With the growing season well underway, farmers are no longer tilling their fields for planting. Farmers have moved on to weed removal (using hoes) and insecticide application (using hand-operated backpack sprayers). This means that most tractors are sitting idle for the rest of the year. However, our tractor is not like most tractors.
Over the last week, I helped farmers assemble, adjust and operate the row-crop cultivator and sprayer that we sent along with the tractor. The cultivator has dozens of shovels that are carefully spaced to remove weeds from between the rows while not harming the crops growing in the rows themselves. Most fields have rows spaced 27.5 inches (70 cm) apart vs our 30 inches (76 cm) standard in the US. This meant that we had to completely adjust every shovel on the cultivator, re-adjust once in the field, and turn the tractor’s wheels inside-out to reduce the distance between them so we that can drive between the rows.
After all of this work, we began cultivating fields for weed control, and the response has been amazing. Typically, it takes a farmer nearly two weeks to remove weeds from one hectare by hand, and he or she needs to do this 3 times per season. By contrast, our tractor can do it in one hour. The tractor tills more deeply, removing weeds by the root and allowing for deeper penetration of rain water. Monsieur Bwama Paolo was the first farmer with our project, and probably in the history of the East Region, to have his field cultivated with a tractor. Farmers came from miles around to see the results, and many have lined up to have their fields cultivated next!
We also assembled and mounted the sprayer sent by Matter. The sprayer covers a width of 4 meters, which is nearly 6 rows here in Burkina Faso. Using a tractor for chemical application benefits farmers in numerous ways. The backpack sprayers that farmers currently use expose them to dangerous cotton insecticides which cause documented health effects and even death. With the tractor, this exposure will be almost completely eliminated. The sprayer also allows farmers to apply chemicals quickly before the insects can cause much damage. Once again, local farmers were astonished and incredibly excited to have their fields sprayed using our tractor.
It is indescribably rewarding to see the appreciation on farmers’ faces, both men and women, when they see how our tractor can help them grow more food. It is hard work, and we have a lot to learn, but seeing the results makes it all worthwhile. Thanks again to all of you for your support. It is you who made this all possible!
