Soo Jiwul, Doo Góob.

I haven't really written about ag. work yet, but it is happening. The past 3 months I've spent filling out a baseline survey to best identify the needs of my village. I've asked a range of people (women and men, young and old) 12 pages worth of questions. It's seriously pushed my language skills to the limit, and I'm still not sure if my ideas are plausible and sustainable. Here's a page as an example:

Agroforestry Activities
What kinds of trees are found in your village?
Papaya, jujube, neem, baobab, mango

Have the villagers ever done a nursery? (Y/N) __No.______________________

           

If yes, in what year(s)                                                                                                            

Have they ever practiced any agroforestry techniques? (Y/N) _Yes.____________

If yes, what specific types of agroforestry techniques?

            a.         Live fencing               d.         Gardening w/trees

            b.         Windbreaks               e.         Trees randomly in the fields

            c.         Alley cropping                       f.          Other

Have they ever planted trees for other purposes? (Y/N) __Yes.________________

            
If yes, for what purposes?

      a.   Shade in the village               d.         Ornamental

      b.         Along roads                       e.         Other

      c.   Human consumption (using parts of the tree as diet supplement, not including fruit trees such as mango, etc.)

What techniques have they used to protect trees in and around the village?

a.         Individual fencing                 e.         Fencing large areas

b.         Restricting livestock  f.          f.         None

c.          Surveillance                           g.        Other

d.         Allowing trees to naturally regenerate

            
What techniques of fire prevention have they used in and around the village?

            a.         Live breaks                              d.         None

            b.         Fire breaks                               e.         Other

            c.         Controlled burning

Agricultural Activities

What type of soil(s) exist in your area?  in approximately what percentage?  Which crops   are grown there?

a. sandy soils___5______%___________crop(s)________________________

b. sandy loam____45_____%___________crop(s)__Corn, millet______________________

c. loam clay_____45______%___________crop(s)Corn, millet, peanuts, sorghum______

d.  other (clay)________5______%___________crop(s)________________________

What are the most frequently cultivated crops in this area?

a.         Peanuts                                                           e.         Sorghum

b.         Millet                                                              f.    Corn

c.         Black eyed peas                                              g.         Rice

d.         Cassava                                                           h.         Other

Is gardening done during the dry season? (Y/N) __Yes.________________________

Is gardening done during the rainy season? (Y/N) __Yes._______________________

How serious does the level of soil degradation appear to be?

a.         Very serious                c.         Not serious

b.         Mild                                        d.         Other                                       ­

What is the community basically comprised of?

            a.         Cultivators                              c.         Combination – emphasis on cultivation

            b.         Herders                                   d.         Combination – emphasis on herders

Are there any organized animal husbandry projects in the village? (Y/N) _No.__________

What tools are available in your village?
There are some communal machines for processing grains and peanuts. Extension information is not available.

This is just an example from the agriculture section. There are also questions covering kinship, education, economy, politics, associations, religion, recreation, health.. the whole shebang.

In addition, I've also been working on starting up a garden in my family's' compound. I'm hoping it'll provide veggies for me and them as well as serve as a demonstration site so farmers can visit and see what correct spacing, mulching, pruning, etc. looks like. I've already used it as an example. Setu, an older woman in the village, wanted my help setting up garden beds. I was surprised that she gave me the chance to show double digging and adding amendments (charcoal, manure and wood ash). We finished the beds by making berms to keep the water in. Spacing didn't go as well. I caught her planting extra seeds while my back was turned. It's okay. You can't win all your battles and she's been doing this much longer than me. Maybe I can thin them out later.

Two other volunteers and I work at a master farm in Katakel, about 7k away for me. The master farmer program is part of Peace Corps' Food Security Initiative. Enthusiastic and innovative farmers all over the country are paired with Peace Corps volunteers to develop a hectare of land. In exchange for funding, training, and advice, farmers have to hold two open field days every year to extend best practices to other farmers in the region. Our master farmer, Fatou, is the only female master farmer in Senegal! Last year all the farmers were given materials for a drip irrigation system. However, a monkey chewed through several spots in the drip tape. We spent a long day repairing the line and setting it up so she could plant veggies next to it and so it'd hit several fruit trees. Last time I was there she wanted to move it. None of us understand why, but we sure as hell aren't doing it.

"Leave the drip irrigation here."

Talking about field crops

Right now our ag. stage is at the training center in Thies completing our In-Service Training (IST). IST is two straight weeks of classes on field crops, agroforestry techniques, gardening, and meeting with advisers to discuss first year action plans for our sites. After this my service begins in earnest. I have an interview Monday. After that I should have a better idea of what to work on and how to go about it. Inshallah.

Soo jiwul, doo góob. If you do not sow you will not reap.

Other work:

Earthworks tourney in Soto

Seed collection. The helmet makes it safer.

A Cat's Life

A couple weeks ago I was in the market in Kaffrine and I saw the most pathetic little kitten in the street. Because I ADORE cats, of course I had to scoop him up. That turned into me carrying him back to the office, wrapping him in a blanket, and popping him on the back of my bike for the hour-long ride home.

Once there, I cleaned him up and went around to neighboring compounds to see if anyone had I goat I could milk (goat milk > cow milk). He's still alive and biting 3 weeks later on a diet of milk, rice, and dried fish. If I can't keep plants alive, at least I can do cats! Maybe I should start extending them as garden helpers. They could eat bugs and keep birds away. Maybe even increase soil fertility with their poop.

So, the following pictures chronicle my kitten's short, yet so far full, life.

Baby's first night home

Helping water my pepeniere

"Are you sure you transplanted the tomatoes right?"

Guard cat on duty!

I'm sure I flushed..

Climbin'

Favorite nap spot. No work happening here!

Cutie

Maybe cat extension isn't a good idea.

Also, for your viewing enjoyment, pictures of my hair in braids. Afterward, my family told me; "Sohkna, today you finally look like a woman." I thought I looked like a drowned rat but hey, no one can accuse me of not integrating enough!