LifeNets International

Last week on behalf of LifeNets I went ahead and purchased the irrigation pump and its fittings for Mr Namatapanya and family.  Also bought 5 litres petrol and 500ml oil as a starter pack.

We unpacked the pump and tested the pump at one of his farms, It worked well. Today I spoke with his son who told me they are now sowing seeds, a thing that would have been impossible if LifeNets had not given them this type of support. Mr Namatapanya extends his gratitude, He plans to farm throughout the year and not wait for the rainy season. I plan on visiting him again after two or three months to check how he is doing.

"Just like the previous year, the rainy season did not last long in this part of southern Malawi, just like other farmers in his village, most of his crops withered. Mr Namatapanya's farm has more than one natural source of water but  he could no longer use the treadle pump to water his crops for it required more energy than he could manage. But because he only earns a living through farming he could not just sit around. Luckily enough he grows cassava on one side of his house which is a drought resistant crop. When he harvests this crop he sells some, eats some and the rest is used as a wage for people helping him cultivate his farm. This was the same farm which failed to produce a good harvest due to shorter rain season. He also grows pigeon peas, sweet potatoes, maize and vegetables on the other side of his house, drawing water from a borehole near his house and carrying the water using 20 litre gallons in his wheelbarrow and pouring directly on the plants until each and every plant is watered. That way even when his main farm fails he still has a little harvest for his family. His children also partly depends on their father's harvest.

"Sadly one night in March this year his useful wheelbarrow was stolen, before that night, he was the only person with a wheelbarrow in his village, for this reason people from the village would come to borrow the wheelbarrow at a fee of K500 (75 cents US) per day. The mighty wheelbarrow was being used for several works like carrying, manure, bags of fertilizer, maize, bricks etc. from one place to another within the village.