Isaac Nare
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Authors
David Brazier
Issue Date
2017-04-04
Type
Language
en
Keywords
Agriculture , Energy
Alternative Title
Abstract
Sustainable Energy for Rural Communities (SE4RC) Gwanda district, Zimbabwe; Nsanje and Chikwawa districts, Malawi February 2015 – January 2019 Funding: European Union, OFID and GEF Small Grants Programme Isaac Nare is part of the Mankonkoni irrigation scheme in Mashaba, Gwanda. He is married with 7 children, the eldest was born in 1985 and the youngest was born in 2013. He lives with three of his children and they all go to school. “I was in the army until 1992 and I started farming in 1993. I thought I would have a good living with farming because I would have food and feed my children and send my children to school. There were lots of challenges though: The rainfall was not adequate enough to water my crops The inputs such as diesel (it costs $50 for 20 litres which would water my 0.2 hectare plot twice and then transport is $10 per person on the bus plus $7 to carry fuel on the bus) were very expensive and I could not buy seeds and fertilisers The distance to go and buy the inputs was very far. I had to go to Gwanda which is 140km away. I had to get the bus which would take 3-4 hours each way. I had to go 2-3 times a month All these challenges would stop me from being able to farm. It was very painful for me and many others. We had no money to buy fuel to power the diesel engine water pump or to buy seeds and fertilisers. I relied on selling goats and cattle to buy fuel. But then even when I was able to buy the fuel the engine would break and we would have to get it fixed. It was causing great pain and stress because when I sold the cattle, to me I thought I was investing but when I reaped nothing it was as good as throwing away my livestock. Now, because of the electricity, the water is reliable and there is plenty of it and I am looking forward to a bigger harvest. This is washing away the pain and I hope to get a lot of things from the project. Our lives have been improved by the electricity and I am looking forward to feeding the nation and looking after the orphans.