Moving Water

While in Zambia, I went with Hans (another EWB volunteer) to visit a medium-scale farming project called Chanyanya. The project has been set up by the NGO that Hans works with. I’m a little fuzzy on some of the details, but I believe that the NGO negotiated with local farmers to get them to sign over a large block of land. The land was then divided into a big bit, which has been designated as a commercial farm, and a small bit, which is run by the farmers themselves. A portion of the profits from the commercial farm will be paid to the farmers, until all the original capital investment (irrigation equipment, tractors, etc) has been paid off – and then all of the profit will go to the farmers. The other part of the land is being run more directly by the farmer group. They have received a loan and installed irrigation equipment (shown in the picture) and they are currently growing many (a highly accurate term) acres of wheat. On the farmer side there are two of the large irrigation systems like the one shown in the picture. It was a really interesting experience to visit the farm and to see so much greenery during the dry season. (In case you don’t know, and you’re interested, the dry season here starts around April and end around October).

I’ve started a little garden in my host family’s garden and watering is time consuming and it’s work! I’m growing some okra, pumpkins, and some lettuce like plants (rape, and Chinese cabbage). Each morning I fill my watering can two or three times and walk across the yard to do my watering. When the water pressure is low (it has happened quite a bit lately) it takes several minutes to fill my bucket. So, sometimes it takes me 10 or 15 minutes to water my little plot. It’s definitely given me an appreciation for the irrigation projects being carried out in Malawi. (Pictures of my little garden to follow – probably when it gets a little bit more impressive.)