Grasher Nyirenda, age 50, lives with her husband and 4 children, ages 14-17. Grasher’s husband Medson Longa is a member of Chiwowo Farmer Field School and previously a member of Tigwilizane livestock group.

After having attended several trainings from the Farmer Field School, Grasher’s husband began to pass on knowledge from these sessions to his wife. This was partly due to the severe deterioration in his eyesight, so Grasher decided to learn as much as she could in order to be able to take on more responsibilities farming if needed. From her husband, she learnt how to make natural manures such as bokashi, biochar and Mbeya, as well as learning how to make effective, natural pesticides. 

Across the 2023-2024 farming season, they made 6 bags of bokashi – a manure which is made from a mixture of pig, rabbit and goat dung. Grasher has used this manure on 1 acre of land, where she has now harvested 50 tins of maize, which will last the family until December. Last year, she used Mbeya on the same field to grow her maize, where she cultivated 40 bags. 

With the support from Temwa, Grasher Nyirenda and her husband have a pig and the essential knowledge of livestock care in order to look after it. They also plan to lend the pig out for breeding, which will generate extra income to help buy groceries for their family. 

Thanks to the education on making natural manures and pesticides, they are now able to grow produce with very little farm inputs. 

Since being introduced to these new methods, Grasher and Medson have been able to avoid going hungry. They have managed to cultivate enough food to feed themselves and their children until December and are now aiming to produce enough manure to help them with their winter farm crops. 

The impact of manure production training has been extremely positive for many other members of the community too. When speaking with Temwa, Grasher noted that “people’s lives are changing, a lot have witnessed the impact of manure. I know a man who used Mbeya manure, he sold some of his maize and bought two motorbikes.” 

Thanks to this help from the Farmer Field Schools, this knowledge can benefit not only those who attend, but many other members of the communities too.

Find out more about Farmer Field School is our latest report here