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Autumn 2004 Teaching Organic Farming Methods in Africa

Joseph Masoud is the head of a small African family of 7 people. Together they forge an existence on just three acres of land in Nambala Village, in the Arumeru district of Arusha, Tanzania. When they approached Bóthar for assistance, the land that they were farming was producing small returns and their crops were susceptible to pest infestation.

According to Joseph's elderly mother, the family was unaware of how to effectively utilise farming techniques, such as 'double digging' (a method of enriching soils that requires intensive compost use) and of planting complementary plants to repel insects. Instead they were spending what little money they could earn on purchasing industrial pesticides and fertilisers that proved to be no benefit for the soil. The family was beginning to suffer with many health problems due to the use of these chemicals.

After turning to Bóthar for assistance in 1996, the family received training and a dairy goat from Ireland. Joseph's family now utilises more bio-intensive and organic methods of agriculture and pest management that produces higher yields than before. The goat they received provides valuable products, such as milk for family consumption and manure that is integral to bio-intensive agricultural practices. As a result of the increased income generated through the new agricultural practices, Joseph is able to pay school fees for all of his children. In addition he and his mother have attended more training sessions on bio-intensive agriculture (BIA) and are now 'farmer motivators'. Together Mr Masoud and his mother train other farmers in the village in the use of bio-intensive agricultural techniques and in effective livestock management which will improve their lot. They provide other farmers with hands on training and demonstrations and to date have trained over 500 other farmers. In fact Joseph was recently elected the chairman of the local soil conservation and farmer motivator group.

The family now has more time to engage in other activities, such as buying better equipment for their carpentry business and training other farmers. According to Joseph, the greatest benefit of the training and livestock is that his children are now able to do whatever they want, as they now have the opportunity to attend school.

The Bó Vine Autumn 2004