Sunsistence farmer Aina Kendjele in the Okalongo constituency in the Omusati region says she will never go back to disc-harrowing her land again. This crop season she tested the CA rip furrow method on one hectare on her farm. The rest of her field was disc-harrowed.
The difference in plant development is obvious from the photos attached that were taken this week. In the rip furrowed part of her field, germination and plant development is very good despite this year’s erratic rainfall. In the disc-harrowed part of her field, the mahangu plants are stunted.
It is all about how we treat the soil. If we pulverize it by using disc-harrows, we will make the soil vulnerable to wind and flood erosion. We will also create a hard plow-pan which doesn’t allow for deep root development.
The below quote says it all:
“Despite the artistic pretensions, sophistication and many accomplishments of mankind, we owe our existence to a six-inch layer of the topsoil and the fact that it rains” – Unknown