Wum: Farm Field School in Conservation Farming Field Day in Befang

The Morning Star Hotel, Wum

Rated one star, maybe.  We knew enough from our experience at the Morning Star last year to buy a foam to put under what was a foam mattress in its younger years.  (Allan said last year, don’t ask me to move, I have these slats lined up with my bones!)  We brought our electric kettle and took it to the desk in the am.  The entrance immediately blew!  The hotel person agreed to heat the water in the kitchen.  Although they were able to restore the electricity right away, the main source of electricity for the village of Wum failed to give us power for most of the three days we were there.  That meant no water.  Oh well, the pail works for flushing the waterless toilet (dry tank at the best of times!)  We are both looking forward to the luxury of a toilet seat!  We knew there was no meal service and ate well from our food box.  The bread molded over night but we had crackers, soya milk, juice and our ever reliable canned  tuna fish.   So, after a good night’s sleep, we were eager to move forward with our three activity filled days.

On our way to the Green Valley Farm in Befang, Menchum Valley, we stopped at the school to deliver the sign but it wasn't as easy as that. First we had to figure out how to transport the sign. We decided that buying a foam to put on top of the car was the right way to go. 

 

When we arrived at the school, no words were needed when Lydia met the Head Mistress. 

 

 

 

Farm Field School in Conservation Farming/Nutrition/Field Day in Befang.

Arriving at Joseph Tafrie's home, we found he had built an awning out from his platform to protect Farm Field School participants from the hot sun.  Farmers had already begun gathering. 

 

 

Mr. Tafrie opened the workshop by saying that they were there to learn new ways.

 

Terance, one of the IDF staff,  introduced the workshop using the home made for us bamboo rack to hang the flip chart guidelines from.

 

  Allan used his series of large diagrams to show the basic concepts. Oussematou translated from English to their native dialect.   

Discussion was animated. One topic that was widely discussed was contour farming.  Through the discussion that arose from Allan saying ' I don't see rows going across the hill, rather, going down the hill.'  Tafrie asked farmers 'Why do you do it this way?'  The answer seemed to be that when the heavy rains come, they wash the soil to the bottom not disturbing the row!

Conservation farming offers ideas to conserve soil, well explained by Allan using his diagrams to graphically illustrate concepts new to these farmers.  Mr Tafrie said that crucial to the area is that the  land on the flat (Mecham Valley floor)  is all taken up.  Hillside farming would expand available farm land.  So, contor farming is important to the development of this critical resource.

Last year, we walked into the Mechum Valley Rice Farming area.  This video shows the valley floor well used as Mr Tafrie guides us on the tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkLHeQNyQzA

Menchum Green Valley Rice Growers Cooperative Farm Tour

 

Practical Field Plot:

From here we moved to the practical field demonstration.   A test plot had been designated for the Farm Field School to use.  Participants quickly went about slashing brush with their cutlasses and piling it for use as mulch, leaving the soil undisturbed (zero tillage).  (The usual practice would have been to thoroughly dig up the soil and make rows.)   Farmers are interested to see how much easier this would be.  Allan produced his twine to measure out planting distance.   He asked the participants to  mark the twine using bottle caps clamped on the twine at 1 meter intervals.  That all sounds simple until you introduce a tape measure and attempt to find one meter! 

Lining up the rows with twine marked with bottle caps one meter apart.

 

Marking for digging holes.

Preparing cassava for planting right side up!



Girls, that looks like a big hole!  They are ready to add manure-see the scoop?

A wheelbarrow of goat manure is so valuable!

Mixing goat manure with soil.

 

Planting the cassava cutting upright, right side up.

 

 

Watering because it is the beginning of dry season.

 

One row of cassava is planted horizontal (the traditional way)
The second row, the cassava cuttings are planted upright (a new way)

 

 

Soil Testing. 
The group decided where soil of different types could be found.  The soil in this area is very fertile and they were challenged to determine where to find sandy soil.  The three samples were mixed with water and allowed to sit on a stump to settle for one hour. 

Waiting for soil samples to settle.

This workshop was different in a number of ways.  After the introduction to Conservation Farming Workshop last year, farmers led by Mr. Tafrie, have begun a large test plot to grow hot peppers.  We proceeded to the hillside plot where the hot pepper project is underway.  The hillside is quite steep.  They cleared the land, zero tillage.  The Sorflatens donated a water hose, a barrel and watering cans.  This project is aiming for a good market time for hot peppers because it is out of season (dry season) so the plants will have to be watered.

The hill is steeper than it looks.

 

Contouring walls will be built using rocks.
 

Small Hot Pepper Plant Grown in Nursery Planted on Hillside

Have a look at the utube to see the workshop in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lMNq9Pu7Ng

Befang Green Valley Farmers, Cameroon, Africa through Farm Field School Training in Conservation Farming plant Hot Peppers splitting the hillside to see if new ideas of coutour farming will retain soil better and produce a good crop.  Canadian Executive Service Organization volunteer advisor Allan Sorflaten conducts the Farm Field School, Joseph Tafrie leads the farm group in the hot pepper project.  Integrated Development Foundation under the direction of Mme. Oussematou coordinates the workshop to assist farmers to learn new methods.