New Life Project
The New Life Project is a project for the agricultural development at the Karagwe Diocese. Funded by the Church of Sweden, the project started in 2007 and takes today place in the districts of
Bweranyange,
Ihembe,
Kituntu,
Kyerwa,
Mabira,
Murongo and
Ngara mission.
The prime mission is to empower poor people with the help of agriculture. 25 farmers of each district have been selected to be supported by the project: Learning practical farming knowledge is a great chance for them to help themselves. The farming methods have been improved and due to this, the standards of living have become better for those farmers. A cow can spend an improved diet because of the meat and the milk, ensures an income of sold milk and offers a manure to increase the soil fertility and farm yield. Therefore the selected farmers are encouraged to pass on the acquired farming education to other families within the same parish or district.
Activities
Agricultural seminars
The seminars are based on very practical knowledge. The farmers are sensitized about the construction and cleaning of animal sheds, how to prepare hey and pasture preparation and how to use manure for banana and vegetable growing. The seminars are specialized for the different farmers. For example, cattle farmers get other advices than goat farmers because the animals have different needs.
Distributing animals
An important part of the project is the starting perspective for the farmers. And for their agricultural start they need animals. Within the last years, many cattles, bulls and goats have been bought and distributed to the farmers.
Exchange of experiences
Someone who starts a new business makes many experiences. Some of them might be bad, but some of them might be good. After all, it is good to exchange these experiences with other starters or to advice newcomers. That is the reason why the project started to organize exchanging visits: The farmers from Bweranyange, Ihembe, Kituntu, Kyerwa, Mabira, Murongo and Ngara mission meet each other and learn from fellow farmers. Also the project workers visit the farmers and advice them in the field.
Plans for 2011
- Purchase of cows and goats and divide them to farmers
- Purchase of legume and other seeds
- Offer seminars and internal exchanges for the farmers
- Routine field visits to support the farmers
The project belongs to the
Department of Planning & Development.
Contact
Further information through Sam Kayongo by Email:
planning@kad.or.tz.
Text: Sam Kayongo
