Report compiled by AD Fosso (Horticulture Expert)

1. Introduction

The workshop was organized by Peace Corps in collaboration with a support group ‘Hupitha Oomwenyo support group’ and the office of the councilor in Okahandja.

The training took place from 20-24 May 2013 at the Okahandja Constituency Office in Okahandja. A total of 18 participants from Okahandja participated in the training workshop. The training was conducted by the Namibia Horticulture Trust.

2.    Training objectives

·         To provide basic information on horticulture

·         To introduce and demonstrate micro gardening technology

·         To teach participants how to select a good cultivars

·         To teach the participants how to establish a planting calendar

·         T introduce pest problems and teach participants how to solve them without using pesticides

·         To teach participants how to produce seedlings

·         To teach participants the importance of veg tunnels

At the end of the workshop, each participant could start his own garden at home

3.    Topics covered

3.1 Urban Horticulture

3.2 Micro gardens technology

3.3 How to choose a good cultivar

3.4 Planting Calendar

3.5 Planting problems

3.1 Urban horticulture

 UH is the cultivation of fruit, vegetables, roots, tuber and ornamental plants within cities and town and in their surrounding areas.

Urban Horticulture concept was introduced to Namibia through a pilot project entitled ‘Integrated Initiatives in Support of Urban and Peri-Urban Horticulture in Namibia’, a project of the Namibia government (Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry) implemented from August 2005 to December 2007 with the technical support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and sponsored by the Belgium government. Two pilot sites, Windhoek and Rundu were setup.

After the pilot project was successfully implemented, the Namibian government adopted the concept in 2008 and since then, some communities started to practice Urban Horticulture.

Urban horticulture is important to improve food security and nutrition of poor and vulnerable communities because most of the poor people living in the urban used 60% of their income to buy food, by producing they have access to vegetable every day.

3.2 Micro gardens technology

Micro gardens technology is the production of vegetables in urban areas using containers using readily available materials such as tables, tire, plastics, etc. This method of production uses very little space and is very efficient:

Advantages of micro-gardens

·         Solution to limited space

·         Avoid pest problems

·         High Productivity

·         High water use efficiency

·         Low Physical effort

·         Cost effectiveness

·         Income generating activities

3.1.1 Materials and supplies needed for micro-gardens

·           Simple tools

·           Substrate (sand)

·           Wooden pallets

·           Plastic sheet

·           Seeds (Swiss chard, lettuce, leek, onion, beetroot, parsley….)

·           Water for irrigation

·           Nutrient solution

3.1.2    Table construction

Participants busy preparing a micro gardening table.

3.1.3    Transplanting of seedling to the table

Micro gardens table during the transplanting

4.    Seedling production

Seedling production in the trays

4.1 How to choose a good cultivar

It is important to use a good cultivar to reduce the use of pesticides, and also to use the cultivars adapted to our climate and also with a high productivity.

 The participants were trained how to use a sowing guide to choose the recommended cultivars according to the resistance of pest and diseases, how to call a cultivar by the name. Example: Swiss chard Name of cultivar green wave, or carrot cultivar Kuroda

4.2 Planting Calendar

It is important to have a planting calendar to produce the vegetables that the market wants, and also the vegetables of the season.

The participants were trained how to organize a planting calendar with the crops of the season winter crops (lettuce, Swiss chard, beetroot, spinach), and summer crops (tomatoes, green pepper, watermelon, chilies) using the information on a sowing guide.

They were also trained how to buy the right amount of seed example for 1 ha of carrot we need 3.5kg of seed.

4.3 Planting problems

It is important to know how to identify plants problems to be able to find sometime the solution without using chemicals (rotation), or to apply the right pesticide at the right doses.

The main plant problem attacking plants was introduced with pictures (pest, fungi and virus).

Some good agriculture practices were given such as the use of neem trees leave or neem oil against aphids.

5.    Workshop achievements

·         Production of a planting calendar (for winter and summer crops).

·         Production of two micro gardens tables (One floating with production of lettuce and a table with substrate (beetroot and Swiss chard).

·         Production of seedling in the trays (2 x 200 seedlings and also production of seedling in a black tray).

·         Each participant know how to use a sowing guide to select the recommended cultivar, the amount of seed needed per ha, the sowing depth of different vegetables.

·         Production of winter crops in plastics bags of 8l, using sand as substrate.

6.    Recommendations

Watering of the plastics bags and the seedling twice a day (Early in the morning and later in the afternoon)

Applying of fertilizers (Hygroponic) when the seedlings are out (300g-3kg)/1000l of water, 330 ml per plastic bags early in the morning, and later in the afternoon

Transplanting of seedlings after one month

There is a need to get a shade net:

·         To protect the plants against insects,

·         Excessive sun,

·         Loss of moist due to evaporation,

·         Animal that wants to graze on the crops

The community should negotiate the palettes, and start to produce more tables.

The project should write a proposal to get more support on gardens

There is a need of follow up after one month to see the progress and to give more technical advice

7.  Attachments

·         Annex 1: Test questions

·         Annex 2: Training programme

·         Annex 3: Attendance register

·         Annex 4: Sample training certificate

ANNEX 1:

Test questions

1.    Give two example of  winter crops

2.    Give two example  summer crops

3.    Can you plant tomato in Namibia in winter?

4.    How many cabbages can you plant in one m²?

5.    How many seed do you need for I ha carrot?

6.    What are the advantages of micro gardening?

7.    How many lettuces can you produce in a table of micro gardening of 1 m²?

ANNEX 2

Program of the training workshop on micro gardens, 20-24 May 2013

Monday, 20 May 2013

9:00                                         Welcome and Introduction

                                                Session 1 Urban Horticulture

                                                Objectives

                                                Beneficiaries (Example)

10:30                                       Break

11:00                                       Session 2 Micro-gardens (Table Gardens)

                                                Materials

                                                Types of micro gardens

13:00                                       Lunch

14:00                                       Session 3 How to choose a good cultivar

15:30                                       Break

Tuesday, 21 May 2013

9.00-10h                                    Recap

10.00-13h                                  Session 4 Planting calendar

10:30                                         Break

13.00                                         Lunch

14.00-15.00                              Planting calendar

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

9.00-10.00                                Recap

10-13                                        Plant problems (pest, diseases, virus)

10:30                                        Break

13.00                                        Lunch

14.00-15.00                              Plant problems (pest, diseases, virus)

Thursday 23 May 2013

9:00                                          Recap

10:00-11:00                             Vegitunnels

10:30                                        Break

11:00-12:00                             Exercise seedling production

12:00 – 13:00                          How to prepare a micro garden table

13:00                                       Lunch

14:00-15:00                            How to prepare a micro garden table

Friday 24 May 2013

9:00-11:00                                Recap

10:30                                        Break

11:00-12:00                             Test

ANNEX 3

List of participants

1.    Leonie Jacobs                        

2.    Loide Matti

3.    Martha Musuuo            

4.    Kathleen Uri- Khos

5.    Sarafina Marthin           

6.    Taimi N. T. Shilongo

7.    Fredriha Ndakongele               

8.    Titus Paulus

9.    Monika Uusiku              

10. Kristine Kapolo

11. Taimi Iipumbu              

12. Profilia Dimineni

13. Maria Panduleni Nduwe  

14. Olivia Haukongo

15. Victoria Hanjaba           

16. Rosalia Festus

17. Saara Mbango

ANNEX 4

Sample Training certificate