Tree Nurseries

Since first visiting the Rukwa, it was noticed that the people had very few fruit trees. Paddy rice farming is the main source of income. A heavy rainy season is necessary to make a good living. The mud flats in the valley need to be flooded until the end of March or beginning of April. The harvest takes place the end of May. This one source of income usually amounts to about $120-$200 per family per year.

The Rukwa people had only mango trees. When asked why they have no palm nut or coconut trees, they responded that they never saw them nor do they have any experience with them. No avocado or citrus trees, and very few varieties of banana. Introduction of these things can impact communities of people in two major ways:

1) Nutritionally: Because of their poor diets the local people are more sickly than people from other areas of Tanzania. All of the trees introduced will increase the amount of vitamins in their diet, thus impacting their health.
2) Economically: The people will have a cash crop other than once-a-year rice. When the rains are poor, some people had little or no rice to sell and had to rely on the corn or cassava they could grow. Trees need to be planted only once for a multiple future harvest.

Tree nurseries supply the local people with new varieties of fruit tree seedlings to plant to impact their diet and economy. In addition, Nile tilapia fish have been brought from Mbeya by plane to supply the many fish ponds which have been started with the desire to benefit the people.

Improved Livestock

Almost every homestead in the Rukwa has some type of livestock. These varieties of livestock are of very poor quality and many times sickly due to disease or worm infestation. New varieties of improved high-quality pigs and chickens are being introduced which can be incorporated in breeding programs with local varieties. At the same time, seminars are taught about how to build better pens as well as animal husbandry and disease prevention.

Two of these seminars were recently taught in Ilemba and Kiliyamatundu villages with 500 Rhode Island Red layer hen chicks from Malawi. They were transported by bus and Ted's Land Cruiser to Kapenta as day-old chicks. They were kept a month during which time they were vaccinated at Kapenta for Newcastles Disease and Gombolo. This is done to ensure the local people succeed; all future vaccinations can easily be done by them with medications that are available in Tanzania. During the seminar the local farmers are taught about care of improved varieties of poultry. 

When the seminar ends, the attendees can purchase the chicks at a reasonable price. A five-month-old hen begins to lay eggs and is capable of laying 300 eggs a year, as opposed to the 70 eggs local hens produce, thus impacting diet and economy of a small farmer. This project is being well received and both the Regional Commissioner and District Commissioner have chicks from our seminar which they are raising.