Conservation Agriculture saved my life!

By Farai Ncube (CTDT) - Sekai Katiwo (43) is a widow and parent to five children including her late sisters’ daughter. Three of her youngest children are still of school going age but only one has managed to go back into school in 2007. Sekai lives in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe district, Marowe ward 8, under chief Dyora. She has managed to bring food security in her home, build her self pride and dignity through conservation farming and earned herself friends and respect within the community.

As Sekai starts to narrate her life story, she looks down, takes a deep breath and silence grips her for a moment. She looks at me with a radiating smile that shines through her big round eyes and wide lips.

As she warms up to the interview she says: “my friend the Lord has answered my prayers, seen my weeping of 4 years of being a labourer in rich mans land”. When my husband passed away in 2003 I became hopeless and sick with a chronic illness. Life was tough and I could not afford to send my children to school. I had no money to pay their fees, to feed and cloth them. I was emotionally weak and spent. My 10 year old son was ill.

I had no job or any other activity that could earn me some money. I had to survive by doing maricho (labouring) for Mr Amon Sekete and Mr Peter Chimbo who are better off people in my village (She stretches out her hand pointing at the homesteads). I would wake up early in the morning and spend the whole day with my children labouring in their fields.

After working so hard we would get a bucket of maize, a few dollars and sometimes mazitye (old clothes) as payment. In good days I would buy tomatoes and vegetables to sell for selling at Katiyo business centre. I would earn a few coins and use to for treatment at Mutawatawa hospital.

Looking after my children was quite tough and I had no friends for support and advice. My sister passed away in 2005 and left behind her 15 year old daughter (Temptation), who I now look after. I had to look after her daughter and treat her as my own.

In that same year my oldest Son Tendai (23) got a job in Marondera as a domestic worker, “basa revanhukadzi “(women’s work). My other son, Tatenda (19) became a cattle herder in Nyandire.

In 2006, during one of the village meetings (bira) at Marowe hall, it was announced that there would be a conservation farming training at Marowe School. Also during the same meeting, my name was flighted to all people who needed labour in their fields preparing for zhizha (agricultural season). I was ashamed. On the day, training was to be done fortunately I had not gone for maricho (working in other peoples fields for money or payment in kind). I decided to attend the training, which was conducted by Mr Muchabaiwa, a local Agritex (red: governmental organisation of extension officers) officer. This was my first time to hear and learn about “farming God’s way” (conservation farming), as we called it. I was so excited with the name and this motivated me to work harder digging the holes and looking for mulch for my field. The next day when I went for maricho, I asked for maize seed from Mr Sekete to plant in my field. He was generous and gave me about 3kgs, which I planted in my field. My children and I dug the holes, believe this was tiresome and I started to doubt the training. My children were not amused with this mujogo (conservation farming) idea. I persevered and encouraged them to remain optimistic. To get the maize stalks, used as mulch was very embarrassing as we had to ask from the village head. We got just a few from him and other people in the village used their maize stalks to feed their cattle. I planted my field and the measurements between lines, plant stations and hole depth was not that accurate. I would try to remember from the training but was not sure. My crop was fair as compared to other fields in the area. In that year at least I managed to harvest 7 x 50kgs bags of maize. I was very happy.

The following year, I attended a conservation farming training taught by Mr Godfrey Madondoro from CTDT. I also attended others organised by Mrs Kapfudza from Agritex. During the two trainings I wrote down the measurements to be used, how to apply and store mulch and the weeding and planting method used. That year, I said to myself, I want to do my best and harvest at least 15 bags.

In the same year I benefited 5 kgs of seed and 12.5 kgs Comp D fertilizer and 12.5 kgs top dressing from Commtech. From my 2006/7 harvest I sold 3 x 50kgs bags of maize and bought one 50 kg bag of fertilizer Comp D. I managed to dig my holes on time, but carrying the mulch into the field was a tough job. We had to carry the loads on our heads because we had no cattle and cart to use. This season 2008/09, I received 25 kgs of top dressing, 25 kgs comp D and 5 kg maize seed which I planted.

In February 2008, I attended a Green show at Fungai Gavaza’s homestead. He lives in Shangwa village in Marowe ward and been practising conservation farming since 2005. My friend, (she holds her mouth to show amusement) I could not believe the maize field and the maize crop that I saw. It was amazing. The field was clean with no weeds, only maize stalks used as mulch, paita semunda watsvairwa separuvadze kuchena (it was as if the maize field had been swept clean). The maize stalks were very tall like they would touch the sky and very green. The maize combs were huge. I was impressed and motivated to continue practising conservation farming. What encouraged me more was that Fungai and his family were once poor and low class people just like me, but that day at his place he had become so popular and looked like a better off person than everyone else who had come to learn from him! At the green show, Mr Gavaza called it “kurima nemujogo” and that’s the name we use in our community. 

For me the year 2008, has been filled with wonders and blessings. I started having friends from the conservation farming training sessions that I would attend. I was now associating with people practising conservation farming. One of my friends invited me to join a garden project supported by Cluster Agricultural Development Services (CADS). The garden has eight members and we meet every week to learn about horticulture farming. At the moment we have grow Okra, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and beans. I was also selected to be an indigenous vegetable farmer and I receive seed from Commtech. Conservation Farming has opened opportunities for me. I am no longer lonely and dependant. I now I have friends who support me and give me strength to carry on.

Surely I say with confidence and joy that conservation farming is the best farming method. From my last harvest, I managed to get 16x 50 bags of maize. I also gave some grain to those who are like me years back, 5 households. My family is now food secure and we do not sleep on empty stomachs like before. We no longer labour in other peoples fields. I am now being recognised and respected in my community. 

Through conservation farming, I sold 6 bags of maize, and managed to pay school fees for my son to continue his education. I also bought myself a “two in one" blanket (thick blanket) imported from South Africa, plates and water buckets for our use as a family.

(She suddenly remembers something as her eyes start glowing) I also got myself an identity document which I never had and got two of my children birth certificates. I trained my sister, Zviedzei Nyamapfeni on conservation farming and gave her a bit of topdressing. Kurima nemujogo has brought so much change in my life. It has changed my life significantly.

Today am proud to say that I won the best and first prize on conservation farming in my ward. I hosted people at my homestead just like Fungai. This made me proud. It was good to showcase my great farming skill. I thank CTDT and Agritex for their knowledge and seeds that they gave me. From my maize crop am expecting to harvest not less than 20 x 50 kg bags of maize (tonne). I am now able to plan my life and work knowing that my family will be food secure. I have time to work in my fields, for household chores and to socialise with my friends.

I used to be a nobody in my community with nothing to show, but today I am a dignified woman. Conservation farming has changed my life for the better.