JANUARY DECEMBER 2016 FARMERS CLUBS MASVINGO

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1 JANUARY DECEMBER 2016 FARMERS CLUBS MASVINGO Submitted to: U-landshjelp fra Folk til Folk, Norge

2 FARMERS CLUBS MASVINGO DAPP ZIMBABWE JANUARY- DECEMBER 2016 THE PROJECT AT GLANCE 1 Project name Farmers s Clubs Masvingo 2 Operational Area Gutu District 3 Project Leader Farirai Mabhiza 4 Physical Address and contact Details Farmers Clubs Masvingo Gutu Business Center Association Box 169 Gutu. Phone: fmavunga1969@googl .com 5 The Project Idea and the people it reaches The idea of the program is to work with 637 small scale farmers around the Gutu District, organize them into 19 Farmers Clubs of members each with a committee of 5 members. The Farmers Clubs will receive agriculture lessons, technical assistance, exchange visits to share experiences and demonstrations on how to use low cost solutions. Farmers will produce sufficiently from their land to obtain food security for their families at household levels and earn cash by selling their products on the market. The project s main focus is on garden farming where it aims at increasing production with vegetables and encourages crop diversification with field crops mainly small grains that are drought resistant. 6 The people at the project 1 Organizer, and 3 Project Leaders. 7 The History in brief DAPP Farmers Clubs Masvingo started in January 2013 and the project will run for a period of 3 years. The Project is a follow up program to a Gardening Farming project that was implemented in the district in 2011.

3 INTRODUCTION Farmers clubs Gutu operates in one of the semi-arid regions of Zimbabwe where annual rainfall ranges between mm per year. With the El Nino weather phenomenon, the distribution of rainfall left farmers struggling to provide food such that they had to resort to gardens sooner than waiting for crop management period to end. Therefore the garden period had the bulk of activities with 137MT harvest of leaf vegetables between April and October X0.2 standard conservation farming demonstration plots experimenting different agro processes were established with support from seed houses in Zimbabwe and inputs from the farmers. 625 farmers had an average 0.2ha of conservation farming with maize and rapoko. The project planted 3000fruit trees at household level and 680 Eucalyptus trees at club level. This and other achievements are discussed in more detail in the report. PROJECT ACTIVITIES The report focuses on the activities and results for the year periods January to December CROP MANAGEMENT PERIOD (JANUARY TO APRIL) Crop production was affected by the El Nino induced drought of 2015/16 that resulted in low and unevenly distributed rainfall especially in semi arid regions like Gutu district. Under normal circumstances, Gutu district receives an average of 550mm of rainfall but in the 2015/16 season only 496 was received and was unevenly distributed. Rainfall was received at the beginning of January followed by a long hot dry-spell from the end of January to early April. By the time rainfall was received again in April most crops had wilted beyond recovery period and majority of them were a write- off. The project had however promoted conservation farming techniques as well as growing of small grains that are adaptive to dry weather condition. As a result of these measures, 420 (66%) of the 637 farmers managed to produce enough food to see them through three months after harvesting (May to July) and this was mostly from small grains harvests and maize under conservation agriculture plots.. Maize was grown by 420 farmers on at least 0.1 ha, rapoko and sorghum which are small grains by 133 and 28 farmers respectively on 0.1ha plots. The following table below gives a detailed account on crop production and yields for Gutu farmers during the last agriculture season. Table1: Field production Crop Average Number of Average Average yield Approx.total farmer/ha farmers yield in totalin yield MT/ha MT/farmer MT s Maize Write off Maize on CA plots Groundnuts shelled 0.01 shelled 6.37 Roundnuts shelled 0.01 shelled 6.25 Rapoko Sorghum Sweet potatoes Butternut Write-off cowpeas Write off Sugar beans Write off

4 Pests and diseases besides poor rainfall season also contributed to crop failure. This also affected other crops such as butternut, cowpeas and sugar beans, groundnuts, round nuts necessary for ensuring nutrition among the farmers and their households. Despite these challenges, it is interesting to note that the farmers kept records of their production showing planting times, rainfall and drying /harvest dates for their crops, a skill that was fostered through participation in Farmers Club project. The information from the records is important in planning for years to come. In terms of farmer trainings, improved agriculture practices lessons were conducted and these also focused on drought adaptation and mitigation measures that farmers can use in light of predicated EI Nino and La Nina phenomenon. The project also promoted farmers learning from each other on areas to do with climate change adaptive measures, budgeting, type of crops to buy and plant, processing and preservation of food items without losing much nutrition value. The project also touched on coping mechanisms in the face of crop failure such as gathering wild fruits for food and sale and engaging in horticulture production. Livestock husbandry Farmers Clubs Gutu worked closely with Livestock Production Department (LPD) in promotion of supplementary feeds using wild tree leaves. Farmers were also taken through trainings on dosing and treatment to improve the animal health. In the Core groups the farmers also put money together and bought vaccines, medicines and nutrient supplements like vitamin and salt. Other essential issues The project encouraged farmers to plant 3000 eucalyptus trees in January but the majority dried due to the drought. 185 new dish rakes were constructed and 637 tippy taps were maintained by the farmers. GARDEN FARMING PERIOD (MAY-AUGUST 2016) Garden production commenced well before May, which was as soon as the farmers realised that the fields had failed. This entails production in both group and household gardens. Club members were involved in both households and group gardens where they grew such crops as covo, rape, tsunga, tomatoes, cabbage and carrots with a minimum of five crops being grown by each household and or club. Garden produce was used at the club members discretion. All the gardens utilised compost manure and livestock manure. By mid-may the farmers were harvesting vegetables for family consumption and they sold the surplus within Gutu community. This continued until water sources dried. Table 2 shows garden produce Table2: garden production Crop Total yield in 19group gardens Total yield in 513 households (MT) Cost/kg USD Covo Rape Tsunga Tomatoes Cabbage king onion Carrots 3 3 1

5 System Marketing of the crops was done collectively in groups with the farmer s club leadership in the forefront. The Farmers Club coordinated with club members on the grading and market price before taking their produces to the market. Income from the sales have helped the farmers in maintaining internal savings and lending accounts, paying school fees and buying basic food stuff. Though some households have children working in neighbouring countries who from time to time send money back home, proceeds from garden production is becoming the main source of income for the households. Health, Hygiene and Environment Working in their Core Groups, farmers made 518 firewood saving stoves, maintained 348 dish rakes between January December. The 637 households managed to maintain and use tippy taps.15 fruit trees, 9 bee keeping and 2 fishponds were established. Fireguards were made around the 19 group gardens and around 611 households LAND PREPARATION AND PLANTING PERIOD (September to December 2016) Demonstration plots Farmers Clubs Gutu supported the establishment of 15 demo plots which are learning sites for farmers with the layout in Table 3.Maize seed was obtained by Farmers Clubs through its relations with three seed houses and farmers supplied manure, fertilisers and labor. Table 3: Demo plot layout Area 1 Area 2 Area 3 Area 4 Area 5 Area 6 Area 7 Potholes in Potholes in Potholes in Ridges Traditional Flat Beds rotation rotation rotation Area m2 1 CF withopv Maize intercropped With pigeon pea and late cow peas Improved Sorghum with Compost manure Maize intercropped with sugar beans Groundnuts Rapoko Traditional Land Preparation On with maize Alfaalfa As a fallow Replenish ment Nursery and Sweet potato nursery 2 CF with improved Seed maize variety With manure CF with improved sorghum Intercropped With pigeon pea Ridges with Cassava Intercropped with pigeon Pea Traditional land preparation with ground nut (with or without fertilizer At these plots 612 farmers participated in planting on 0,2ha using the potholing system. the 612 farmers applied skills learnt in their fields with 612 establishing 0.2ha conservation plots at household level. Additionally, the farmers grew the crops as shown in Table 4 using mixed methods.

6 Table 4: planting by farmers Crop Number of farmers Average land size Maize Rapoko Soghurm Cowpeas Sweet potato Sugar Beans Groundnuts Other Essential activities Farmers Clubs Gutu worked with farmers to plant 3000 paw paw, guava, mango, apple and lemon trees at household level and Tavatose Farmers Club planted 680 eucalyptus trees in a group plot. 12 farmers purchased money maker irrigation pumps during demostartions that were done by KickStart.

7 EFFECTS OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES Result 1: Farmers increase their wealth 12 farmers managed to purchase money maker irrigation pumps which enabled them to sell high value crops in the market and become self-sustaining and creating new jobs in the area. Farmers in the Core Groups using proceeds from garden production and livestock sales have continued with their internal saving and lending activities where they have continued to enjoy interests from the saved money. Result 2: Improved food security including nutrition Farmers diversified the food they eat through maintaining the production of at least 5 different crops at any time in the gardens. Through the use of Manual irrigation pumps one of the club gardens and 12 individuals are reducing famine and ensures consistent and healthy food source by allowing diversity of cash crops improved the care of livestock is giving the farmers options for livestock as they can sell cattle, goats, sheep and chicken and buy maize meal and meet other family needs. Result 3: Improved use of land Farmers embraced conservation farming method at household level. Farmers are using organic methods of farming as shown through their use of compost manure in the garden production and the production has been increased. They are using intercropping method of enriching the soil by legumes Result 4: Improved well-being and health of farmer families Farmers have been educated on ways of protecting themselves from diseases like malaria and diahorea and they have kept their yards free from mosquito breeding sites and each household have a functional tippy tap. Farmers were educated on basic HIV and AIDS facts so that the diseases is de-mystified in the community Result 5: Increased access to and use of water for irrigation Some of the farmers had faced challenge in accessing water for irrigation due to low rainfall received. The water table further went down the normal experienced in other years making it difficult for the farmers to get enough water for irrigation. Out of 19 group gardens only 4 had enough water at the end of the period although at first they managed to produce better yields.148 individual farmer gardens who had water in their wells were mobilised to use money maker irrigation pumps of which 12 of them managed to purchase it. The pump has positive environmental impact. Result 6: The farmers are organised in community together with fellow. Farmers have successfully organised themselves in market groups working through their clubs committees.they have seen devised grading systems for their produce and have determined the price of their garden produce. Club committees are in control of club activities and this is in line with the Farmers Clubs concept

8 ATTACHMENT 1: PROJECT IN NUMBERS Farmers Clubs Masvingo Planned Jan-Dec 2016 Achieved Jan-Dec 2016 Difference Number of members in Farmers Clubs Training sessions by the project leaders Visits to individual Farmers fields Club committee training sessions Club committee meetings Farming actions and events Health and hygiene actions Food Security as seen Farmers having their own garden Farmers with filed out membership books Clubs with updated club posters Study sessions by project leader Number of demonstrations Number of group gardens Number of model fields Number of field days Number of garden days Boreholes pumps maintained Comments The fields were not productive during the crop management period due to the EI Nino, and before the end of crop management period, farmers had started working in their own gardens of which they produced better outputs and sell which helped them to meet some of the family needs. Other Results Project staff educated farmers and families on ways of protecting themselves from diseases like malaria and diahorea and how to keep yards free from mosquito breeding sites. Farmers were educated on basic HIV and AIDS facts so that the disease is de-mystified in the community. Conclusion The project performed well during the period under review considering the challenge of water shortages faced. The El Nino weather system adversely affecting all farming operations. Just to illustrate of the 19 gardens, in the project 4 had water had water towards the end of the period. All others had dried.

9 ATTACHMENT 2: PROJECT IN PICTURES Farmers using compost manure Farmers planting cassava Household practicing potholing system Firewood saving stove construction Farmer using Money Maker Irrigation pump Project Council meeting

10 ATTACHMENT 3: DOCUMENTATION

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