Ngara, TZ – SODAT is mentoring and assisting schools to sustain their banana production – 30 Apr 2022

Mukirehe Primary School is fighting a banana tree disease by removing the sick trees to stop the spread of the disease to other trees, and then planting new ones.

Mukibogoye Primary School first planted some trees in a field that had a rocks layer in some parts 30 cm / 1 foot below the upper soil layer. This turned out to be bad for the banana’s growth, so the school has now trans-planted trees to a more productive soil area and is expecting to start harvesting in May.

The lack of good farm land without a rocks layer is a general problem in the area, so David of SODAT is seeking advice from the government farming officer. He is doing this because growing bananas benefits the school Grow-own-Breakfast program by being a substitute for corn, and also surplus bunches can be sold to earn money for purchasing beans for the breakfast when there is a shortage.

Mukirehe Primary School is considering asking SODAT for assistance with maintaining the banana field ledger of harvested, fed to students, and sold bunches. They are also considering asking SODAT to maintain a bank account for the income earned from selling the bananas. These ideas will be discussed at the next parents general meeting.