The tractor is amazing; it has increased productivity both in our farms and the individual people in the village. UCSS offers the tractor to people who can buy fuel and at a cost of $10.2 per an acre to help on the servicing. The person who likes to use it in turn fuels it and pays it’s servicing. We now have $520 raised from the tractor operations. What we really need now is to buy a tractor-trailer to help us transport manure to organic fertilizer our gardens for a better yield before the rain begins. Last season we really worked so very hard on the gardens but with very poor yield especially on the beans.
We planted 200 kgs and got 100 kgs back because of drought and lack of fertility. Maize did not do well either. The soya beans did better and are helping to feed the school children. In view of this we need to invest more in irrigation and fertilizers. As for the peanuts we were able to get a reasonable harvest of which we are going to use some to plant and contribute others on the school construction.
We are praying and looking for ways to find a solution for irrigation so that we do not depend on rainwater only but can grow any time. We now have a big garden of pineapples and some passion fruits and plantains, which will be helpful to the people of Bulike and the UCSS operations. We are planning to plant coffee and cocoa.
May God bless you!
Ronald