Conservation Farming Demonstration Farm Established in
Bana
Thanks to digital technology, Mme Oussematou is able to keep us updated on developments in establishing a Demonstration Farm in Bana. One of our last stops at Bana in December was at the hillside acreage designated by the traditional Chief here, King Happi Sikam, to be used for this conservation agriculture farm project. This large plot (estimated to be 14 hectares more or less) when we first saw it was overgrown with bush. At the bottom of the hillside is a beautiful river with a much smaller more level area.
Pictures taken November 25th, 2012
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| Mme. Oussematou Outlining the Area For the Demonstration Farm |
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| Looking Down To The River From The Bridge |
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| Walking Up the Hill: Demonstration Farm Land is to the Left |
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| Allan, Mme Oussematou and with the Engineer Behind (Demo Farmland to Right) |
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| The Hillside (Lots of Work to Clear This!) |
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| What Do You Think The Yield Will Be? |
As we climbed the road up the hill alongside the designated land, we saw some small plots of beans and corn suffering from nutrient deficiencies.
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| Traditional Methods - Corn Not Looking Good! |
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| Beans |
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| Beans-These Legumes Are Showing A Crop Of Beans Using Traditional Agricultural Practices |
A group of enthusiastic, hard working people began land clearing. These pictures were sent to us, taken Jan 13, 2012. Joseph Tafrey, a dedicated agriculturist and farm leader from Befang travelled by bus from Befang to Bamenda 6 hours, then a five hour trip by car to Bana to encourage and help this farm group get the demonstration plot going is pictured here surveying the progress. Land clearing showing the mulch in rows, an important Conservation Farming concept in action. Note that at this point, the mulch is very dry.
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| Joseph Tafrey Farm Organization Leader on Left |
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| Mulch in Rows |
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| All Work Is Manually Done! |
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Holes filled with Fowl Droppings and Earth
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Seeds being planted: White yam, sweet yam, cassava, gwa, dashine or Tanya, One point of concern raised during the workshops was that a number of important traditional crops have disappeared in the Bana area: gwa and peanuts being two examples.
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| White yam also seed of a product which is disappearing called
'gwa'
On June 17th, 2013 Mme Oussematou wrote: 'I was in Bana last Friday and Saturday, I convinced
the team to start mulching to kill the grass and to reduce erosion and to keep
humidity in the farm for the plants to grow healthy. In fact there was lot of grass
in the entrance along the road and I paid some holiday makers to clear the
grass. At the moment I arrived in Bana with Nobert we realised that the grass
was getting dried and we decided to collect them and make mulch. My sister
arrived day before from Douala and we jointed and worked hard to do what you will
see in the various pictures. It was so new for our new member Richard who
was taught mulch cannot be done during raining season and that we should wait for
dry season. I insisted even though he is a trained agricultural technician. Every body
is happy. Now they will continue to cut grass and we extend to cover the whole
farm if we can.'
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| Gathering Mulch. |
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| A Well Deserved Break! |
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| Arranging Mulch |
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Tanya or Dashine (Healthy Plants!)
School Involvement: Conservation Farming School Project
Several years ago, a school plot was abandon because of infertile soil.
This school plot has been revitalized under the leadership of an energetic school principal who took the Conservation Farming Workshop.
March 6th, 2013
Oussematou wrote:
They are using the technics of Conservation Farming to cultivate cabbage, Irish potatoes , corn. Mme Mbuy has also involve teachers who are presently doing it in their farm. My next visit in Bana will target them for visit. You see how cabbages are doing well with no chemical fertiliser.
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