Weeks ago, Professor Sidat Yaffa recounts how the women of Bulock were challenged with productivity with the garden due several factors including inadequate water supply and proper fencing. Thanks to the RECCLUM project they are rejoicing and hoping for good yields during harvest period. He was speaking during a monitoring visit to the pilot demonstration site as he expressed satisfaction with the performance of the research plots laid out by the project. “By observation, mulching is performing better than the plots with grass and bare soil. However, we will be waiting at the end of the research for what the data will reveal.” Prof Yaffa said.
“We transplanted our Onions and now they’re bulbing, which is very delightful. We thank the project for this intervention. We have never cultivated this type of beds before this support. The project trained us how to design this kind of Onion beds and we are hopeful of high yields at the end of the harvest period.” Says Maimuna Tamba, a gardener at RECCLUM pilot demonstration site in Foni Bulock. “The training has really improved our understanding in horticultural production. We can do things on our own now.” She added while speaking on the significance of the project in improving their livelihoods. Madam Tamba expressed satisfaction with the partnership saying officials exposed them to new technologies in agriculture.
Senior Researcher Dr Mamma Sawaneh commended project beneficiaries for their commitment and perseverance in supporting RECCLUM implementation in order to transform the women’s garden in Bulock. “You can see that the garden has really changed in the last 12 months. There’s green everywhere and the onions are bulbing as expected.” “One of the things we are looking at is the yield of the onions compared to previous years. These women used to struggle to water their crops. To draw water from this old well wasn’t easy at all, which had an effect on them.” Dr Sawaneh added. He said the project is working on a synthesis report to support project outcomes for bigger funding in order to implement similar interventions across the country.