Kilimanjaro, TZ – Lishe Bora garden shop – 1 Aug 2013

Mkyashi is a village on the slopes of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.  Lishe Bora is garden shop that is  collaborating with local leaders to promote food and economic development in Mkyashi that is financially, environmentally, and culturally sustainable.  The Lishe Bora garden shop was established in April 2013 to increase nutrition, food security, and income for local families.  The garden team at Tupendane garden shop provided the training and necessary tools to help Lishe Bora get started with the model garden, compost, seedling, and rice hull charcoal manufacturing.  In July 2013, the Lishe Bora shop has helped 3 families start organic vegetable gardens of their own!

The gardens have faced some distinct challenges in regards to insect attacks.  Red ants were attacking the kale and Chinese cabbage, and now they have started to attack the seedling nursery.  They are not a problem once a plant matures, but young plants are susceptible.  They have tried a number of natural ways to get rid of them and are continuing to find the best practice for this type of insect attack.  Recently, cutworms have started to be an issue.  The cutworms will eat the base of a plant stem essentially chopping it down and killing it.  The Lishe Bora garden team is trying out a natural chili garlic spray to deter these pests.

Effective microorganisms or EM-1 is a mixture of micro-organisms that exist freely in nature and are an important part of the garden program because they help the compost decompose faster and increases its quality.  Compost making is only one application of EM, so Mary of Lishe Bora went to Dar es Salaam to discuss other uses of EM-1 with the Tanzania distributor.  She found out that EM can be used not only in compost making but for many things including; improving soil structure, improving livestock health, septic tank cleaning, and even as a pro biotic for human consumption.  Mary is looking to expand the Lishe Bora garden shop’s line of products with some of these other uses of EM-1.