It Takes A Community

“This is the only business I know, so when there is no water I have nothing to do here and no means to farm anything” says 61 year-old Seleho Ramokgalo who has been practicing open field farming for over 35 years in the Xobe area. He walks down to the river bank where a pump is stationed and examines the pipes which channel water to the 10,000 litre water tank which fills up within 45 minutes and provides a week worth of irrigation. “I do not face any challenges with water anymore, because of the new engine which OKACOM has provided. Irrigation is much faster, because we store water in the tank and now use free flow to irrigate, this is better than before when we did direct irrigation”, says Seleho. Along with the improved irrigation system, a shade net has also been erected, in which he planted herbs, okra, long beans and variety of paleka spinach, which is popular amongst the Indian community, his main customer base. This being the first batch of crops inside the structure, Seleho looks forward to harvesting later this year.

“Seleho is very experienced but he is still eager to learn and always gives feedback regarding the methods used on this farm. We looked at helping him grow his crops properly, improve production and increase the technical skills necessary to meet demand. The combination of shade net and drip irrigation is the best in this case”, says Fanuel Otukile who has been mentoring him throughout the process. Through the mentorship, Seleho has been able to modify the planting scheme inside the shade net and choose brinjal as a high yield, high value crop to focus on and meet his customers’ demands. “The challenge with the extension officers is that there is a shortage of cars and they take a long time in between visits. With Fanuel, he is always in the field and visits us very regularly. It is very important that he continues with us because I can’t imagine life without him, even after the project ends” says Seleho.

Reflecting on his journey in farming over the past years, Seleho acknowledges that climate smart methods are indeed new to him and have improved the way he does farming significantly. “I have been introduced to seed beds, these are very effective because they store water and I have even incorporated this technique into my open field on the other side. It is really working for me. Work has also reduced drastically because before we were constantly cultivating and now with the seed bed, this is no longer necessary” he says. He also recounts how before the erection of the shade net, frost has been a challenge over the years and this has poorly affected his crops. “I am very thankful for the shade net as it has reduced the effect of frost here. It is my first time seeing a shade net doing this, all along we have experienced a lot of cold. It is uniquely constructed and I am very grateful” says Seleho.

Being located very close to the river is a blessing, which also comes with challenges as Seleho explains, “What is frightening is the number of hippos living along the riverbank. These hippos are many and they have tried to get near the shade net and have destroyed the fence. It is a struggle for the hippos not to destroy the shade net, even last night we had to chase one hippo away.” The hippo encounters have increased since the flow of water has returned to the river. The project has enabled neighbours to fetch water on his farm and this has strengthened the sense of community in the village. “When the well dried and we had to move it by 300 metres, it is my neighbours who came to help assemble the pipeline” he recalls fondly. Seleho also employs casual labourers from the community when there is a need for extra help. Some of the work includes watching over the field and ensuring that the notorious grey lourie, commonly known as the “go-away bird” does not pilfer his field. “You have to be here at the field early in the morning and leave in the evening, this is a full-time activity.” He says.