, cooking oil, salt and sugar, among other things.
Raising tree seedlings has also become an important business as tree planting has become part of the community`s life.
With the establishment of a savings and credit society, villagers can borrow money and use it to improve their farms, invest in carpentry shops or raise pigs and pay the loans from the proceeds.
The quality of life of the villagers has greatly improved due to this new approach.
The holistic and integrated approach to water resources management adopted by the Tandai community and other villages has proved to be a solution to the on-going, growing and serious water crisis which is affecting the well-being of the rural poor and endangering the sustainability of water resources.
The approach does not only assure the communities of a sustainable supply of water but also enables them to get their other needs.
It must therefore be implemented urgently since water resources are under severe pressure from climate change, pollution and competition from the various users and uses.
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