Sustainable Farming

Fr. Phillip gave us a tour of the demonstration farm he is supervising here at Namitembo. Inside a mesh-screened greenhouse are hundreds of young trees. Mexican Apples, Mango, and Rough Lemon are fruit producers. The local variety of Mango takes seven years to produce fruit. These are being grafted with another variety that matures in only three years and has better tasting fruit. The lemon trees will be grafted with oranges and tangerines. The leaves of Moringa orifera are edible and offer support for the human immune system. All of these products will feed families and also can be sold.

Other kinds of trees will be planted between rows of maize. The tree leaves will be stripped and left in the field as a natural fertilizer. The goal of this project is to help farmers replenish their soil in a way that can continue indefinitely. Commercial fertilizers are very expensive and the chemical content destroys the natural ability of the soil to produce nutrients.

The leaves of Jothrofa cacus are used to produce an oil which can be used for bio-diesel fuel. This will become an income producing activity for the farmer here.

Outside is a large vegetable garden. Pumpkins grow between rows of maize. Both the gourd and the leaves of pumpkins are eaten here. Seedlings of red onion, tomato and cabbage are protected from heavy rain by shed -like shelters with grass roofs. The seedlings are transplanted into rows when they are big enough. We also saw okra, mustard greens, eggplant and rape, which is a green vegetable. These crops are planted in raised rows. Rainwater collects in the walkways between rows and therefore it does not wash out the plants.

Though most farmers have always grown a small amount of vegetables, this project shows them the best techniques of sowing, timing for pest control, fertilizing (both natural and chemical) and optimal spacing.

Fr. Phillip taught agriculture at the secondary level and is advised by a retired agriculture government official. Ongoing funding for this project is a gift from a St. Bridget Parish parishioner.