This season was different. This year, he and his family used conservation agriculture methods in preparing their land. “This year,” says Mr. Muhabe joyfully, “I have harvested 18 bags of corn!! It is an amazing thing for my family to see, because for more than 15 years I have never harvested even HALF of what this season produced. I have never,” he exclaims, “seen such an amazing harvest from this portion of land since I was born in 1949!”

Mr. Muhabe explains his success: “First of all, I attended the conservation agriculture training last year (hosted by World Renew partner African Inland Church of Tanzania). This program is jointly supported by World Renew, Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and Global Affairs Canada. We then began to practice some principles of conservation agriculture. We learned that soil cover is a good way to preserve moisture in the soil and provide long-lasting compost on farms.” So he planted Lab Lab intercropped with his maize, which provides good ground cover and helps to fix nitrogen into the soil.

Conservation agriculture also recommends the preparation of land immediately after the season’s end. “So last year,” Mr Muhabe says, “I had prepared my farm two months before the rainy season.” Mr. Muhabe now believes that to prepare land early for maize and other agriculture activities is wise, because it gives time for microorganisms to decompose into “green manure” and plants can receive all rains, rather than preparing the land after the rains have started.

Finally, Mr. Muhabe learned about the conservation agriculture principle of minimal tillage and learned to use planting basins in preparing his fields. In years past, says Mr. Muhabe, “I did not dig holes for planting corn, but used a stick or heel to put seeds in the ground without breaking the hardpan.” Hardpan is an impenetrable layer of dirt just below the soil surface that results from traditional tillage methods and prevents moisture collection and deep-rooting of plants.

It was hard for Mr. Muhabe to try these new farming methods, but now he sees the benefits and is promoting conservation agriculture to his friends and neighbors. With a success like his, that shouldn’t be too hard a task.

Blessings,

Paul Kaufman

Program Consultant
World Renew Tanzania