MIGOGORO ya ardhi imeendelea kuzikumba jamii nyingi katika maeneo mbalimbali nchini hivyo kusababisha migogoro.
Jamii inatumia muda mwingi kutatua migogoro hiyo badala ya kufanya shughuli za maendeleo.
Hali hiyo inatokana na ukweli kwamba, ardhi ndio tegemeo kubwa kwa jamii za wakulima na wafugaji ambao ndio sehemu kubwa ya Watanzania.
Ardhi ndio mtaji pekee ambao Watanzania wengi waishio vijijini wanaitegemea kwa ajili ya shughuli mbalimbali za kuweza kuwapatia chakula na kipato.
Licha ya kuwepo kwa mamlaka zinazohusika na usimamizi pamoja na ugawaji wa ardhi, migogoro hiyo imeendelea kuwa sehemu ya maisha kwa jamii nyingi.
Kama sheria za usimamizi na umiliki wa ardhi zipo, kitu gani kinasababisha migogoro ambayo inagharimu maisha na mali za Watanzania wasio na hatia?
Sisi tunasema kuwa, sheria za ardhi zinatoa haki ya kutumia ardhi na si kuimiliki hivyo inatosha kumhakikishia mtu kuwa, kitu chochote ambacho atakiendeleza katika ardhi husika, kitalindwa kwa maslahi yake si lazima kumwambia ardhi hiyo ni yako ili aiendeleze.
Migogoro ya ardhi husababishwa na mambo mbalimbali ambayo baadhi yake ni upungufu katika sheria za ardhi, mamlaka zinazohusika na ugawaji wa viwanja kugawa kiwanja kimoja kwa mtu zaidi ya mmoja na fidia ndogo.
Licha ya kufanyika marekebisho katika sheria za kusimamia matumizi ya ardhi, bado migogoro hiyo imeendelea kuchukua nafasi miongoni mwa jamii nyingi za Kitanzania.
Upo umuhimu mkubwa wa kushirikisha jamii katika kufanya maamuzi yanayohusu matumizi ya ardhi. Kama wananchi watashirikishwa, migogoro mingi iliyopo vijiji itapungua.
Ipo tabia ya baadhi ya Halmashauri za vijiji, kupitisha taarifa feki inayoamua matumizi ya ardhi ya kijiji bila ridhaa ya wananchi.
Serikali nayo inachangia migogoro hii pale inaposhindwa kulipa fidia kwa wananchi baada ya kutwaa ardhi kwa ajili ya kufanikisha miradi mbalimbali ya maendeleo.
Umefika wakati wa wananchi kuelimishwa juu ya sheria mbalimbali za ardhi ili watambue haki na wajibu wao katika suala zima la umiliki na matumizi ya yake.
CHANZO; MAJIRA
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Monday, April 16, 2012
Vijana watakiwa kujenga utamaduniwa wa kujitolea shughuli za maendeleo
VIJANA wametakiwa kujenga utamaduni wa kujitolea na kutoa michango katika shughuli mbalimbali za kijamii bila kusubiri kusukumwa kufanya hivyo.
Wito huo umetolewa na Meneja Masoko wa Chuo kikuu cha Dar es salaam(UDSM), Dk Omary Mbura alipokuwa akitoa mada katika warsha iliyowahusisha wanafunzi wa chuo hicho jana jijini.
Alisema , vijana hawana budi kutumia nguvu , jitihada na uwezo wao katika kuchangia shughuli za kijamii ili taifa linufaike kupitia wao kwa kuwa sehemu kubwa ya maendeleo ya nchi inategemea nguvu kazi ya vijana.
“Vijana ndiyo nguvu kazi ya taifa ni jukumu la kila mmoja wenu kwa nafasi yake kuhakikisha anachangia katika shughuli za kijamii, lengo ikiwa ni kuliletea maendeleo taifa ambalo kwa kiasi kikubwa linategemea utendaji kazi mzuri wa vijana”alisema Mbura
Aliongeza kuwa , sehemu kubwa ya vijana wanaomaliza katika chuo hicho wanaenda kuwa viongozi katika sekta mbalimbali hivyo hawana budi kutumia mafunzo waliyopata kuwa mfano bora katika kulilietea taifa maendeleo.
Naye Muhsin Masoud ambaye alikuwa mwezeshaji katika warsha hiyo alisema, wakati umefika sasa kwa vijana kubadilika na kufanya mambo ambayo kwa namna moja ama nyingine yatakuwa na mchango mkubwa kwa taifa.
Alisema vijana hawana budi kupingana na mmomnyoko wa maadili ambao unaonekana kushika hatamu kwa sasa na badala yake wazingatie maadili pamoja na kanuni ambazo hazina lengo la kupindisha sheria.
CHANZO: MWANANCHI
Wito huo umetolewa na Meneja Masoko wa Chuo kikuu cha Dar es salaam(UDSM), Dk Omary Mbura alipokuwa akitoa mada katika warsha iliyowahusisha wanafunzi wa chuo hicho jana jijini.
Alisema , vijana hawana budi kutumia nguvu , jitihada na uwezo wao katika kuchangia shughuli za kijamii ili taifa linufaike kupitia wao kwa kuwa sehemu kubwa ya maendeleo ya nchi inategemea nguvu kazi ya vijana.
“Vijana ndiyo nguvu kazi ya taifa ni jukumu la kila mmoja wenu kwa nafasi yake kuhakikisha anachangia katika shughuli za kijamii, lengo ikiwa ni kuliletea maendeleo taifa ambalo kwa kiasi kikubwa linategemea utendaji kazi mzuri wa vijana”alisema Mbura
Aliongeza kuwa , sehemu kubwa ya vijana wanaomaliza katika chuo hicho wanaenda kuwa viongozi katika sekta mbalimbali hivyo hawana budi kutumia mafunzo waliyopata kuwa mfano bora katika kulilietea taifa maendeleo.
Naye Muhsin Masoud ambaye alikuwa mwezeshaji katika warsha hiyo alisema, wakati umefika sasa kwa vijana kubadilika na kufanya mambo ambayo kwa namna moja ama nyingine yatakuwa na mchango mkubwa kwa taifa.
Alisema vijana hawana budi kupingana na mmomnyoko wa maadili ambao unaonekana kushika hatamu kwa sasa na badala yake wazingatie maadili pamoja na kanuni ambazo hazina lengo la kupindisha sheria.
CHANZO: MWANANCHI
16th April 2012
Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Wadogo Tanzania (Mviwata) umeandaa kongamano la kitaifa ambalo pamoja na mambo mengine litajadili na kutoa tamko la kupinga mauaji ya wakulima wadogo nchini, wanaouawa katika harakati za kutetea ardhi yao.
Kongamano hilo linatarajiwa kufanyika mjini Morogoro kesho ikiwa ni sehemu ya Maadhimisho ya siku ya Wakulima Wadogo Ulimwenguni, litajadili athari za uporaji wa ardhi kwa wazalishaji wadogo nchini.
Aprili 17 kila mwaka ni siku ya maadhimisho ya harakati za wakulima wadogo ulimwenguni. Maadhimisho hayo hufanyika ikiwa ni kumbukumbu ya mauaji ya wakulima wadogo 19 yaliyotokea nchini Brazil mwaka 1996 wakiwa katika harakati za kutetea haki yao na kuzuia uporaji wa ardhi waliyokuwa wakiitegemea kwa uzalishaji.
Mratibu wa maandalizi ya kongamano hilo, Thomas Laiser, alisema jana kuwa Mviwata imeandaa kongamano hilo ili kuzungumzia mustakabali wa wakulima wadogo Tanzania, ikiwemo mauaji ya wakulima yanayoendelea kutokea wakati wa harakati za kuwaondoa kwenye maeneo yao.
“Katika miaka ya karibuni nchini Tanzania tumeshuhudia kasi ya uporaji wa ardhi ya wazalishaji wadogo vijijini ikijumuisha matumizi ya nguvu kupita kiasi na hata mauaji jambo ambalo halitoi ishara njema ya hatma ya wakulima na wazalishaji wengine wadogo,” alisema Laiser ambaye pia ni Afisa Ushawishi na Utetezi wa mtandao huo.
Aliongeza kuwa “uhamishwaji kwa nguvu ili kupisha wawekezaji wa ndani na nje na wakati mwingine upanuzi wa ardhi za hifadhi, zimetajwa kuwa sababu za kuhalalisha vitendo hivyo ambavyo vimewaacha wazalishaji wengi wadogo katika baadhi ya maeneo wakiwa wamepoteza makazi, mali na maisha yao.”
Laiser alitolea mfano wa matukio ya kuwahamishwa kwa nguvu wafugaji katika bonde la Ihefu, hifadhi ya Loliondo, Malinyi Ulanga, Meatu, Kiteto na kwingineko nchini yakiwemo mauaji ya wakulima watano wilayani Ulanga siku za karibuni ni mfano wa adha ambazo wazalishaji wadogo wamekuwa wakikabiliana nazo kutokana na uporaji wa ardhi unaoendelea kufanyika.
Kongamano hilo pia litazijadili athari mahsusi zinazowakabili wanawake na watoto vijijini katika harakati za utwaaji ardhi na kutoa wito kwa viongozi wa kisiasa na serikali wa ngazi mbalimbali kuwalinda na kuisimamia haki ya ardhi ya wazalishaji wadogo vijijini.
Laiser alisema kongamano hilo litakuwa na washiriki zaidi ya 90 wakiwemo wakulima 70 kutoka mikoa mbalimbali ya Tanzania kati yao theluthi mbili wakiwa ni wanawake.
Washiriki wengine kwenye kongamano hilo watakuwa ni wanahabari, waalikwa toka mashirika yanayotetea haki za ardhi nchini, wawakilishi wa taasisi zingine za kiraia, wanaharakati, wanataaluma na baadhi ya viongozi na wafanyakazi wa mtandao huo.
CHANZO: NIPASHE
Mtandao wa Vikundi vya Wakulima Wadogo Tanzania (Mviwata) umeandaa kongamano la kitaifa ambalo pamoja na mambo mengine litajadili na kutoa tamko la kupinga mauaji ya wakulima wadogo nchini, wanaouawa katika harakati za kutetea ardhi yao.
Kongamano hilo linatarajiwa kufanyika mjini Morogoro kesho ikiwa ni sehemu ya Maadhimisho ya siku ya Wakulima Wadogo Ulimwenguni, litajadili athari za uporaji wa ardhi kwa wazalishaji wadogo nchini.
Aprili 17 kila mwaka ni siku ya maadhimisho ya harakati za wakulima wadogo ulimwenguni. Maadhimisho hayo hufanyika ikiwa ni kumbukumbu ya mauaji ya wakulima wadogo 19 yaliyotokea nchini Brazil mwaka 1996 wakiwa katika harakati za kutetea haki yao na kuzuia uporaji wa ardhi waliyokuwa wakiitegemea kwa uzalishaji.
Mratibu wa maandalizi ya kongamano hilo, Thomas Laiser, alisema jana kuwa Mviwata imeandaa kongamano hilo ili kuzungumzia mustakabali wa wakulima wadogo Tanzania, ikiwemo mauaji ya wakulima yanayoendelea kutokea wakati wa harakati za kuwaondoa kwenye maeneo yao.
“Katika miaka ya karibuni nchini Tanzania tumeshuhudia kasi ya uporaji wa ardhi ya wazalishaji wadogo vijijini ikijumuisha matumizi ya nguvu kupita kiasi na hata mauaji jambo ambalo halitoi ishara njema ya hatma ya wakulima na wazalishaji wengine wadogo,” alisema Laiser ambaye pia ni Afisa Ushawishi na Utetezi wa mtandao huo.
Aliongeza kuwa “uhamishwaji kwa nguvu ili kupisha wawekezaji wa ndani na nje na wakati mwingine upanuzi wa ardhi za hifadhi, zimetajwa kuwa sababu za kuhalalisha vitendo hivyo ambavyo vimewaacha wazalishaji wengi wadogo katika baadhi ya maeneo wakiwa wamepoteza makazi, mali na maisha yao.”
Laiser alitolea mfano wa matukio ya kuwahamishwa kwa nguvu wafugaji katika bonde la Ihefu, hifadhi ya Loliondo, Malinyi Ulanga, Meatu, Kiteto na kwingineko nchini yakiwemo mauaji ya wakulima watano wilayani Ulanga siku za karibuni ni mfano wa adha ambazo wazalishaji wadogo wamekuwa wakikabiliana nazo kutokana na uporaji wa ardhi unaoendelea kufanyika.
Kongamano hilo pia litazijadili athari mahsusi zinazowakabili wanawake na watoto vijijini katika harakati za utwaaji ardhi na kutoa wito kwa viongozi wa kisiasa na serikali wa ngazi mbalimbali kuwalinda na kuisimamia haki ya ardhi ya wazalishaji wadogo vijijini.
Laiser alisema kongamano hilo litakuwa na washiriki zaidi ya 90 wakiwemo wakulima 70 kutoka mikoa mbalimbali ya Tanzania kati yao theluthi mbili wakiwa ni wanawake.
Washiriki wengine kwenye kongamano hilo watakuwa ni wanahabari, waalikwa toka mashirika yanayotetea haki za ardhi nchini, wawakilishi wa taasisi zingine za kiraia, wanaharakati, wanataaluma na baadhi ya viongozi na wafanyakazi wa mtandao huo.
CHANZO: NIPASHE
UTUPA, MMEA WA AJABU UNAOUA WADUDU
Utupa (Tephrosia vogelii) ni mmea wa jamii ya mikunde ambao huishi kwa muda unaozidi miaka mitatu. Mmea huu hutoa maua mengi, kuzaa mbegu nyingi na una majani mengi. Mmea huu hukua haraka pia ni rahisi kuzalisha. Huweza kukua hadi kufikia urefu wa futi 10. Inashauriwa kuukata baada ya miaka mitatu ili kurefusha maisha yake na kuwezesha kutoa majani mengi. Mmea huu hustawi vizuri sehemu mbalimbali na zipo aina kuu tatu. Aina hizo zinatofautishwa kwa maua yake kama ifuatavyo: inayotoa maua ya njano, pinki na meupe.
Utupa unaoteshwa kwa mbegu na unakuwa tayari kutumika baada ya miezi 4-6 tangu mbegu zipandwe. Sehemu yenye sumu katika utupa ni majani na mizizi. Inadhuru visumbufu wa mimea vinapokula na kugusa, hii inavisababishia kukosa hamu ya kula.
Utupa unaweza kutumika kama kiuatilifu cha wadudu kama vile kupe, utitiri, kimamba, cabbage headworm, viwavi, sota funza wa vitumba, bungua wa mahindi, vithiripi, fuko, viroboto, chawa na magonjwa ya ngozi.
Pia utupa unafaa kutandaza shambani na kurutubisha ardhi.
Kutayarisha dawa ya majani ya utupa Kwa ajili ya kuua wadudu
Chuma majani mabichi kulingana na mahitaji ya shamba lako (hasa kabla mmea haujatoa mbegu kwani wakati huo dawa aina ya tephrosine ipo nyingi zaidi).
Yatwange mpaka yawe laini.
Loweka katika lita 20 za maji safi kwa muda wa masaa ishirini na nne katika uwiano wa 1:20 (kg 1 ya utupa kwenye lita 20 za maji).
Chuja mchanganyiko huo vizuri ili kuondoa vipande vya majani. Unaweza kutumia chujio la bomba.
Nyunyizia mboga zako au mimea mingine kama dawa nyingine. Tofauti iliyopo kati ya dawa hii na madawa ya kemikali ni kwamba haina harufu kali na madhara kwa afya ya mnyunyiziaji.
Dawa hii huweza kuua viwavi wa nyanya, nondo wa kabeji, wadudu mafuta na funza wa mabua ya mahindi (stalk borers), wadudu wanaoshambulia matango na kahawa.
Inapendekezwa itumike kabla mimea haijashambuliwa. Huua pia wadudu walao majani na mashina kama viwavi jeshi.
Unga unaotokana na majani ya utupa unaweza pia kutumika kuhifadhi nafaka hasa kwa ajili ya mbegu.
Kutayarisha dawa ya unga wa utupa
Twanga majani hadi yawe laini na uanike.
Saga majani yaliyotwangwa na kuanikwa kuwa unga.
Wakati wa kuotesha mazao, changanya unga wa dawa na mbegu ya zao unalotaka kupanda.
Tumia shambani kwa kunyunyizia dawa kwa kushika kwenye vidole vitatu kwa shina moja la kabichi.
Matumizi ya ghalani
Majani ya utupa yanatumika pia kuhifadhia mazao ghalani.
Yanatumika kufukuza fukuzi na mende wa maharage.
Chuma majani ya utupa, anika kwenye kivuli, twanga majani kupata unga.
Pima na changanya gm 100 katika kg 100 za nafaka/mikunde.
Dawa hii inatumika pia kuhifadhi mahindi.
Tahadhari kwa watumiaji
Kuvaa kinga ya mwili mzima wakati wa unyunyuziaji
Tumia dawa baada ya uchunguzi wa visumbufu
Usile mazao kabla ya siku 10- 14 kwisha baada ya kunyunyuzia dawa
Iwekwe mbali na watoto, maji na mifugo
Utupa ni sumu kali kwa samaki, inaweza kuua wadudu marafiki na wanyama.
Kwa nafaka za chakula hakikisha unga wa dawa unakaushwa vya kutosha kwani unaweza kusababisha harufu kali kwenye nafaka.
Utupa unaoteshwa kwa mbegu na unakuwa tayari kutumika baada ya miezi 4-6 tangu mbegu zipandwe. Sehemu yenye sumu katika utupa ni majani na mizizi. Inadhuru visumbufu wa mimea vinapokula na kugusa, hii inavisababishia kukosa hamu ya kula.
Utupa unaweza kutumika kama kiuatilifu cha wadudu kama vile kupe, utitiri, kimamba, cabbage headworm, viwavi, sota funza wa vitumba, bungua wa mahindi, vithiripi, fuko, viroboto, chawa na magonjwa ya ngozi.
Pia utupa unafaa kutandaza shambani na kurutubisha ardhi.
Kutayarisha dawa ya majani ya utupa Kwa ajili ya kuua wadudu
Chuma majani mabichi kulingana na mahitaji ya shamba lako (hasa kabla mmea haujatoa mbegu kwani wakati huo dawa aina ya tephrosine ipo nyingi zaidi).
Yatwange mpaka yawe laini.
Loweka katika lita 20 za maji safi kwa muda wa masaa ishirini na nne katika uwiano wa 1:20 (kg 1 ya utupa kwenye lita 20 za maji).
Chuja mchanganyiko huo vizuri ili kuondoa vipande vya majani. Unaweza kutumia chujio la bomba.
Nyunyizia mboga zako au mimea mingine kama dawa nyingine. Tofauti iliyopo kati ya dawa hii na madawa ya kemikali ni kwamba haina harufu kali na madhara kwa afya ya mnyunyiziaji.
Dawa hii huweza kuua viwavi wa nyanya, nondo wa kabeji, wadudu mafuta na funza wa mabua ya mahindi (stalk borers), wadudu wanaoshambulia matango na kahawa.
Inapendekezwa itumike kabla mimea haijashambuliwa. Huua pia wadudu walao majani na mashina kama viwavi jeshi.
Unga unaotokana na majani ya utupa unaweza pia kutumika kuhifadhi nafaka hasa kwa ajili ya mbegu.
Kutayarisha dawa ya unga wa utupa
Twanga majani hadi yawe laini na uanike.
Saga majani yaliyotwangwa na kuanikwa kuwa unga.
Wakati wa kuotesha mazao, changanya unga wa dawa na mbegu ya zao unalotaka kupanda.
Tumia shambani kwa kunyunyizia dawa kwa kushika kwenye vidole vitatu kwa shina moja la kabichi.
Matumizi ya ghalani
Majani ya utupa yanatumika pia kuhifadhia mazao ghalani.
Yanatumika kufukuza fukuzi na mende wa maharage.
Chuma majani ya utupa, anika kwenye kivuli, twanga majani kupata unga.
Pima na changanya gm 100 katika kg 100 za nafaka/mikunde.
Dawa hii inatumika pia kuhifadhi mahindi.
Tahadhari kwa watumiaji
Kuvaa kinga ya mwili mzima wakati wa unyunyuziaji
Tumia dawa baada ya uchunguzi wa visumbufu
Usile mazao kabla ya siku 10- 14 kwisha baada ya kunyunyuzia dawa
Iwekwe mbali na watoto, maji na mifugo
Utupa ni sumu kali kwa samaki, inaweza kuua wadudu marafiki na wanyama.
Kwa nafaka za chakula hakikisha unga wa dawa unakaushwa vya kutosha kwani unaweza kusababisha harufu kali kwenye nafaka.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Challenges of Tanzanian green revolution movement
For more than four decades Tanzania has been struggling to spur economic growth and eliminate poverty. But by any standard achievement of this goal is not near sight. The Poverty and Human Development Report 2007, indicates that the proportion of the population that cannot meet their daily basic needs has declined by only 2.4 percent from 35.7 percent between 2001 and 2007. At the same time, the number of people living in poverty has increased by 1.0 million people from 11.7 million. Although poverty affects both urban and rural people, it is those living in the rural areas who are hit hard. This accentuates the notion that poverty is basically a rural phenomenon. Based on this trend the MKUKUTA and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) target of reducing income poverty to 19% by 2010 and 2015 respectively will be missed.
This observation is an eye opener on the likely failure of whatever model pursued by government to achieve economic growth through agriculture. Asian countries, previously at equal footing with Tanzania have tremendously revolutionalised their agriculture and transformed their economies. Of recent, Malawi, a country with food deficit for several years is now with food surplus and even donating maize to neighbouring countries of Lesotho and Swaziland. Ethiopia is another good example in the making. The achievements of Malawi and Ethiopia have not happened by chance. It is a result of committed leadership that is willing to do the right things with the right magnitude on the right path to agricultural development. Both countries have already met the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) target of allocating at least 10% of national budgets to agriculture. For example, in 2007 agriculture made up 12 percent of the national budget in Malawi and 11 percent in Ethiopia as compared to only 6.2 percent for Tanzania during the same year. This year the government has increased the proportion of agriculture in the national budget by only 0.7 percent to 6.9 percent, and has intensified propaganda to make the public feel that agriculture has now assumed first priority in government plans in what it termed “Kilimo Kwanza”.
In order to speed up the process of transforming agriculture in Tanzania, it is imperative to understand the context of the challenges facing farmers in the country while drawing lessons from those who have made it like India and Mexico or those who are on the route to success like Malawi and Ethiopia. Success of green revolution in a country like ours is hinged on the understanding that over 90 percent of agricultural output is produced by smallholder farmers scattered in rural communities all over the country. They spend hours and hours of backbreaking labour to produce very little from their farms because of numerous constraints facing them.
Well-thought plans are required to empower them. Prof. Sanchez who co-chairs the Hunger Task Force of the Millennium Project of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals observes that what rural African farmers need is empowerment. They need the right quantity and quality of fertilizer at the right time, credit support to enhance and expand their holdings, efficient crop processing capabilities to add value to farm produce, and good market outlets to sell their harvests. However, a critical observer would quickly sense that there is nothing new in Prof. Sanchez’s assertion. Between 2003/4 and 2008/9 the government of Tanzania spent TSh. 128.7 billions to subsidise 487,984 tons of fertiliser to smallholder farmers. Furthermore, during the same period Tanzania subsidised 1,071 tones of seeds and 13,700,000 seedlings to farmers; and through the District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPS) it has provided loan to farmers for buying 186 power tillers and allocated approximately 8 billions to irrigation. Whether all this money reaches beneficiaries and has resulted into improved agricultural productivity is a debatable issue.
Out of frustration one may ask; why then is green revolution taking too long to achieve in Tanzania? The answers to this questions lies in the fact that Tanzania hasn’t been lucky enough to have unequivocally committed person among policy makers who is willing to liberate farmers from the shackles of poverty. We can have beautiful plan to support agriculture and spend billions of money on those plans, but if we are lacking a person who is committed body and soul to see to it that changes really happen on the ground, not much would be realised. Such extra commitment is vital because not everything can be coded in the project documents. Those leading agricultural development programmes in Tanzania are people appointed on the criteria best known to the appointing authority; they have little to demonstrate their commitment and interest in agriculture.
The situation is different in the countries that have succeeded in green revolution. The success revolves around a person. The success of green revolution in Mexico is attributed to the then Mexican President, Ávila Comacho whose keen interest to move agriculture beyond subsistence farming, made him work out an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation to carryout an intensive breeding program that resulted into wheat varieties that sparked the green revolution. In India the success is attributed to the then Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan who despite bureaucratic hurdles invited Dr. Norman Borlaug under the Ford Foundation to replicate the Mexican success. The success of the “white revolution” in India (an equivalent to green revolution in the livestock sector) is due to Dr. Verghese Kurien who architected the “Operation Flood” the largest dairy development programme in the world that saw India becoming the largest milk producer in the world. Lastly, the recent success of Malawian agriculture is credited to the Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika who appointed himself minister of agriculture in order to have direct supervision of agricultural development programs and ensure that their outputs and impacts are maximised. In the Tanzanian context whose commitment emulates the people mentioned above? The urge to transform agriculture is mere lip service. We should not forget that people do not eat words; concrete pragmatic plans are needed to translate those words into improved livelihood of the people especially those in the captivity of agriculture.
By Dr. Damian M. Gabagambi, SUA
This observation is an eye opener on the likely failure of whatever model pursued by government to achieve economic growth through agriculture. Asian countries, previously at equal footing with Tanzania have tremendously revolutionalised their agriculture and transformed their economies. Of recent, Malawi, a country with food deficit for several years is now with food surplus and even donating maize to neighbouring countries of Lesotho and Swaziland. Ethiopia is another good example in the making. The achievements of Malawi and Ethiopia have not happened by chance. It is a result of committed leadership that is willing to do the right things with the right magnitude on the right path to agricultural development. Both countries have already met the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) target of allocating at least 10% of national budgets to agriculture. For example, in 2007 agriculture made up 12 percent of the national budget in Malawi and 11 percent in Ethiopia as compared to only 6.2 percent for Tanzania during the same year. This year the government has increased the proportion of agriculture in the national budget by only 0.7 percent to 6.9 percent, and has intensified propaganda to make the public feel that agriculture has now assumed first priority in government plans in what it termed “Kilimo Kwanza”.
In order to speed up the process of transforming agriculture in Tanzania, it is imperative to understand the context of the challenges facing farmers in the country while drawing lessons from those who have made it like India and Mexico or those who are on the route to success like Malawi and Ethiopia. Success of green revolution in a country like ours is hinged on the understanding that over 90 percent of agricultural output is produced by smallholder farmers scattered in rural communities all over the country. They spend hours and hours of backbreaking labour to produce very little from their farms because of numerous constraints facing them.
Well-thought plans are required to empower them. Prof. Sanchez who co-chairs the Hunger Task Force of the Millennium Project of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals observes that what rural African farmers need is empowerment. They need the right quantity and quality of fertilizer at the right time, credit support to enhance and expand their holdings, efficient crop processing capabilities to add value to farm produce, and good market outlets to sell their harvests. However, a critical observer would quickly sense that there is nothing new in Prof. Sanchez’s assertion. Between 2003/4 and 2008/9 the government of Tanzania spent TSh. 128.7 billions to subsidise 487,984 tons of fertiliser to smallholder farmers. Furthermore, during the same period Tanzania subsidised 1,071 tones of seeds and 13,700,000 seedlings to farmers; and through the District Agriculture Development Plans (DADPS) it has provided loan to farmers for buying 186 power tillers and allocated approximately 8 billions to irrigation. Whether all this money reaches beneficiaries and has resulted into improved agricultural productivity is a debatable issue.
Out of frustration one may ask; why then is green revolution taking too long to achieve in Tanzania? The answers to this questions lies in the fact that Tanzania hasn’t been lucky enough to have unequivocally committed person among policy makers who is willing to liberate farmers from the shackles of poverty. We can have beautiful plan to support agriculture and spend billions of money on those plans, but if we are lacking a person who is committed body and soul to see to it that changes really happen on the ground, not much would be realised. Such extra commitment is vital because not everything can be coded in the project documents. Those leading agricultural development programmes in Tanzania are people appointed on the criteria best known to the appointing authority; they have little to demonstrate their commitment and interest in agriculture.
The situation is different in the countries that have succeeded in green revolution. The success revolves around a person. The success of green revolution in Mexico is attributed to the then Mexican President, Ávila Comacho whose keen interest to move agriculture beyond subsistence farming, made him work out an agreement with the Rockefeller Foundation to carryout an intensive breeding program that resulted into wheat varieties that sparked the green revolution. In India the success is attributed to the then Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan who despite bureaucratic hurdles invited Dr. Norman Borlaug under the Ford Foundation to replicate the Mexican success. The success of the “white revolution” in India (an equivalent to green revolution in the livestock sector) is due to Dr. Verghese Kurien who architected the “Operation Flood” the largest dairy development programme in the world that saw India becoming the largest milk producer in the world. Lastly, the recent success of Malawian agriculture is credited to the Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika who appointed himself minister of agriculture in order to have direct supervision of agricultural development programs and ensure that their outputs and impacts are maximised. In the Tanzanian context whose commitment emulates the people mentioned above? The urge to transform agriculture is mere lip service. We should not forget that people do not eat words; concrete pragmatic plans are needed to translate those words into improved livelihood of the people especially those in the captivity of agriculture.
By Dr. Damian M. Gabagambi, SUA
Monday, April 2, 2012
Young African farmers appeal for easier access to credit
Despite the efforts being made by African leaders and Agricultural organisations to make farming more attractive to young people, some participants of the young people farming and food conference – from 19 – 21 March, in Accra/Ghana expressed their frustration at the inability to access credit. They have passionately appealed to their governments to make credit more accessible.
At the three – day international conference on the future of the agri-food sector in Africa, held in March 2012, in Accra Ghana, the young farmers lamented that they have limited chances to obtain capital or credit assets. They noted that access to credit in rural financial institutions is more often than not tied to the availability of collateral such as a vehicle, land or a house; that young people like themselves do not yet have.
Frank Amponsah, a Ghanaian young farmer who attended the conference noted that even though he has on countless occasions heard Government of Ghana officials talking about the efforts they are doing to help young people in farming, on the ground nothing seems to have changed. A visit to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to inquire about how to access funds is still an impossible and frustrating venture.
He is of the opinion that a separate office within the Ministry of Food and Agriculture ought to be created to handle the issue of credit to young farmers, adding that the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) which was purposely setup to help farmers does not have flexible credit loans for young farmers. “Those are the things we want the government to do for us because once I get the land I need to cultivate on it, transport my products and all of these activities require money” he stated.
He suggested that the idea of allowing junior and senior high schools to cultivate school farms is slowly dying. Therefore the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture must work hand in hand to raise more awareness and increase the enthusiasm if at all they wish to make farming attractive to young people.
George Okonko, a young farmer from Nigeria shared similar frustrations as his colleagues in farming and supported sentiments echoed by the President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Dr. Namanga Ngongi, that the poor participation of young people in farming and the agricultural economy must be seen as a matter of grave concern and should not be swept under the carpet.
The international conference examined current thinking about effective approaches for how young people can engage with the agri-food sector in Africa (as producers, entrepreneurs, employees, consumers and citizens)
Also on the discussion table, was the issue of how the agri-food sector is changing due to; technology, urbanisation, economic growth and changes in workforce participation. How to increase opportunities for young people through the agri-food sector in not only primary production but in all stages between farm and fork, i.e. processing, marketing, transportation retail, input supply and research.
The alternative approaches for the development of the agri-food sector and implications for young people taking into account young people's interest, goals and aspirations were also put across to participants.
Globally, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. In Africa 40 percent out of the total 70 percent unemployed live in the rural areas and those who are employed have insecure work arrangements, characterised by low productivity and meagre earnings.
In conclusion, leaders, practitioners and experts in the agricultural sector were called upon to re-brand agriculture as a viable, attractive career option for the youth.
More information about the Conference:
Author: Nana Agyeman Birikorang; journalist – The Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, Accra/Ghana
At the three – day international conference on the future of the agri-food sector in Africa, held in March 2012, in Accra Ghana, the young farmers lamented that they have limited chances to obtain capital or credit assets. They noted that access to credit in rural financial institutions is more often than not tied to the availability of collateral such as a vehicle, land or a house; that young people like themselves do not yet have.
Frank Amponsah, a Ghanaian young farmer who attended the conference noted that even though he has on countless occasions heard Government of Ghana officials talking about the efforts they are doing to help young people in farming, on the ground nothing seems to have changed. A visit to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to inquire about how to access funds is still an impossible and frustrating venture.
He is of the opinion that a separate office within the Ministry of Food and Agriculture ought to be created to handle the issue of credit to young farmers, adding that the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) which was purposely setup to help farmers does not have flexible credit loans for young farmers. “Those are the things we want the government to do for us because once I get the land I need to cultivate on it, transport my products and all of these activities require money” he stated.
He suggested that the idea of allowing junior and senior high schools to cultivate school farms is slowly dying. Therefore the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture must work hand in hand to raise more awareness and increase the enthusiasm if at all they wish to make farming attractive to young people.
George Okonko, a young farmer from Nigeria shared similar frustrations as his colleagues in farming and supported sentiments echoed by the President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), Dr. Namanga Ngongi, that the poor participation of young people in farming and the agricultural economy must be seen as a matter of grave concern and should not be swept under the carpet.
The international conference examined current thinking about effective approaches for how young people can engage with the agri-food sector in Africa (as producers, entrepreneurs, employees, consumers and citizens)
Also on the discussion table, was the issue of how the agri-food sector is changing due to; technology, urbanisation, economic growth and changes in workforce participation. How to increase opportunities for young people through the agri-food sector in not only primary production but in all stages between farm and fork, i.e. processing, marketing, transportation retail, input supply and research.
The alternative approaches for the development of the agri-food sector and implications for young people taking into account young people's interest, goals and aspirations were also put across to participants.
Globally, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. In Africa 40 percent out of the total 70 percent unemployed live in the rural areas and those who are employed have insecure work arrangements, characterised by low productivity and meagre earnings.
In conclusion, leaders, practitioners and experts in the agricultural sector were called upon to re-brand agriculture as a viable, attractive career option for the youth.
More information about the Conference:
Author: Nana Agyeman Birikorang; journalist – The Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, Accra/Ghana
Hope for young farmers in Africa
With the ultimate aim of helping to satisfy young people's interest, goals and aspirations in farming, the Future Agricultures Consortium (FAC) and the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana organised from 19 – 21 March,2012 in Accra,Ghana a three day international conference to debate recent research findings and policy options about agriculture in regards to the youth in Africa.
The international conference which was organised under the theme Young People, Farming & Food: The Future of the Agrifood Sector in Africa brought together many young farmers and agricultural experts across the African continent.
The purpose of the conference was to debate recent agricultural and research policies and how best they can make it more attractive to young African farmers.
In his welcome address Dr. Sam Dapaah who spoke on behalf of Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Government of Ghana, noted that transporting of products and access to funds are major problems affecting young farmers in the sub-region. He indicated that the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has acquired tractors to plough lands for young farmers free of charge. In addition he stressed that seeds are also given to interested young farmers on highly subsidised credit terms and as payback, they would decide whether to pay back in cash or give some seedlings.
On the issue of access to loans, Dr. Sam Dapaah who is the Special Advisor to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Government of Ghana urged young farmers to attach themselves to some farming associations so that they can access loans from the bank in groups rather than doing so individually. He told the participants that the Government of Ghana has instituted an award package for farmers and it is celebrated on the first Friday in December every year, adding that winners are given vehicles, buildings and farming tools and young farmers are also awarded handsomely.
According to him these are some of the initiatives the government of Ghana is doing to make farming attractive to young people.
Dr. Dapaah later charged ISSER to develop a mechanism where they can monitor various sections in the agricultural sector in order to inform and help young people seeking jobs in the sector.
The President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Dr. Namanga Ngongi, in his keynote address mentioned that Agriculture is the backbone of sub-Saharan Africa's rural economies; yet the vast majority of the human assets and capital of Africa remain locked out of this economic sector across the entire agricultural value chain – from farming to research, innovation, product development and market participation.
According to Dr. Ngongi there is a growing and palpable momentum in Africa's fight for food security, prosperity and sustainable agricultural development with investment and actions to promote an African Green Revolution gaining ground.
He was of the view that some 30 African countries have signed NEPAD’s- CAADP compacts with the support of multinational and bilateral donors as well as private foundations to ensure the necessary actions to catalyse an agricultural revolution in Africa.
To him the G8 and G20 have placed food security to the top of the agenda and the next G8 gathering in the USA will be no different and that this was an opportunity that must not be missed. He said “if young people living in rural areas do not find enough incentives, profitable economic opportunities and attractive environments in which they can live and work, they will continue to migrate to the urban cities in large numbers and the opportunity to attract a steady flow of investments to transform Africa's agricultural sector will be missed”.
He noted that there was the need to invest in the young people transitioning into adulthood and eager to take their place as active and productive citizens because they constitute the pool of Africa's agricultural entrepreneurs, innovators and farmers.
More information about the Conference:
Author: Nana Agyeman Birikorang; journalist – The Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, Accra/Ghana
The international conference which was organised under the theme Young People, Farming & Food: The Future of the Agrifood Sector in Africa brought together many young farmers and agricultural experts across the African continent.
The purpose of the conference was to debate recent agricultural and research policies and how best they can make it more attractive to young African farmers.
In his welcome address Dr. Sam Dapaah who spoke on behalf of Hon. Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Government of Ghana, noted that transporting of products and access to funds are major problems affecting young farmers in the sub-region. He indicated that the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has acquired tractors to plough lands for young farmers free of charge. In addition he stressed that seeds are also given to interested young farmers on highly subsidised credit terms and as payback, they would decide whether to pay back in cash or give some seedlings.
On the issue of access to loans, Dr. Sam Dapaah who is the Special Advisor to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Government of Ghana urged young farmers to attach themselves to some farming associations so that they can access loans from the bank in groups rather than doing so individually. He told the participants that the Government of Ghana has instituted an award package for farmers and it is celebrated on the first Friday in December every year, adding that winners are given vehicles, buildings and farming tools and young farmers are also awarded handsomely.
According to him these are some of the initiatives the government of Ghana is doing to make farming attractive to young people.
Dr. Dapaah later charged ISSER to develop a mechanism where they can monitor various sections in the agricultural sector in order to inform and help young people seeking jobs in the sector.
The President of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) Dr. Namanga Ngongi, in his keynote address mentioned that Agriculture is the backbone of sub-Saharan Africa's rural economies; yet the vast majority of the human assets and capital of Africa remain locked out of this economic sector across the entire agricultural value chain – from farming to research, innovation, product development and market participation.
According to Dr. Ngongi there is a growing and palpable momentum in Africa's fight for food security, prosperity and sustainable agricultural development with investment and actions to promote an African Green Revolution gaining ground.
He was of the view that some 30 African countries have signed NEPAD’s- CAADP compacts with the support of multinational and bilateral donors as well as private foundations to ensure the necessary actions to catalyse an agricultural revolution in Africa.
To him the G8 and G20 have placed food security to the top of the agenda and the next G8 gathering in the USA will be no different and that this was an opportunity that must not be missed. He said “if young people living in rural areas do not find enough incentives, profitable economic opportunities and attractive environments in which they can live and work, they will continue to migrate to the urban cities in large numbers and the opportunity to attract a steady flow of investments to transform Africa's agricultural sector will be missed”.
He noted that there was the need to invest in the young people transitioning into adulthood and eager to take their place as active and productive citizens because they constitute the pool of Africa's agricultural entrepreneurs, innovators and farmers.
More information about the Conference:
Author: Nana Agyeman Birikorang; journalist – The Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, Accra/Ghana
Vegetable Gardening in a Small Space
You don’t need a farm to grow fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits. You don’t really even need a garden. Plant breeders know that after taste, home gardeners want a high yield in a small space. So they’ve been developing more varieties that can grow in a small foot print or even live in containers all year long.
The Small Vegetable Plot
Vegetable gardening used to be the poor relation of home gardens. Perennial borders reigned, mixed borders were most gardeners reality and vegetable gardens were hidden in the back yard, usually the domain of the man of the house. Vegetable gardens were about producing and a man could still be a man and garden with vegetables.
Now that vegetables have taken a more prominent place on the table, they are gaining more respect in the gardening world. And with the increased interest from home gardeners, there has been a surge in the development of new varieties: colorful novelty vegetables, heirlooms, ethnic varieties and compact growers.
You don’t need a large area to have a vegetable garden. You do need good soil, plenty of sunshine, a water source and probably a fence. If you think the deer love your Hostas, the entire woodland community is going to enjoy your vegetable garden. If you plant it, they will come.
Siting Considerations
Sun: Vegetables need a good 6 or more hours of sun each day. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed. There are a few crops that can survive in light shade, lettuce and other greens, broccoli and cole crops, but if you can’t provide sun, you might want to reconsider having a vegetable garden.
Water: Vegetables also require regular watering. Without regular water, vegetables will not fill out and some, like tomatoes, will crack open if suddenly plumped up with water after struggling without for awhile.
You can’t always rely on rain. If you have the means, a drip irrigation system is a definite plus for a vegetable garden. The new component systems are really quite easy to install and cost a lot less than most people think. And you’ll save money on water, because it goes directly to the plant’s roots. Less is lost to evaporation.
If you don’t want to opt for drip irrigation, try and site your vegetable garden near a water spigot. You’ll be more likely to water if you don’t have to drag the hose out.
Soil: The final consideration is essential. Vegetables need a soil rich in organic matter. Soil is important to the growth of all plants, but more so with vegetables, because even taste is affected by the quality of the soil. That’s part of why wine from the same grape variety can vary from region to region and why some areas grow hotter peppers than others.
If you can provide these three basics: sun, water and great soil, you can vegetable garden.
How Much Space Does it Take
Granted, a small space vegetable garden may not be enough for subsistence farming, but it will be enough to grow great tasting tomatoes, some beautiful heirloom eggplants or an endless supply of cutting greens. If you have limited space, consider what vegetables you can purchase fresh in your area already and what vegetables you truly love and/or miss.
Compact Varieties: If you must have a beefsteak tomato or a row of sweet corn, the variety in your small space vegetable garden will be limited. But you can choose varieties that are bred to grow in small spaces. Anything with the words patio, pixie, tiny, baby or dwarf in their name is a good bet. Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits will be small or the yield will be less.
Most seeds and seedlings will tell you the mature size of the plants you are selecting. Knowing that, you can space things out and see how much you can fit into your space. More likely however, you will do what most gardeners do and squeeze in as many seedlings as you can fit into your garden and deal with the crowding later. That’s one way to get a large yield from a small space.
If you are truly short of space, interplant your vegetables with your flowers. There’s no rule that says you can’t mix the two. It can be a bit harder to harvest, but many vegetables are quite ornamental in their own right.
Growing Up: If you do opt for a variety of vegetables in your garden, I would recommend the compact varieties and also vining crops that can be trained up on supports. Pole beans take up less space than bush beans. Vining cucumbers and squash, as aggressive as they can be, actually take up less area than their bush cousins.
The Small Vegetable Plot
Vegetable gardening used to be the poor relation of home gardens. Perennial borders reigned, mixed borders were most gardeners reality and vegetable gardens were hidden in the back yard, usually the domain of the man of the house. Vegetable gardens were about producing and a man could still be a man and garden with vegetables.
Now that vegetables have taken a more prominent place on the table, they are gaining more respect in the gardening world. And with the increased interest from home gardeners, there has been a surge in the development of new varieties: colorful novelty vegetables, heirlooms, ethnic varieties and compact growers.
You don’t need a large area to have a vegetable garden. You do need good soil, plenty of sunshine, a water source and probably a fence. If you think the deer love your Hostas, the entire woodland community is going to enjoy your vegetable garden. If you plant it, they will come.
Siting Considerations
Sun: Vegetables need a good 6 or more hours of sun each day. Without sun, the fruits will not ripen and the plants will be stressed. There are a few crops that can survive in light shade, lettuce and other greens, broccoli and cole crops, but if you can’t provide sun, you might want to reconsider having a vegetable garden.
Water: Vegetables also require regular watering. Without regular water, vegetables will not fill out and some, like tomatoes, will crack open if suddenly plumped up with water after struggling without for awhile.
You can’t always rely on rain. If you have the means, a drip irrigation system is a definite plus for a vegetable garden. The new component systems are really quite easy to install and cost a lot less than most people think. And you’ll save money on water, because it goes directly to the plant’s roots. Less is lost to evaporation.
If you don’t want to opt for drip irrigation, try and site your vegetable garden near a water spigot. You’ll be more likely to water if you don’t have to drag the hose out.
Soil: The final consideration is essential. Vegetables need a soil rich in organic matter. Soil is important to the growth of all plants, but more so with vegetables, because even taste is affected by the quality of the soil. That’s part of why wine from the same grape variety can vary from region to region and why some areas grow hotter peppers than others.
If you can provide these three basics: sun, water and great soil, you can vegetable garden.
How Much Space Does it Take
Granted, a small space vegetable garden may not be enough for subsistence farming, but it will be enough to grow great tasting tomatoes, some beautiful heirloom eggplants or an endless supply of cutting greens. If you have limited space, consider what vegetables you can purchase fresh in your area already and what vegetables you truly love and/or miss.
Compact Varieties: If you must have a beefsteak tomato or a row of sweet corn, the variety in your small space vegetable garden will be limited. But you can choose varieties that are bred to grow in small spaces. Anything with the words patio, pixie, tiny, baby or dwarf in their name is a good bet. Just because a plant is bred to be small doesn’t mean the fruits will be small or the yield will be less.
Most seeds and seedlings will tell you the mature size of the plants you are selecting. Knowing that, you can space things out and see how much you can fit into your space. More likely however, you will do what most gardeners do and squeeze in as many seedlings as you can fit into your garden and deal with the crowding later. That’s one way to get a large yield from a small space.
If you are truly short of space, interplant your vegetables with your flowers. There’s no rule that says you can’t mix the two. It can be a bit harder to harvest, but many vegetables are quite ornamental in their own right.
Growing Up: If you do opt for a variety of vegetables in your garden, I would recommend the compact varieties and also vining crops that can be trained up on supports. Pole beans take up less space than bush beans. Vining cucumbers and squash, as aggressive as they can be, actually take up less area than their bush cousins.
How to start your own small garden
You've grown vegetables before. But, like many gardeners, you find you're drowning in lettuce early on, then have zucchini coming out your ears, yet spend some amount of money buying shipped-in produce, chines vegetables, and Mchicha. With some careful planning, you can use your garden energy to reduce your grocery bill and eat more fresh delicious vegetables.
Planning a garden to feed your family can seem overwhelming. How many tomato plants will feed a family of four? It's a good question, and to some degree the answer is going to depend on how much you like tomatoes. But, there are some general yield guidelines that can help you calculate how much to plant of each vegetable. And, these tips will help focus your efforts so that little to nothing goes to waste.
Plant what you enjoy eating. This seems like a no-brainer, but when you're perusing the seed catalogs and see the delicious and prolific Yara variety, it's easy to get carried away. One idea is to dedicate one area of the garden to new varieties or new vegetables, and buy just the smallest amount of seeds. This way you can experiment without being up to your ears in Brussels sprouts.
Analyze your grocery bill. If you keep grocery receipts, or just have a good memory, you can use this as a guide for how much of a given item your family eats in a week or month. Then, extrapolate to the year. For example, buy a 5-pound bag of onions every couple of weeks. 10,000Tshs a month = 120,000 Ths pounds a year. If I want to supply my family with a year's worth of onions, I'll need to plant enough to yield 120 pounds.
Think about canning and preserving. Sure, you can feed the family from the garden through the growing season, but what about in the winter? Tomatoes, for example, can be made into sauce, salsa, dehydrated -- or all three! Remember that low-acid foods will need acid added or to be pressure-canned, and always use a current, accurate canning recipe. Some easy vegetables and fruits for beginning canners: apples, berries, cucumbers (pickled), tomatoes, and green beans (as dilly beans). Also, preserving includes freezing foods. Freezing is easy and safe. You can freeze berries, tomatoes, and basically any vegetable (blanching or boiling first, usually).
Extend the season. Canning and preserving is hard work, so minimize how much of it you have to do by growing fresh food longer. Cold frames, greenhouses, and row covers are all great ways to extend the growing season. If you have the space, consider growing herbs and greens in your house in the winter.
Keep good gardening records. Tweaking just how much to plant for your particular family is going to take some time. This is such an individual process, based on how much each family eats, whether you are canning and preserving for winter, and your growing season and space. Keeping a farm and garden journal can help you adjust your plantings for the next season. You'll remember that you planted way too much lettuce, and plant less next time. Or, maybe you'll realize that the mesclun greens did so well, you decide to plant enough this year to bring to the farmer's market.
Be flexible. Remember that although having a garden planned out is essential, you can do some adjusting of your plan on the fly. Succession plantings can keep a popular vegetable going through the entire growing season. You can tear up the pea patch when the hot weather hits, and plant radishes for salad.
Planning a garden to feed your family can seem overwhelming. How many tomato plants will feed a family of four? It's a good question, and to some degree the answer is going to depend on how much you like tomatoes. But, there are some general yield guidelines that can help you calculate how much to plant of each vegetable. And, these tips will help focus your efforts so that little to nothing goes to waste.
Plant what you enjoy eating. This seems like a no-brainer, but when you're perusing the seed catalogs and see the delicious and prolific Yara variety, it's easy to get carried away. One idea is to dedicate one area of the garden to new varieties or new vegetables, and buy just the smallest amount of seeds. This way you can experiment without being up to your ears in Brussels sprouts.
Analyze your grocery bill. If you keep grocery receipts, or just have a good memory, you can use this as a guide for how much of a given item your family eats in a week or month. Then, extrapolate to the year. For example, buy a 5-pound bag of onions every couple of weeks. 10,000Tshs a month = 120,000 Ths pounds a year. If I want to supply my family with a year's worth of onions, I'll need to plant enough to yield 120 pounds.
Think about canning and preserving. Sure, you can feed the family from the garden through the growing season, but what about in the winter? Tomatoes, for example, can be made into sauce, salsa, dehydrated -- or all three! Remember that low-acid foods will need acid added or to be pressure-canned, and always use a current, accurate canning recipe. Some easy vegetables and fruits for beginning canners: apples, berries, cucumbers (pickled), tomatoes, and green beans (as dilly beans). Also, preserving includes freezing foods. Freezing is easy and safe. You can freeze berries, tomatoes, and basically any vegetable (blanching or boiling first, usually).
Extend the season. Canning and preserving is hard work, so minimize how much of it you have to do by growing fresh food longer. Cold frames, greenhouses, and row covers are all great ways to extend the growing season. If you have the space, consider growing herbs and greens in your house in the winter.
Keep good gardening records. Tweaking just how much to plant for your particular family is going to take some time. This is such an individual process, based on how much each family eats, whether you are canning and preserving for winter, and your growing season and space. Keeping a farm and garden journal can help you adjust your plantings for the next season. You'll remember that you planted way too much lettuce, and plant less next time. Or, maybe you'll realize that the mesclun greens did so well, you decide to plant enough this year to bring to the farmer's market.
Be flexible. Remember that although having a garden planned out is essential, you can do some adjusting of your plan on the fly. Succession plantings can keep a popular vegetable going through the entire growing season. You can tear up the pea patch when the hot weather hits, and plant radishes for salad.
Set Goals for Your Small Farm or Homestead
Whether you own your land or are still dreaming of the time when you can move to your small farm or homestead, you can set goals for what you hope to accomplish.
For many people, their vision and ideas are clear-cut. They may know already that they want to grow a small market garden, or that they want to have sheep, but not goats. Some may be clear that they want a smattering of many species of animals, a "barnyard in their backyard," just for enjoyment.
If you aren't sure yet what your overarching goals are for your small farm, ask yourself these questions.
Do I want to make money with my farm, or is this purely for pleasure?
This is truly the most important question to ask. A small farm that is a business is very different from one that is a hobby farm or even for self-sufficiency. All of your decisions and planning will stem from a business perspective, even if your only goal is to sell some lettuce and eggs at the farmer's market.
Is my goal self-sufficiency?
There's a distinction between a hobby farm and a homestead. A hobby farm isn't concerned with producing a quantity of food (vegetables, fruit, dairy and/or meat) for the family. The animals and garden may produce food, but it's more a byproduct of the goal, which is to have animals and a garden for enjoyment. A homestead, or a farm whose goal is ultimately to produce most to all of its own food, looks at this as the primary goal. Enjoyment of the animals and garden is still important, but the focus is shifted to self-sufficiency, and this drives decision-making.
What are my priorities as far as quality of life?This may help you decide on your overarching goal for your small farm or homestead. For example, do you value "down time"? You might think about starting very small and slowly adding animals and garden space, so that you can adjust the balance of work and play more easily. Do you enjoy farm work as down time? You might jump in more quickly, knowing that you're less likely to get overwhelmed.
How much are you willing to put off or forego other activities and things to expand your small farm? If you could afford to get a dairy cow but that meant giving up your weekly night out, would it be worth it to you? Or would you feel deprived? These are things to think about and analyze as you consider quality of life questions.
What is my overarching life philosophy?
Yep, that one's a doozy. But it's something to consider deeply as you move forward with your small farm venture. If you haven't grown up in a farming tradition, and your attitude is that you are "dabbling" in farming, you are much more likely to give up when things get tough -- as they inevitably will.
Spend some time now to think about the "big picture" things that are driving the decision to farm. Maybe the belief that we need to live more lightly on the earth, and that peak oil and the food crisis are bearing down on us, is driving your decision to homestead. Perhaps it's just reconnecting with a sense of contentment and well-being that you felt as a kid on your grandparents' farm that you're looking to recapture with a hobby farm in your retirement. Or, maybe the driving force is connecting your kids to where their food comes from.
Whatever the philosophy that is underpinning your decision to farm, write it down. It may be more than one thing - that's fine. Having your philosophy written down can help when you get lost in the details. You have something to turn to, a tangible reminder of why you're doing this.
By Lauren Ware, About.com Guide
For many people, their vision and ideas are clear-cut. They may know already that they want to grow a small market garden, or that they want to have sheep, but not goats. Some may be clear that they want a smattering of many species of animals, a "barnyard in their backyard," just for enjoyment.
If you aren't sure yet what your overarching goals are for your small farm, ask yourself these questions.
Do I want to make money with my farm, or is this purely for pleasure?
This is truly the most important question to ask. A small farm that is a business is very different from one that is a hobby farm or even for self-sufficiency. All of your decisions and planning will stem from a business perspective, even if your only goal is to sell some lettuce and eggs at the farmer's market.
Is my goal self-sufficiency?
There's a distinction between a hobby farm and a homestead. A hobby farm isn't concerned with producing a quantity of food (vegetables, fruit, dairy and/or meat) for the family. The animals and garden may produce food, but it's more a byproduct of the goal, which is to have animals and a garden for enjoyment. A homestead, or a farm whose goal is ultimately to produce most to all of its own food, looks at this as the primary goal. Enjoyment of the animals and garden is still important, but the focus is shifted to self-sufficiency, and this drives decision-making.
What are my priorities as far as quality of life?This may help you decide on your overarching goal for your small farm or homestead. For example, do you value "down time"? You might think about starting very small and slowly adding animals and garden space, so that you can adjust the balance of work and play more easily. Do you enjoy farm work as down time? You might jump in more quickly, knowing that you're less likely to get overwhelmed.
How much are you willing to put off or forego other activities and things to expand your small farm? If you could afford to get a dairy cow but that meant giving up your weekly night out, would it be worth it to you? Or would you feel deprived? These are things to think about and analyze as you consider quality of life questions.
What is my overarching life philosophy?
Yep, that one's a doozy. But it's something to consider deeply as you move forward with your small farm venture. If you haven't grown up in a farming tradition, and your attitude is that you are "dabbling" in farming, you are much more likely to give up when things get tough -- as they inevitably will.
Spend some time now to think about the "big picture" things that are driving the decision to farm. Maybe the belief that we need to live more lightly on the earth, and that peak oil and the food crisis are bearing down on us, is driving your decision to homestead. Perhaps it's just reconnecting with a sense of contentment and well-being that you felt as a kid on your grandparents' farm that you're looking to recapture with a hobby farm in your retirement. Or, maybe the driving force is connecting your kids to where their food comes from.
Whatever the philosophy that is underpinning your decision to farm, write it down. It may be more than one thing - that's fine. Having your philosophy written down can help when you get lost in the details. You have something to turn to, a tangible reminder of why you're doing this.
By Lauren Ware, About.com Guide
How to Design a Small Farm
You've been designing and planning your small farm in your head for years. Now you're ready - you have the time, energy, and land to make your dreams a reality. But the choices can seem overwhelming. So, where do you start?
Is Farming Right for Me?
That's really the first question you need to ask yourself. Some things to think about: what are your reasons behind wanting to farm? What knowledge do you have of farming - the labor, the techniques, how to garden? Will you be able to slaughter an animal, or part with one you've become attached to?
Should I Farm?
Set Goals
Before you start scouring the local paper for livestock, take a step back. What are your goals for your small farm? What kind of farm are you planning? It might be a hobby farm, where your farm is a supplement to a full-time job, something relaxing you can do for fun in the evenings and on the weekends. It could be that you want your farm to actually make money, eventually replacing your current job. Or, your goal might be to produce all the food (and possibly power) that you and your family need - homesteading or self-sufficiency.
Set Goals for Your Farm
Consider Animals and Crops
A small farm can range from a half-acre with a few laying hens and a small veggie garden, to 40 acres with cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, and acres of field crops and veggies. Some of your choices will be limited by your land and resources, but we'll get to that later.
First, let yourself dream. What animals appeal to you? What vegetables, fruits, and grains do you want to grow?
Make a list of everything you envision on your farm - even if it's years from now. This is your dream, your ideal small farm.
How to Choose Animals and Crops for Your Farm
Assess Your Land and Resources
This is a great exercise for learning about your land and what's on it. It will give you the information you need to take your vision past Step Two and plan your first year of farming.
Assess Your Land and Resources
Plan The First Year
Here is where you marry your dreams with reality. Look at your list of things you want to grow and animals you want to raise. Read a bit about each animal to get a sense of how much space and care they require. Now check your farm resources. Do you have enough pasture land for those five cows, or will you need to build that over time? Do you have the financial resources to buy fencing for goats?
If you plan to begin a farming business, you'll want to write an entire farm business plan. The dreaming and assessing you just did will help you get started with your mission statement, which is a great place to begin.
Make a One-Year Plan Write a Small Farm Business Plan
Monitor and Reassess
Farm planning is an ongoing process, a work in progress. As you implement your plan, you may find it needs adjusting. Every season, take out your list of dreams from Step Two and the pencil-and-paper sketch of your land from Step Three. Have your dreams changed? Is there more to add, or things you now know you don't want to do?
Each year, sit down with your farm plan and decide what you want to tackle during the coming spring, summer and fall. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to making your small farm dream a reality.
Is Farming Right for Me?
That's really the first question you need to ask yourself. Some things to think about: what are your reasons behind wanting to farm? What knowledge do you have of farming - the labor, the techniques, how to garden? Will you be able to slaughter an animal, or part with one you've become attached to?
Should I Farm?
Set Goals
Before you start scouring the local paper for livestock, take a step back. What are your goals for your small farm? What kind of farm are you planning? It might be a hobby farm, where your farm is a supplement to a full-time job, something relaxing you can do for fun in the evenings and on the weekends. It could be that you want your farm to actually make money, eventually replacing your current job. Or, your goal might be to produce all the food (and possibly power) that you and your family need - homesteading or self-sufficiency.
Set Goals for Your Farm
Consider Animals and Crops
A small farm can range from a half-acre with a few laying hens and a small veggie garden, to 40 acres with cattle, dairy cows, sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, and acres of field crops and veggies. Some of your choices will be limited by your land and resources, but we'll get to that later.
First, let yourself dream. What animals appeal to you? What vegetables, fruits, and grains do you want to grow?
Make a list of everything you envision on your farm - even if it's years from now. This is your dream, your ideal small farm.
How to Choose Animals and Crops for Your Farm
Assess Your Land and Resources
This is a great exercise for learning about your land and what's on it. It will give you the information you need to take your vision past Step Two and plan your first year of farming.
Assess Your Land and Resources
Plan The First Year
Here is where you marry your dreams with reality. Look at your list of things you want to grow and animals you want to raise. Read a bit about each animal to get a sense of how much space and care they require. Now check your farm resources. Do you have enough pasture land for those five cows, or will you need to build that over time? Do you have the financial resources to buy fencing for goats?
If you plan to begin a farming business, you'll want to write an entire farm business plan. The dreaming and assessing you just did will help you get started with your mission statement, which is a great place to begin.
Make a One-Year Plan Write a Small Farm Business Plan
Monitor and Reassess
Farm planning is an ongoing process, a work in progress. As you implement your plan, you may find it needs adjusting. Every season, take out your list of dreams from Step Two and the pencil-and-paper sketch of your land from Step Three. Have your dreams changed? Is there more to add, or things you now know you don't want to do?
Each year, sit down with your farm plan and decide what you want to tackle during the coming spring, summer and fall. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to making your small farm dream a reality.