SOYA NI PESA PROJECT HELP FARMERS IN RUVUMA TO ADOPT IMPROVED TECHNICS

Group Leaders Scouting their farm

Story by: Mundo Edwin Chogohe

Morogoro village is in Peramiho (Songea Rural) and famous known for adopting improved varieties and technics. The majority of farmers are well engaged in Semeki variety. Farmers testified that semeki variety despite of having higher production cost produces much than local variety per unit area when adhering with improved technics and technologies. In Ruvuma region, the common variety to most of farmers is local variety which is popular known as Songea Variety. “Umoja” is the name of one group in Morogoro village with 17 members of which 9 are males and 8 are females doing both SILC and Production of soybean. Members in the group are benefiting from agricultural improved technics and technologies taught to members of the group. 10 members of the group managed to have their individual farms out of the group farm of which both planted Semeki Variety (Improved Seed) in 2016-17 production year.

Project technical staffs visited group farm

2015-16 and 2016-17 Production Season

In 2015/2016 production year, Umoja group cultivated a farm with 4795 M² planted Semeki Variety, single row from each raised bed (Single row sometimes reduces plant population). Total of 560 Kgs harvested from that particular farm size during that particular season. 15 Kgs out of 560 Kgs distributed to 18 group members of the group for free to reserve for seed in 2016-17 season and asked to purchase more seed depending on their need to the next season. 50 Kgs were kept as seeds specific for group farm. 240 Kgs remained, sold to collective market and some of the money used in buying inoculant and hiring land for 2016-17 this season.

During 2016-17 production year, 5 members leave the group and moved to start new life elsewhere and the other 4 new members joined the group of whom 3 were teachers from Morogoro Primary School. Again managed to have group farm of the same size but planted 2 rows per raised bed to increase plant population recommended as per improved technics, 250 grams of Inoculant also used but without the use of fertilizer (More application of improved technics compared to last season). Members are benefiting from group farm as the best learning center on application of improved technics before applying to their individual farms. Mr Hussein Kilindila testified on the benefit of being in the farm group “Personally being in Umoja group is privilege, am learning a lot to apply in my own farm. 2015/2016 I was never understood on the important use of inoculant but through this group farm this season I have adopted improved technics and applied to my farm”. Group to have group farm is advantageous not only during collective marking which is mostly enhanced by the product in attainment of its objective but also to farmers in adopting easily improved technics which meant to increase productivity as per unit area. Project emphasis more for every farm to have group farm to be used as demo plot in adaptation towards improved technics.

Group members during harvesting

Harvesting

Umoja group managed to harvest 868 Kgs from 4795 M² farm size this season. There is an increase of 308 Kgs compared from harvest of the last season. The lesson I have learnt from Umoja group farm is on contribution of improved technics applications. They have been used the same field size two consecutive year and increase yielding. Recommended spacing is meant to increase plant population in the field which increase yielding. Now it’s a lesson to group leaders to enhance the use of fertilizer next season.

Conclusion

Adoption of improved technics is more practical when done through group farms. Again, application of improved technics is meant to increase productivity per unity area when are in place.