Agriculture
Agriculture
With the sustainability of the school project in mind, ADH as undertaken an agricultural project. Income from the agriculture should contribute long-term to finance the school operations. Currently domestic agricultural products are grown on a total area of 10 hectares and are sold at local markets. This helps the food-poor region and creates new jobs. The agricultural project also provides opportunities to involve the local community with the school project and teaches them to take personal responsibility for the school in Mushapo. The professional cultivation can also serve in the future for practical training.
Dec
2019
Good harvest in the supported micro-farming project of Jean
On the Plateau de Bateke, east of Kinshasa, Ing. Jean was able to bring in a good cassava harvest for the agricultural microfinance project we started with him last year. From the proceeds of the harvest, Jean was able to fully pay the expenses for the seeds advanced by ADH.
Nov
2019
Agricultural project in Mabala brings first field yields
After sowing several crops, the students harvested in November a large quantity of vegetables that the school sold to various mothers who sell it further to gain some support for the school. This is a dream come true: agriculture as sustainable development from which everyone benefits. It creates jobs and support for mothers and their families as well as training for the students and income for the school. Our goal is to expand this development to achieve more independence for the school.
Jul
2019
Maize Multiplication Project
To help the poor farmers in the surrounding villages of the Kutu region, we are encouraging maize plantations. You may remember that we brought 500 kg of maize to Mabala 2 years ago. It took a long time for this project to take root, but after we offered the farmers to buy the maize from them, they were encouraged to grow more. Now they even sell the maize to traders who ship it to Kinshasa and sell it there. We hired agronomist Alain, a young, energetic farmer, to oversee this project. We also gave him money to collect the first 5 tons of maize and bring them to the Fimi River. From there it goes via the Kasai River to the Congo River until Kinshasa, where BBK members will sell it and use the income to support the school. All this is still a pioneer effort and we will have to see how it works out.
Jun
2019
Jean’s Agricultural Project
Last year we launched our first Micro Financing Project. We gave a loan to Jean so he could plant sweet potatoes and manioc in the Plateau de Bateke, east of Kinshasa. Here is his report: “The microfinance project received from A.D.H. is a blessing despite some difficulties encountered in the first year. With the results we were able to buy 5 ha of land where we will plant sweet potatoes in September, to be harvested in January 2020.”
Apr
2018
Our Agricultural Project Gets an Expert Supervisor
Jean met up with Ing. Philemon who will be in charge of our agricultural project in Mabala. Both of them studied agronomy together many years ago. They visited the Isaka area where most of the farmers planted the maize seeds we brought to Nioki last year.
May
2017
New concept for the agricultural project in Mabala
For the location of our new school project – “ADH Agro-Veterinary School of Mabala” – we chose a 40 hectare piece of land between the city Nioki and the village Mabala. This will enable pupils from both places to visit the school easier and the territory is big enough to teach agriculture on site. Since we had a lot of problems with theft in our former agricultural projects in Mushapo, Jean came up with a new idea which we already started implementing. We bought and transported (500 km by truck and boat) 500 kg of maize seeds to Mabala. These seeds are not genetically modified, but better quality than what the local population is using. We will give 5 kg to 100 families of BBK members, who are very excited about this boost in their lives and area. The plan is that they grow this maize on their own fields, which means less complicated for us and better protection of the products. At harvest time, hopefully they will each harvest 20 kg of seeds, from which they will keep 10 kg for themselves, give 5 kg to support the school and return the original 5 kg to be used for another 100 families. Corn can also be sold in Kinshasa as there is regular boat traffic between Kinshasa and Nioki, which could create some income for the school and the population. We hope, the project will offer needed education, create jobs, supply food for the people and income for different needs.
Oct
2016
Theft: a well-kown problem
Our school director Pierre reported that basically all the fruits from the land of SADR farm, which belong to us, were stolen, even before they were ripe. Also the pineapples which are growing on our school ground disappeared. It looks like hunger makes people desperate. We will keep looking into a solution to protect these fruits better in the future. Our teacher, Mr. Urban, is an agronomist who was working on the SADR farm. Since Jean left Mushapo, Mr. Urban is teaching the students agronomy. (Picture: school director Pierre in his office)
Mar
2016
Our agricultural project in Mushapo: a review
The land around the new school buildings towards the North, which was overgrown with tall elephant grass and bushes, got cleared to prepare it for a new agricultural project easier to guard in the close proximity to the school. One hectare of pineapples are planted and the first fruits have already been harvested – a big joy and encouragement for all. Besides the blessing of yielding needed food products for the hungry people there, this project is a great hands-on training ground for the older students as our secondary school emphasizes on teaching agriculture, something that can help the students to learn a profession which can feed them throughout their lives.
