MAPPING A DEMO FARM IN WACHARA SUB-LOCATION.

On 4^th April 2012, we visited a lead farmer Mr. Catrinas Nyapara in North Kobwaye Location, Kobama division in Wachara sub-location. The identified farmer is a lead farmer in the location and has had a good track record of implementing most of the good practices trained on them by a good number of partners. He is also a member of a group comprising of 28 members (18 M & 10 F).

We also opted for the place since it was by the road side and just a few meters to the market centre. This will make the field day be very effective in terms of the number of people who will access the place and furthermore, one can always admire them from the roadside on his/her way.

The farmer also practices:

• ·         Beekeeping
• ·         Local poultry
• ·         Banana plantation
• ·         Maize production
• ·         Millet production
• ·         Cassava production
• ·         Tree planting

During the site mapping, we were with Mr. John Omotto the DAO Kobama division who has been able to link us up with some of the best farmers so far. The plots were measured and marked in the presence of the farmer with every detail of the process place at his finger tips. The Ministry of Agriculture had provided seeds and fertilizer for the demo plots. The planting has been done and we are yet to make to make a follow up of the germination.

Impact

·         The impact of this is yet to be felt especially after the field day which we haven’t scheduled yet.

MAINTAINING MARKET STANDARDS AT ARINA CLUSTER GROUP.

On 2^nd of April 2012, we joined Arina Cluster group during ‘sim sim’ for export planting. The group is registered as a self help group with 20 members (12 M & 8 F) whose main objective is to focus its efforts to adopt new modern method of farming through practicing good agronomic practices. The group was formed by C-MAD-CEFA in the year 2009.

Activities of the group:

·         Groundnuts production

·         Sim sim production

·         Bee Keeping

·         Chilly production

·         Group saving and loaning scheme

·         Behaviour change and communication targeting couple in our community because there are effects of HIV/AIDS in agriculture.

The group partners with:

• ·         CEFA - C-MAD
• ·         Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre (ALIN)
• ·         MOA / Livestock
• ·         Mace Food
• ·         Rusodev
• ·         Ministry of Social services
• ·         Co-operative Bank
• ·         Plan International

On this day, CEFA teams were here together with ALIN team to ensure that the contracted farmers planted the ‘sim sim’ in the right procedure to achieve the best quality products. The major reason why we had to do this is because the contractor/buyer had given out the seeds for the production and was also the ready market for the same for export. More than 4 acres were sawn.

The idea was brilliant but our farmers need to take the support they are being given very serious in that after a few lines demo, the advisor needs not to stick by them until we are done with the last line to ensure it is done rightly. I believe this market is for the good of them and therefore they need to show appreciation by doing it right.

Otherwise the ‘the sim sim’ have germinated very nicely and we are both looking forward for the best result. We have also trained the three officials of the group Mr. Morris Ombili, Mrs. Angelina Akello and Mr. Joseph Odhiambo and they are able to access other best ways of managing the product in the farm and during post harvesting.

Contact person: Joseph Odhiambo 0728-984 597

·         IMPACT: yet to be realized after the harvest and market probably in July - August 2012.

Taking Water close to the Most Needy Communities

Improving the Goat Breed Quality from Local to High breed

Attending East Kobwaye Chief's Baraza

After a lengthy talk from the farmers representative Mr. Paul Okello on the importance of local poultry keeping and the need for farmers to embrace the information that had been brought to them by us as Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre and  KAPPAP resource person Mr. Evance Odhiambo, most farmers gained interest on the idea having had from one of their own and someone who was already in this business. In the meeting we had a population of 19 M & 9 F.
We gave the group an eye opener in an example format and it went this way;  if one farmer keeps 10 hens plus one cock with a vision that each hen produces 10 chicks and then you multiply it (10 chicks) by the 10 hens then in less than 4 months you will be having 100 hens plus the previous 10.
Currently at the local market rate, a hen is sold at a minimum of Kshs. 600. Suppose you wanted to sell the first lot, how much will you gain?  And secondly, suppose you gave them room to replicate! That marks a simple achievable strategy to fight the arising poverty gap. In the next trainings, we shall focus on how to construct different designs of poultry houses and disease management.

Re-Energizing the Under 17 Ball Games by Ndhiwa Ministry of Youth

Its been for months now when our under 17 youths participated in ball games training with lots of challenges and with no much support from the expected bodies. Last Friday, 23 March 2012, Ndhiwa District Youth Officer, Mr. Joshua Kaluoch called for a brief meeting of 3 coaches and us to come up with a way forward that could help our young stars nurture their talents to the best.
Ndhiwa Maarifa Centre was given the mandate of capturing evidence of the service delivery by the coaches during the training sessions basing on its previous interests it had shown in supporting the sports.
The three coaches were charged with the mandate of coming up with their training programmes for the quarter and in April 30. This are to be submitted to the Youth office by 28th March 2012 to enable the officer to monitor the progress.

Idea of motivating the coaches and refreshing the youths after each an every training was warmly welcomed by the team and coaches who had lived to see this dream come true.
Amongst other motivations that we managed to release to the various teams were the games kits and the balls that were to be purchased mid this week. First AID kits discussions are still underway and we believe that soon each team will be able to access one.
Remember that we are not just setting up this combined teams for the sports only, but it is laying a platform where they are going and will always remain our major channels of information and skills delivery as they mark the most energetic and productive majority of our population.