Moshi, TZ – JM family garden – 15 Feb 2013

The Tupendane team helped the JM family start their raised bed garden week ending 15 Feb when they had less than the target amount of 50 Kg of compost to mix into each bed due to lack of supply.  Tupendane are now making plans to increase compost production.

Adding rice hull charcoal

They have built and maintained a very neat and well ordered garden with large pathways between high raised beds.  They also have started very productive seedling beds.

They have planted sweet potato, casava, okra, loshuu and mung beans, and are excited about expanding the vegetable garden to earn money.  They will need a small loan until the crop is harvested to pay for the fuel for pumping water for watering the garden.

The commercial garden will help them start some savings in case of crop problems in the future.  If they expand they will need to plant more insect repellent plant seedlings, rather than just seeds, in order to quickly control the pests in the area of the garden, and increase yields for the mung bean ( choroko in Swahili ) by planting them closer together.