Profile portrait of man, farmer in traditional white headress is being interviewed.
Loading...
Files
Authors
Issraa El-Kogali
Issue Date
30/01/2015
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Agriculture , Economic Development
Alternative Title
Increasing Resilience to Poverty of Rural Communities in Kassala State - IA11900008SUD
Abstract
Mohamed Achmed, Guard/Beneficiary, previously a farmer in Grigir, Turkook, Kassala. "I started work with Practical Action at the start of the dam. I was first a farmer. Have you seen any benefits from the dam? I expect to see more benefits but because of when the dam was finished, the weakness of the last rainy season and the animal attack, so far only some benefits. I started planting five feddons with water melon, okra, sorghum and hibiscus. I had grown my crops and started to harvest. It was good. Before the main harvesting however the animals attacked, they went particularly for the sorghum, they destroyed the crop. The reasons the animals attacked is there is no fodder, the rainy season last year was very poor and there was no fodder. Usually we have protected the land we farm from animals but this year because there was no fodder a huge number of animals attacked and we couldn’t protect our crops. Many people were affected, my family was affected by this and I ask God to compensate me for this in the future. In the past I farmed a very small area because of the dam I farmed a bigger area. This was a new area, it was big and the animals were many, I was not able to protect the land from animals. Will people farm again next year given this year’s experience? As farmers we depend on this project. Many people have put their hopes in this project for next season. We have learnt from our experience this year. We have had meetings as a community and we are seeing what we can do together to protect the land next year. The government, the police, have also said they will help people protect the land. We will farm again next year. In the past we have farmed near the river. After this project we came to use this land, before, even though many people were here they didn’t farm this land as there was no water. Many changes have happened in the weather. In the past this area had quite rich rain, in the last years the quality of water is low. Women are not part of the work here – women stay at home and work there. My sons come and help – I have 6 boys the eldest is 22. (The project staff explain to me that asking any personal questions is taboo – and that by answering the questions he has done, he has gone way beyond what would be expected. They are very hesitant to ask more – obviously I take their advice and say thank you).
Description
Citation
Publisher
License
All rights reserved