"I have used the technology in first season and harvested 7 bag from 4 and less running cost. Now I am waiting to harvest the second season which I am sure to get more than 10 bags per acre. I have increased my farming acreage from two acres to six acres, this is easier and cheap with good harvest" Says Silla Ngogo

Silla Ngogo is among of the farmers at Mapogoro village, Mbeya rural District, Mbeya Region, who is seeing a big difference in his agricultural productivity after received training through FFS approach under ABACO project to adapt Conservation agriculture as new ways of farming.''I used to cultivate in traditional way in previous years and harvest was very little because of drought and poor farming techniques, in our area maize is staple crop which is highly needed to feed the family but we harvest little because of poor farming methods .But now I have learnt that conservation agriculture help even when I get little rains will get something to sustain my family.’’

He continues. ‘’I have used the technology in first season and harvested 7 bag from 4 and less running cost. Now I am waiting to harvest the second season which I am sure to get more than 10 bags per acre. I have increased my farming acreage from two acres to six acres, this is easier and cheap with good harvest Says Silla Ngogo

Silla Ngogo is among 23 FFS group members in Mapogoro villages in Mbeya rural District has been facilitated by the project with support from ACT to form productive groups for better and easy information delivery and accessing technical assistance from the agricultural extension practitioners. They have also been provided with technical agricultural advices on how to access improve certified seeds.

''Conservation agriculture helps us to earn a good income because we use less time and less cost for production and we get high yield. Through selling surplus we will be able to get extra money to attend other household chaos, now am 75 old but I can manage 2 acres of maize through this technology, I asked John Mlela (Our leader) to apply herbicide in my shamba before planting ‘she Commented.75 Years old Shari Mwala in Mapogoro village, she has been in farming over 50 years, the fertility of the soil decreases with effect of turning the soil and burning the residues over the years.

Shari decided to join Mafanikio (Success) FFS group to learn on how she can improve her tarnished land and get more crops to feed her 2 grand children and buying uniforms and paying school fees. At first she feels very tired and old to farm 2 acres thus she used to farm only half an acre, which she used to get 1 to 2 bags that wasn’t enough for her family of three. Now she gets 8 to 9 bags per acre with less intensive work and costs.

With ACT intervention through ABACO project supported by EC, many farmers in project villages have shifted the CA technology from the demonstration farms/plot to their own field at home this stimulates good number of farmers to adopt conservation agriculture as sustainable and modern agricultural farming method.

For more information: contact Deogratius Ngotio - ACT Tanzania - info@act-africa.org