Potato Production and Market Networking Seminar
On the 18th of January 2020, Neloshan organized a training seminar for the single mothers in conjunction with the local Cereal Growers Association and a soil analyst. During the seminar, they were taught how to;
maximize their farming profits while minimizing their cost of production
produce high quality potato yields by understanding the importance of soil testing/analysis
understand what conditions affect the varieties of certified potato seeds
access new markets.
To begin, a brief analysis of how the crop was doing in the area was conducted. The conclusion was that their output was substantially low in comparison to the yield in other areas. The women got a chance to highlight the common challenges they faced as farmers in the area which include;
Unreliable weather patterns
Lack of capital
High input costs
Crop pests and disease
Lack of soil testing
Lack of access to markets and poor existing markets
Lack of access to education, role models and personnel to guide through potato production
Sourcing of potato seedlings as they got their potato seeds by selecting the smaller version of what they harvested and this what they had done for more than ten years. Part of the advise they received was
Through a discussion led by the Agricultural officer, the farmers began to understand that the challenges in their production were as a result of their soil quality and their potato seeds. The poor quality of these created additional challenges when it came time to market their crops as the yield was of poor quality.
Outcomes and Key Takeaways' from the Seminar
The women were advised that in order to improve their livelihoods, they would need to accept change so as to compete favorably with farmers from other area- as their region was ranked last in quality in comparison to neighboring counties . The first point of change for them would be to change how they arrived at their potato seeds by adopting new varieties and available certified seeds. As part of this, they were given a number of different varieties to try and see which they preferred. They were also advised to avoid short-cut’s and to rather practice proper farm management to improve productivity
The second area of change they were encouraged to embrace was to consider commercializing their farming activities which would make it a more sustainable form of income and employment. They were presented with ideas on various potential partnership opportunities that could be available to them. THese include agro-based institutions which would enable them to negotiate more favorable prices and subsidies as well as financial institutions where they would be able to source funds to support their farming activities.
The soil expert provided insight on the importance of soil testing. She confirmed that soil acidity was a challenge that most farmers were unaware of, but its effects could not be ignored. Some of the effects include nutrient imbalances and increase in soil disease due to the increase in bad bacteria. To combat this, she demonstrated how farmers would collect soil samples for analysis. This knowledge would help them reduce their farming costs and increase their yields by applying the right of lime to help control acidity.
At the end of the seminar, the women remarked that it had been incredibly useful and informative as they now had the knowledge they needed to combat their farming problems