Foundations for Farming Training Report in Kabare Centre, DRC (DRC08)

We thank the Almighty Lord God for granting us this opportunity to put together this report. In January 2023, ACLUP sent for Foundations for Farming training in Zimbabwe, Mr Paulin and Mr Jean Pierre so as to get skills in farming. ACLUP in its program had already undertaken agricultural projects but in an inefficient way following the financial support which was causing problems. With Bright Hope World, it managed to send two of its leaders to Zimbabwe where they were trained in conservation agriculture. This kind of agriculture is not practiced in the DRC; and yet is very beneficial for communities like the ones we support.

After training in Zimbabwe, farming training was scheduled for groups of 25 people in each community. Thus, the Foundation for Farming training was born for its very first time in Kabare from 13 to 15/03/2023. This training was a blessing for the beneficiaries and for ACLUP. ACLUP aims to train several of its beneficiaries beyond 1,400 farmers. Following the available financial means, ACLUP first thinks of starting with the trainers in 4 villages in particular: Kabare Centre, Kabare South, Kalonge and Chikera in the municipality of Kasha. At least 25 people will be trained in each village so that they can train others, by popularizing conservation agriculture throughout South Kivu in the first instance.

Recent Events

Activities

The training started on the 13th March and ended on the 15th at Kabare Centre. ACLUP had planned to start the training in Kabare South but given the security situation it was difficult to organize the latter in the planned environment. It all started with a prayer and a devotion from the word of God beginning with the implementation of the Management System, accompanied by the holy scriptures: "Proverbs 3:6; Ecclesiastes 3:1-14; Ezekiel 40-42, Matthew 5:38-42. As the training is very extensive, requiring more than a week, it has been summarized and divided into theory on the one hand and practice on the other.

Instead of material in French, we have materials in Kiswahili which was printed out (30 copies) and distributed to the 25 members of the trained group.

People were very happy to receive this training. Each of them aimed and promised to become the interlocutor of ACLUP in the community. 

Training

The points dealt with were:
- Land use;
- Preparation of the well-watered garden;
- Mulching;
- Compost;
- The principles of On Time, Joy, No waste, and Doing everything with excellence.

Usage of Land
Since our childhood the ground is a place where our parents seek what they can to nourish our families. In the DRC, people practice arable farming. That is to say that the soil is cleared for each growing season. Cleared grasses are collected and burned to have ashes. This is why during our training we explained to the beneficiaries the consequences of clearing and plugging ground. "It is very important that we stay faithful with what we receive. Soil and rain are two of the basic things that are given to every nation. We must learn the best way to be faithful with them. To know how to protect and to conserve our soil and water, it is essential to understand the structure and function of healthy soil." Living examples were given in the field and everyone could understand how we should view the soil and the field.

Preparation of the well-watered garden 
The term "well-watered garden" comes from Isaiah 58:11. Foundations for farming is a plan to help people in need based on Isaiah 58. The Bible describes the wonderful blessings that come when we turn to God with selflessness and humility and care for those in need. One of the promises is that we will be like "a well-watered garden". The demonstration plot we will establish is a showcase for the community of how poverty can be eradicated through effective land use. We need to ask God that this garden be used as an instrument to serve the people of the region. From this session, the demonstration will be done when we will plant the Maize in the next season.

Mulching
This was an opportunity for us to show the beneficiaries the importance of completely covering the ground. We had explained the principles of conservation agriculture. These principles are based on maintaining and improving soil structure.

a) Minimum Ground Movement - without ploughing, zero tillage to minimum
b) Maintain maximum ground cover - do not burn (avoid all fires), use an organic cover (harvest residues), apply compost or manure
c) Practice rotations (use legumes) - improve soil structure and nutrient status, break the cycles of pests and diseases;
d) Excellent Management - On time, with joy, without waste, with excellence

On the ground, we had experienced in the field which is well covered with the blanket of God and could see the difference between covered and uncovered ground.

From this field, we pointed out to our beneficiaries the need to cover the field and the danger of clearing it by digging the ground. The ground does not need to be dug up and spoil it. Rather, it needs to be covered to help it recover its health as God alone intended.

The Compost
We explained that the Lord challenged us to explore alternative options to reduce dependence on commercial inflows. The Lord therefore led us to the story of Jesus feeding 5000 people (Matthew 14:13-21), where he urges us to see what we have in our hands. Thermal compost is described, over time, to be just as productive and even better than organic fertilizer. During our field practice, we had made a compost and the whole team got into it.

In the composition of the compost, we know that we must have at least 45% green materials and 40% dry materials followed by 10% manure and 5% ligneous.

Conclusion

The training allowed us to educate our beneficiaries on conservation agriculture. From now on, the 25 trained beneficiaries (men and women) have had the joy of learning and have promised to be ambassadors of conservation agriculture in their various communities of origin. However, Kabare Centre requires an increasing number of trainers. ACLUP, for its part, wholeheartedly thanks Bright Hope World, which continues to support us. The next training is scheduled from Thursday 30/03 to Saturday 01/04/2023 in Kalonge. 

Done at Bukavu, March 22nd, 2023

For ACLUP DRC
Paulin MURHIMANYA BASHOMBANA