Backgrounder
A Good Way to Grow Trees
Suwaiba Suleiman Isah
Current Affairs Officer
Katsina State Radio and Television Service
Nigeria
The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists started a successful campaign to plant trees in parts of the country where the desert is creeping in. The people start planting at the beginning of the rainy season, so the trees are well established before the end of rainfall. For each tree seedling they dig a hole 30 centimetres deep and 15 centimetres wide. They carefully remove the seedling’s wrappings without disturbing the ball of soil around its roots. Then they lower the roots and soil into the hole, keeping the seedling’s stem, branches, and leaves above the ground. They fill the hole first with topsoil, then with subsoil, carefully packed. When the plant stands firm, they water it well. To protect the seedlings from being eaten by animals they use fences or thorn bushes to keep the animals away.
They fertilize the seedlings with manure — this should be done a few weeks after planting — and keep them watered. The Nigerian Association for Women Journalists points out that the trees help to keep the desert from expanding, and also provide firewood, poles, fodder for animals, and food and medicine for people.
Make Fire in a Bucket
Opiro Kenneth Lakuma
District Forest Extension Officer
Ministry of Water, Energy, Minerals, and Environment Protection
Mpigi, Uganda
The traditional three-stone fire wastes valuable firewood. You’ll save a lot of firewood if you build your fires in an old bucket.
Knock the bottom out of the bucket and punch holes all over it using a six-inch nail. At the wider end of the bucket, which will be the end that sits on the ground, bang the edge so that it curves inward. Now cut two arch-shaped openings at opposite sides of the wider end. Make the openings large enough to fit firewood through.
Now you’ll need to coat the inside of the bucket with a mixture that will hold the heat. The mixture is a combination of clay, millet chaff, or a similar kind of waste, and manure and water. Let this stand for a week, then use it to coat the inside of the bucket to a thickness of four centimetres. Let this dry for another week and it will be ready to use.
You’ll have to recoat the bucket with the clay mixture at least every six months. The bucket method uses only half as much firewood as the traditional three-stone fire because it holds more heat in. The bucket stays hot enough to boil water even after the firewood is removed.
How to Plant in Straight Rows
Grace Andah
Agricultural Extension Services
Ghana
It’s possible to plant your crops in straight rows, even without the aid of a tractor or planting machine. In Ghana, farmers do this by using three or more tall poles called sighting poles. The idea is to put the poles in a straight line and walk from one to the other, planting as you go. The advantages of row planting are that you can grow more food and have fewer weeds and an easier harvest.
Here’s how it is done. Choose straight poles at least two metres long. The more poles the straighter your lines will be. Mark the width you want to have between your rows on the poles, making sure the markings are the same on each pole. Now start at one end of your field and put the poles in the ground, lining them up to mark the first row. If you have just three poles, put one at either end and one in the centre of the row.
Now stand at the first pole and make your first planting. Then pick up the pole and, using the width measurement you marked on it, set it in the earth where the next row will be. Now position yourself again at your first planting, facing the rest of the poles. Plant the whole row as you walk toward the poles, resetting each pole for the next row when you get to it. This way, when you finish your first row, the poles will be in place for your second row, and so on. You’ll have a field planted in straight rows in no time.
Sawdust Enriches Soil
Aung Hein
Lecturer
State Agricultural Institute
Yangon, Myanmar
Farmers can increase the amount of organic matter in soil by adding manure, compost, or by incorporating green manure crops into the soil. Sawdust is another choice for farmers with a small amount of land. However it is important to treat the sawdust before using it to prevent crops from turning yellow or becoming unhealthy. Here is a simple way to treat sawdust.
First, pile up the sawdust you plan to use. Then make a thin solution of animal manure and water. You can use either fresh or decomposed animal manure. Sprinkle the manure solution on the sawdust pile and stir it thoroughly. Leave it for a few weeks until the sawdust is well decomposed. When the sawdust is well decomposed you can use it the same way you use animal manure. For example, it makes a good mulch. You can also mix the sawdust right into the soil. This improves plant growth and crop yield.