Successes and challenges of the Carryou Ministry Farming Programme

A large variety of vegetables was produced to feed children at our two drop-in centres

 The Carryou Ministry farming project at Vleikop has been in operation for some time now and has enjoyed a number of successes.
 At the recent Annual General Meeting, Reverend Lawrence Mabaso reported back on the project's successes and challenges.
 "The soil was tested by the Agricultural Research Institute and two big tunnels were erected, and an irrigation system and fencing was put in place," he says. "We placed a couple who serve as supervisors and are looking forward to training them in farming, and are also planning to train five additional people who can assist.
 "We were able to supply tomatoes, spinach, watermelon, cabbage, carrots and lettuce to feed the children at our two drop-in centres. EPWP volunteers and underprivileged members of the community, as well as our neighbours who assisted with the planting, also benefitted from the crops.
 "But to fully utilise the facility we must overcome certain obstacles and are looking for funding to develop the empty, fertile land to produce vegetables to be distributed to poverty alleviation programmes and for sale," says Rev. Mabaso.
 "We also seek funding to train 10 EPWP people already involved in the project to become skilled farmers as well as money to fence the entire property to protect the crops from nearby livestock.
 "It is also important the wind-powered borehole pump be changed to electric or solar-power, to ensure continuous water supply for crop irrigation," he says.

Two large tunnels were built

To ensure continual water supply, the wind-driven bore hole pump will have to be replaced with an electric or solar-driven unit