Update on my Work with ITFC

During my stay in Bagarugu, I was able to spend a lot of my time on the mango farms since the field assistants were there working every day. I helped some farmers intercrop with groundnuts (which fixes nitrogen in the soil), learned how to prune, and counted the number of dead trees on the new farm. Unfortunately, the rains were frequent enough that the farmers did not have to water their trees so I could not observe how effectively they water the trees. I did ask the field assistants many questions about irrigation. Once again, many of the trees did not receive water in between the rains. When I asked why this was, I was first told that the pump ran out of diesel. I dug a little bit further by asking more questions, and was told that “they don’t think that watering the trees during the wet season makes a big difference.”

Again, I am perplexed. It seems to me that the major problem is a lack of commitment from the farmers and staff. I am constantly thinking about my work-stream and how I can have the most impact on the mango farmers, but it has been extremely challenging.

Here is a re-cap on what I have been doing with my time here at the office:

I have been making step by step user manuals with many photos and diagrams for the different aspects of the irrigation system. The irrigation system varies depending on the farm. Some farms have a drip irrigation system installed, some have pumps that transfer water into large plastic tanks that are in the mango fields, and some farms receive water by trucks. In the long run, the drip irrigation system is superior both financially and in terms of labor and resources. So ITFC is in the process of expanding the drip system to as many farms as possible. I have been working on a user manual for the operation and maintenance of the generators and pumps that transport water to the mango fields, and manuals for the in-field irrigation (drip and filling of tanks). Before I leave, I will facilitate an irrigation training session with all of the zonal managers and Field Assistants (4 separate trainings – one for each zone). I am also trying to come up with a monitoring and evaluation system and would like to prepare a report on the potential threats to the system. I am hoping that my work will assist ITFC in the expansion of their irrigation program and that it will run smoothly. Hopefully less time is spent on the logistics of getting water to the trees and more time is spent on improving the project for the farmers.

Compared to the pace of things back home, it has been a slow process. I have to acquire the information I need through informal conversations with the staff; there are no written resources available. I meet with the out-grower manager as often as possible to discuss my progress and how to make improvements, but he is always very busy and it is hard to sit down and have a conversation with him. I am having a difficult time coming up with a monitoring and evaluation system because what the irrigation scheme will look like in the future is very vague. ITFC still needs to hire more staff, and the type of irrigation system that will be implemented in each farm is uncertain.

From living with the farmers, I have come to the realization that the major obstacle is not getting the water to the mango fields, but rather ensuring that the farmers participate and adopt the instructions given to them. I would like to somehow incorporate this challenge into my work, but I can not do this only by compiling user manuals so I have been trying to pursue other work-streams in addition to the work ITFC expects from me.

There are many links in the chain that connects the managers at ITFC to the farmers and it seems that the communication between the two needs improvement. I feel that there is frustration at all levels b/c for one reason or another the important messages are not getting through. I have attended a few work plan meetings, which is where the zonal managers meet with all of their field assistants to plan for the week ahead. I see a lot of potential in these meetings, but I have found that currently they are not very effective. The managers have a list of things to go over and the information is transferred in a “this has to happen, figure it out” sort of way to the field assistants. I want to create a more participatory discussion where field assistants are sharing their challenges and successes. I think that some great ideas could come from these discussions, and the managers will have a better understanding of the challenges in the field.

I have expressed my idea to one of the managers and he has agreed to let me facilitate one of his meetings next week. If all goes well, I will try to spend time with all of the zonal managers and facilitate at least one work plan meeting with each of them before I leave. I am not sure if the managers will adopt this new method of holding meetings (coaching versus instructing), but at least I have shown them another option.

With the work I am doing, I need to re-evaluate the way I measure my own success. At school, I know that if I attend classes, hand in my assignments, and study, I will make good grades and making good grades makes you a good student. Things are a bit more complicated here. It is hard to find those small successes that are indicators that you are doing a good job and heading in the right direction. Sometimes I feel guilty because I am not producing enough tangible outputs. I spend a lot of my time trying to learn more about how things work here and reflecting on what I have done so far. This has been a difficult adjustment, but I am starting to realize the value in it. It will be difficult for me to adjust back to “school mode” when I get home, but this experience has really pushed me to view things from a higher level. I have to think about the long term effects and sustainability of my efforts; otherwise, there is no purpose in me being here.

So I hope that you now have a better idea of what I have been doing, I would love to hear your feedback and any questions you have. I am still keeping my eyes open for other ways that I can get involved here at ITFC. This week marks the half-way point, so I only have 7 more full weeks of work. On the other hand, I still have 7 full weeks of work so a lot can happen! Time is a funny thing