Farm Visit #2

So it was time for my second farm visit where I would finally get to see the areas where the irrigation would be installed. Firstly it was an unusually cold morning so we got some beautiful misty pictures of the local area. I think it added a certain majestic edge to my visit.

The first area we went to see was Wada which is in the Felieh District. We went to a farm that belonged to a man named Roland. There I got to take a soil sample not only from the surface but also from a small excavation. As I have been told the soil is drastically different in the dry season, so the topsoil loam (stuff that we buy from garden centers) that is so good is only due to the heavy rain fall, when the rain stops it’s normally returns to red clay (found in the excavations).

 At each location I was making notes, taking samples, making measurements, using a compass to find North and taking a GPS co-ordinates. Needless to say I had a lot of crap to handle. So I enlisted the help of the farmers to carry things. I say I enlisted they offered to help then decided to carry my bag for the whole day (something Chris thinks is unfair sexist treatment, but I think he’s just jealous that he doesn’t get the same treatment)

The farmers were a little bit confused about the reason I was taking soil samples, so I had to explain some soil mechanics to them. The three different particles of sand, silt and clays and how by finding out the percentages of these we can make assumptions about their properties like the flow of water, like one that comes from a new irrigation system.

Where in the UK we have diggers that can excavate great depths we had the BAWA technician, Anthony, and a spade. We got really lucky that on the ride from Wada to Nta-Ambang I spotted a clear cross section of the soil. People here prefer to see or touch things so this was a great opportunity for them to see the different layers of the soil.

 At Nta-Ambang we met some other farmers where I was again asked to explain why I was digging up the ground and taking a sample in a ziplock back that had previously held my socks during packing.

Then we all sat down for a drink and some of the farmers voiced their concerns about how the project would be handled. One of the farmers brought up a really interesting point which I think is especially relevent at the moment. Bambui is going through a rapid development stage with the introduction of a new university and many or the areas that are farmland could become houses, they are worried about the security of this system when the water will be needed for houses. This is why it’s important for us to calculate a Water Balance to see what the situation is with supply and predicted use. 

As per usual I was forced to make an impromptu speech about my project.

Our final visit was to Gheto where we got to see some more farms. However these were special as they don’t take their crops to market as the students from the university come straight to the farms to buy the produce, as they are right next door. As many farmers struggle to get their crops to the markets and experience heavy losses from damage or taxi costs, this was something great to see.