As you wind your way down the path to the communal gardens in Masula village, the contrast with the surrounding area couldn't be more stark. While the neighboring fields are dry, dusty and bare, those in Masula are green, fertile and full of plants. In fact, the environment and conditions in Masula are no different to the surrounding areas. What is different, though, is that the village has been one of the first to benefit from CARE's I-LIFE program (Improving Livelihoods through Increased Food Security).
Tukula Mayaya, chairman of the community's seed multiplication group, explains how CARE's agriculture adviser for the area, Steve Jumbe, has been working with them over the past year as part of the I-LIFE program. “When CARE came here to see us, Steve told us first of all about making compost. After we learned the technique, we all made our own compost in our individual gardens,” he says.
In return for this work, CARE provided each of the villagers involved in the project with 50 kilograms of maize flour and five kilograms of beans.
"We then got together a group to set up our communal gardens and we were given Irish potato seed," Tukula continues. "Before we actually went ahead and planted the seeds, CARE ran a demonstration plot which we were taken to see. We were given advice on how best to cultivate Irish potatoes.
"Once we had been given our seed, we chose this land here for the communal garden. We used our compost to improve the soil, planted the seed and we are now caring for the fields while we wait for next month's harvest. We will also then take some seeds from the harvest to plant in our own individual gardens," Tukula says.
An impromptu drama by the village youth group depicts the activities of a year ago, when CARE introduced the idea of the communal garden and seed project to the village. The drama reveals there was some debate among the community about the project. But now the group of 35 villagers involved in running the communal garden feel proud and optimistic about their crop.
Tukula adds: "Potatoes are a different crop for us and so we needed advice on the seeds and on planting as well as learning how to make the compost."
"If you came here last year you would see a real difference. Last year we were cultivating the land but we didn't have knowledge about the best way to care for our crops. This year we have had advice from CARE about how to get more from our land as well as seeds for Irish potatoes.
"We think it’s a very good project because it has helped us to increase our production so we will have more food."
At the same time, a village savings and loan scheme has just got off the ground with 28 women members and another group for men. Elise Gamaliyelle, chairwoman of the women’s group, explains: "We started our savings and loans group on 18 August and so far we have saved more than 6,000 kwacha. In our first saving, we put in 540 kwacha altogether. Once we have saved a bit more, we will start to give out loans and will charge an interest rate of 20 percent. We've agreed that we will use the loans to start small businesses.
"At the moment we are buying and selling cassava and sweet potato along the roadsides. We are also baking cakes and doughnuts to sell. With the loans we will be able to set up small businesses and use the profit to buy food for our families. We are only doing petty trade at the moment and so the profit is quite small.
"But our vision is that the fund is going to grow. We are excited because we can see that there is the potential for our savings to grow over time. We want to thank our adviser because we have already seen the fruits of the scheme and are benefiting from it already," concludes Elise.
