Farmers Field School, The Sensitive Impact

(1.) Introduction


FFS well practiced in Sudan early nineties mainly under irrigated farming systems in Jazeera and er Rahad schemes. Under Traditional Rainfed farming systems it is noticed that there is no sound IMPACT. As technicians we have to answer the question WHY there is no impact? – here are some obstacles obstructed the impact:


(2.) Paid Lead Farmers:


Agricultural Practitioners in Sudan used to encourage the targeted communities to set a transparent criteria for selecting Lead Farmers. Then this lead farmer used to be well trained during this period of time, and the coming seasons Lead Farmers receive certain amount of money on monthly basis from projects “about SDG 150.0 as it was the case in White Nile”. At the project end no one will be ready to pay for the Lead Farmer Information – that lead to lack of sustainability, consequently everything done collapse, we can avoid this kind of obstacle through:


(2.1.) The Lead Farmer MUST be a Fee-Based-Service Provider [FBS]
Through training the Lead Farmers on issues pertained to e.g. Seed Multiplication Techniques, selling fertilizers, chemicals, tools, empty sacs and other inputs. Lead Farmers are to be trained on Book-Keeping, simple Accounting and Management issues. – the project is to support him/her in running this agribusiness through credit provision and promotion – when farmers sell items then technical information will be disseminated together to the client with the purchased commodity

(2.2.) Communities are to be encourage to lay their Strategic Plan, advocacy plan, update their profile, run Fundraising, including subscriptions, Income-Generating-Activities, donations etc. From the raised fund – lead farmers may have their entitlements

(3.) The Accessibility (Geographical Distance):

The distance and the very limited population exactly like Red Sea State [RSS] situation, villages are scattered, farmers can’t meet as frequent as the case demands, they will why we invest time and effort to acquire information about sorghum?

(3.1)This accessibility obstacle could be solved through the distribution of audio-cassette-recorders - taped with extension recorded stuff to communities on Revolving Fund System. Other associated package to FFS is to be administered, like scheduled visits (Train and Visit T & V), demos (Train and Demonstrate T & D)

(3.2) Mobilization campaigns through multimedia, school students, mosques, football & youth clubs etc


4. Different Perceptions:


Irrigated Sector Farmers have pinpointed problems they face like varieties, seed propagation, spacing, nursing, grafting, chemical treatment, watering, protection. In addition to post-harvest techniques like picking, drying, packing, transporting & preservation, etc. Rainfed Sector Farmers face little problems compared to their colleagues under irrigation system. Some of them know the exact seed rate, but they need more fodder to feed their animals, others know the more the spacing, the more the weed infestation, but they also need weeds as animal feed – so they have different interests.


(4.1.) This obstacle could be solved through in-depth information of farmers exact need, tailoring a curriculum that reflect their exact needs

(4.2.) Also this perception obstacle is to be minimized through farmers fully intigration and participation, mobilization, T & V and T & D

Water Harvesting Techniques

Water Harvesting Techniques
WHT

It is the benefiting of the scarce water that is available in short quantity in a short course of time, it is practiced in Macro-level mainly by the localities and/or the municipalities or at Micro-level which is mainly practiced by individuals or group of people trained by Non-Governmental-Organizations and the official extension workers

1. Macro-level Water Harvesting Technique

It needs a well-built infrastructure like institution, engineers, clerks, heavy machineries and strategic plan. In this technique water course must be monitored for a long time using the modern and the traditional techniques, then the institution in a very definite time is to:

1.1. Widen or narrowing the water course, or
1.2. Erect earthen dams to divert the running water to a certain direction either:
1.3. Y-shape taking water to two different directions, or
1.4. /-shape changing the direction of running water, or
1.5. Just perpendicular lines slowing down the running of water purposely to minimize its
power/speed so as to enable deep percolation or not to damage constructions ahead, or
1.6. Erecting kind of wall that prevent salt water from its ingress in to the arable area like the famous Tokar Sea Wall and at the same time keeping sweet water not to get lost

2. Micro-level Water Harvesting Technique

It is the perfect utilization of water and capturing it around the plant root zone instead of run-off, deep percolation away from the root zone and or evaporation transpiration. In some cases poor people collect rain water from the roofs into containers for drinking purpose, this technique need zinc metal roofs which is not always the case, so one need:

2.1. To minimize deep percolation and evaporation

It is the mechanical loosening of the cemented soil particles. Mainly it is practiced by farmers in their truck production holdings using tractors, or in homesteads using hoe. Sometimes farmers use intermediate technologies like Kiriako-Nubia hoe drawn by animals. This technique enable roots to absorb substantial soil moisture, at the same time this technique minimize evaporation. In some case during the soil preparation, farmers may dig 30 ~ 50 cm trenches, filled with twigs and leaves then cover with soil. Disturbing the topsoil will definitely break soil clots, while burying dead plant parts under alive root zone will provide enough moisture and compost as well.

2.2. To minimize Run-off

It is the technique in which farmers raise a crescent shape perpendicular to water runway. Normally the length of the crescent is 400 ~ 500 meter almost between 1.5 ~ 2.5 feddan area (0.5 ~ 1.0 hectare area). The height of the terrace is about 35 ~ 50 centimeter. Each terrace about 15-meter from the next one, this 15-m area will enable water to water the terrace in the backline and so forth. Due to the holding size, crops planted are easily manageable, also the terrace itself is easy to be erected. Some farmers use shovel and hoe to erect the terrace, it is an ill-advise as it is a hard job during which farmers inhale considerable amount of dust. Two farmers used to help each others using the “Urbel”. The Urbel is a reverse T-shape made from wood material, one end held by farmer some times bushing in for more depth using the body weight through his/her foot, the other farmer holding a rope fixed to the two ends of the reverse wooden pole and pulling earth up. Two farmers in two working days will finish erecting one terrace, i.e. four Mandays – if the mean offer for the manday is SDG 10.0 so the costs of erecting one terrace is SDG 40.00

Giad Sudan manufactured an excellent terrace erector called Bund Former which is drawn by a tractor, the running costs of erecting a poor farmer terrace is less than SDG 9.00. In general these kind of terraces erected in a gentle slope which is less than 7%. If the slope is acute then the terrace height must be more than the 50-cm, and the length of the terrace must be less than 400-meter, also transverse lines must exist to minimize water speed

3. WHT Benefits

3.1. Provide drinking water
3.2. Provide irrigation water
3.3. Increase groundwater recharge
3.4. Reduce seawater ingress in coastal areas
3.5. Reduce stormwater discharges, urban floods and overloading of sewage treatment
plants

Integrated Pest Management, IPM

Integrated Pest Management
IPM

It is the package of measurements purposely conducted to minimize the population of undesired insects. Unlike chemical control – IPM has no threshold level to start at, it is to be performed even before sowing date. The measurement steps are:

1. Resistant seed varieties to be selected

Using resistant seed varieties decrease the incidence drastically – in some vegetable seed envelopes written VFN where V stands for Verticillium, F stands for Fusarium, while N stands for Nematodes

2. Effective sowing date

Modifying the sowing date early or late is very effective in attach avoidance, BUT be aware of the implications pertained to crop physiology and market requirements

3. Effective soil preparation

Beside subjecting larva and eggs of insects to sun desiccation – plough easing root penetration, improve aeration and Water-Holding-Capacity, the three previous factors help plant vigor for effective protection

4. Crop Rotation

Rotating crops prevents pests to have hosts recurrently, also this rotation allows effective different nutrient utilization by different crops to assist in minimizing pest damage

5. Trap crops

Less-value crops are to be planted surrounding valued crops – mostly insects get satisfied eating from the peripheral plants and get away

6. Inter-cropping

Some crops like onion and garlic release an insect repellent ador, more than that farmers will benefit an additional crop using almost the same efferot

7. Hand-picking

“Trifle sparks develop huge fires” Just collect the adult insects, their eggs pupa or larva and destroy, this technique is feasible to control big-sized insects and larvae, it also include picking off the suspected leaves or twigs

8. Clean the field

Get rid of plant debris and other un-necessary particles, this will minimize pests like rodents, dogs, cats etc.

9. Make barriers

Like deep holes or plastic sheets – definitely this technique is good small-sized homesteads

10. Raised beds

This technique is applicable to nurseries – in which nursery bed is erected in a bed-like structure

11. Botanical pesticides

Apply botanical pesticides, they are not toxic available and cheap like Neem tree leaves, cow urine or chili if available in abundance like in some parts of South Kordofan where it is widely exists

12. Botanical pesticides

Lastly and least – in a cautiousness apply the friendly chemical pesticides – although they are not that much available!

Synthetic Compost Preparation and Application

Synthetic Compost Preparation and Application




1. Definition:

Synthetic Compost is a soil conditioner and fertilizer that provide nutrients to plants through the root zone. Also it improves the soil texture through the cemented particles those enable sandy particles to aggregate and at the same time through its hay and straw contents enable the separation of the heavy particles of the clay soils into small aggregates. In both cases compost enables soils to have good aeration and high water holding capacity to retain moisture. Due to fermentation and decomposition processes, a-well-made compost reaches a high temperature that kill many pests. So compost is the decomposed organic matter that improves soil texture and structure,

2. Production Scale:

2.1. Farm level:

2.1.1. Dig a 10x3x2 meter trench in an isolated area within the farm, use bulldozer if available
2.1.2. Dump in every green matter like crop residues, rotten fruit, plant leaves, twigs, animal dung, slaughter house refusals, blood, fish bones, kitchen waste etc (Bird dung is highly preferable as its nitrogen content is high, cattle dung needs more time as it’s decomposition is not that full to kill the associated pests)
2.1.3. Make a layer of 30 to 50 cm, broadcast about urea at rate of one kilogram to one cubic meter of compost, wet with water (Avoid dryness, avoid sogginess).
2.1.4. Repeat – wait for 2 to 3 months, introduce the bulldozer to turn it up
2.1.5. Repeat for one or two without moistening

2.2. Homestead garden level:

2.2.1. Construct a one meter square bamboo or wood material box
2.2.2. Chop organic matter like twigs, leaves, fruit, saw-dust or hay. Add dung manure and/or ash in 20~30 cm heap height
2.2.3. Wet the system and add a smear of light soil and repeat
2.2.4. After 3~4 weeks turn the whole system and arrange again in the box without adding water – during rainy season cover with plastic sheet or banana leaves if available
2.2.5. After 3~6 months compost will be ready (Depending on day temperature, the warmer the temperature, the shorten the duration)
2.2.6. Sieve and apply to plants return big particles back

3. Criteria of readiness:

3.1. The whole size will shrink 20~30%
3.2. No bad smell
3.3. Normal temperature
3.4. Homogeneous black color

4. Application:

4.1. When drilling apply 1~2 kg to each seedbed almost 1~2 shovels before planting
4.2. When broadcasting apply 15 ton per feddan before planting

5. Importance:

5.1. It affects soil structure positively through providing nutrients easy to be absorbed
5.2. It affects soil texture positively through enabling water deep percolation to reach the root zone
5.3. It affects soil texture positively through enabling the exchange of gases in the root zone
5.4. Enable households to get rid of their garbage and the left over stuff

PMSD Model in SUDAN for Hibiscus Crop "Karkade"

I would like to reflect these facts:

[A] Before applying PMSD

(1) Farmers producing Karkade in Kordofan - mainly er Rahad - and Darfur
(2) Farmers sell Karkade as individuals not group of farmers
(3) Karkade quality is not that good, due to the way it is processed, stored and dryed
(4) Four to five brokers exit between producers and exporting agents
(5) Karkade mean Farm-Gate-Price [FGP] is SDG 30.0 per quintal 2006/7 season
(6) Exporting agents pay SDG 130 for Karkade Quintal i.e. only 23% to producers as FGP

[B] After applying PMCA


(1) Farmers producing Karkade in Kordofan - mainly er Rahad - Darfur, even extended to Kassala and Shandi area
(2) Farmers sell Karkade as group of farmers (the Federation of Karkade Growers in Sudan)
(3) Karkade quality is improved, it is clean product, full calyx, well dryed, have its original color because it is dryed under sun then moved to be dryed under shade
(4) Only one broker selected by the producers exited between producers and exporting agents
(5) Karkade mean Farm-Gate-Price [FGP] is SDG 181.0 per quintal 2006/7 season
(6) Exporting agents pay SDG 130 for Karkade Quintal i.e. only 95% to producers as FGP

[C] Steps towards PMSD

(1) Empower farmers to the extent that they have a Voice and Choice
(2) Highlight the Enabling Environment, the Market Chain and the Provision of Services
(3) Draw the Market Map based on the Market Survey
(4) Include every strategic actor in the planning process