Zambian farmer Maryo Lazaros showing his farm field
CPAR Tz was invited by the African Conservation Tillage (ACT) Initiative to go on a study tour to neighbouring Zambia to see Conservation Agriculture (CA) in action and learn from Zambian farmers. Deo has returned to Tanzania with some new ideas to try out with Karatu and Bunda farmers. He met farmers in Zambia using special hoes, called "shaka" hoes, to dig basins for planting maize. For farmers who cannot afford CA equipment such as the Magoye ripper (about $200), this is a more economical approach to practicing minimum tillage CA. It involves using a rope and shaka hoe to dig a series of basins in a straight line at even intervals for planting maize.
The Farmer Field School members in Karatu are impressed by the shaka method and have chosen to apply it in their fields. The good news is that it has finally started to rain in Karatu so the planting season for maize is happening now.
The Farmer Field School members in Karatu are impressed by the shaka method and have chosen to apply it in their fields. The good news is that it has finally started to rain in Karatu so the planting season for maize is happening now.
Karatu FFS members digging basins
Another discovery in Zambia was the Msangu tree (Faidherbia Albida). This indigenous tree is referred to as the winter shade tree because, unlike most trees, it loses its leaves during the rainy season. The leaves are mulched into the soil, enriching soil health, and the tree doesn't compete with crops for sunlight. As a result, crops planted close to the winter shade tree do very well.
Zambian CA farmers are also rotating maize and soy crops. Soy beans have multiple advantages -- they are nitrogen-fixing so enrich the soil, they are an effective cover crop and they are very nutritious. The farmers process the soy beans by first boiling them for 45 minutes to remove trypsin, a toxin, and then they are dehulled and dried in the sun. The soy beans are then milled to produce soy flour which is used for porridge, ugali and soy biscuits, or mixed with cassava flour to make soy-cassava cake. Soy flour fetches a good price on the market, much higher than soy beans, so we are checking out the potential market for soy flour in Tanzania.
Zambian CA farmers are also rotating maize and soy crops. Soy beans have multiple advantages -- they are nitrogen-fixing so enrich the soil, they are an effective cover crop and they are very nutritious. The farmers process the soy beans by first boiling them for 45 minutes to remove trypsin, a toxin, and then they are dehulled and dried in the sun. The soy beans are then milled to produce soy flour which is used for porridge, ugali and soy biscuits, or mixed with cassava flour to make soy-cassava cake. Soy flour fetches a good price on the market, much higher than soy beans, so we are checking out the potential market for soy flour in Tanzania.
