by Yahaya Jumanne

In January 2025, farmers were equipped with sustainable nursery techniques by using raised beds for sowing Acacia, Gliricidia, and Leucaena seeds. They learned an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to polybags while enhancing seedling health and growth. Affordability is an essential aspect enabling the scalability of the Forest Garden approach.

Farmers were guided through each step of nursery process from site selection and soil preparation to hot water seed treatment (for Acacia and Leucaena) and proper sowing techniques on raised beds. A total of 369 farmers, along with over 300 neighboring community members, actively participated in the training. Together, they prepared 26 demonstration raised beds on training site. Following the session, participants successfully replicated the technique on their individual farms, sowing a total of 26 kg of Acacia, 5 kg of Gliricidia, and 5 kg of Leucaena seeds. This was estimated to give about 546 seedlings.

This practical training was strategically timed to prepare farmers for the longrains season (April-May 2025), a period for establishing live fences on all farms.

This is the technical instruction that we used for the trainings

Mwongozo wa Mafunzo kwa Wakulima: Maandalizi ya Vitalu kwa Matuta

Utangulizi

Mbinu ya kusia mbegu kwa kutumia matuta ni muhimu kwa sababu huboresha ukuaji wa miche, haitumii gharama ya kununu viriba pia inatunza muda wa kujaza viriba. Tutasia mbegu za Mgunga, Gliricidia na Lusina.

1. Maandalizi ya Matuta ya Kusia mbegu.

1.1 Faida za Matuta

1. Huboresha uingizaji wa hewa kwenye udongo.
2. Husaidia mizizi ya mimea kukua vizuri.
3. Hurahisisha umwagiliaji.
4. Inaepusha gharama ya kununua viriba na muda wa kujaza viriba.

1.2 Vifaa Vinavyohitajika

• Jembe, reki, panga, kamba na vigingi.
• Mbolea ya asili (samadi au mboji).
• Matandazo (majani makavu au nyasi).
• Tepu ya kupima urefu.

1.3 Hatua za Kuandaa Matuta ya Kusia mbegu

Hatua ya 1: Uchaguzi wa Eneo la kitalu na Maandalizi

1. Chagua eneo lenye rutuba na lenye kimvuli cha wastani.
2. Ondoa magugu, mawe na taka nyingine.
3. Pima na weka alama za vipimo vya tuta kwa kutumia vigingi (kawaida upana wa 1m na urefu wa 1,2, 3 au 4m).

Hatua ya 2: Maandalizi ya Udongo na Tuta.

1. Tifua udongo kwa kina cha takriban 30 au 40cm kwa kutumia jembe.
2. Changanya mbolea ya asili (mboji au samadi) ili kuongeza rutuba ya udongo.
3. Kusanya udongo na kutengeneza tuta lenye urefu wa kuanzia 20, 30 au 40cm.
4. Sawazisha tuta kwa kutumia reki.
5. Mwagilia tuta ili kuweka unyevunyevu kabla ya kusia mbegu.
6. Acha nafasi ya 30-50cm kati ya matuta kwa ajili ya kutembea na kufanya matunzo ya miche.

Hatua ya 3: Kusia Mbegu za Migunga, Gliricidia na Lusina.

1. Chagua mbegu bora zilizovimba vizuri au kuchomoza mizizi ya mwanzo.
2. Chimba mashimo madogo yenye kina cha 2 cm juu ya tuta.
3. Sia mbegu mbili kwenye kila shimo na funika kwa udongo mwembamba.
4. Acha nafasi ya 4-5 cm kati ya mbegu pande zote.
5. Mwagilia kiasi kidogo cha maji kwa keni mara baada ya kupanda ili kusaidia mbegu kuchipua.
6. Weka matandazo juu ya tuta ili kutunza unyevu, kagua na kisha ondoa matandazo pindi miche inapoanza kuota.
7. Endelea kumwagilia kwa kiasi kinachofaa kila siku asubuhi na jioni, hasa katika wiki za mwanzo hadi miche ianze kustawi.

Mfano wa upandaji (inasaidia kukisia kiasi cha samadi inayohitajika):

• Upande mmoja wa shamba la ekari moja una urefu wa mita 63, ambao unaweza kupandwa miche 210 ya Acacia ikiwa na nafasi ya futi 1 (cm 30) kati yake.
  (63 ÷ 0.3 = 210)
• Upande mmoja utahitaji miche 105 ya Mlusina (mstare ya katikati).
• Na miche ya Gliricidia 105 (mstare ya katikati) pamoja na 126 (mstare ya ndani) ikiwa na nafasi ya cm 50 kati yake.
• Mfano: Hii ni takribani miche 550, ambayo inahitaji angalau mita za mraba 5.5 za tuta lililoinuliwa.