Foundation Agronomos Sin Fronteras

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ASF explores new alternatives for the development of agriculture in Tanzania – August 2007
ASF has opened two new paths in its aim to diversify the possibilities of the rural community in Tanzania and to improve life in the villages.

Since last winter, ASF has started to distribute equipment and train farmers in modern apiculture techniques, something that will allow producing and trading bee honey in a systematic way. Something perfectly possible in this area, but never tried before.

Meanwhile, Carlos Bohigas, founding member and volunteer in Ihanzutwa since 2004, has started to follow field studies about ecological agriculture in Tanzania, to try to open new lines of development in that way, and to try to reproduce the success of the Ihanzutwa Program in other Tanzania areas and with their respective potentially productive crops.

The collaboration between ASF and the Universidad Politecnica of Madrid continues - July 2007
Since last spring ASF has have the help of Carlos Labarga, volunteer that will work in Ihanzutwa for a full year completing his graduation thesis to become an Agricultural Engineer. Carlos is working in the design of a new watering system in the fields of Ihanzutwa.

The Foundation has also received, in May, the visit of Arantza. Arantza is working with ASF in the formulation of a plan for the sustainable use of the savanna forest; a work done in collaboration with Jorge, student of last year in the same University and who is also completing his graduation thesis.

At the beginning of July ASF has also received two volunteers from the School of Agricultural Engineers and one volunteer from the School of Topography, all from the University of Madrid.

Luis: studies a project for the production of biogas from all the organic residues produced in the farm and other installations of Program Ihanzutwa.

Miguel: in his last year in the School of Topography. Conducts as his graduation thesis the mapping of the farm extension in the nearby forest and the necessary topographic measurements for the construction of a small hydroelectric plant in the Mfyamba river, close to the village and the premises of the Foundation.

Alex: is finalizing a study about the implantation of energetic and animal-feeding crops, with views to include livestock as one of the new possibilities to improve life in the area.

The road to Ihanzutwa finalized – July 2007
The village of Ihanzutwa has seen an indirect benefit of the presence of ASF in the area for more than three years now. The Government of Tanzania, aware of the huge potential and improvements made by ASF in the village, and considering that such work was being seriously handicapped by the difficulty of access to the area and communication to nearby villages, has completed the construction of a road connecting Ihanzutwa to the bigger village of Sadani.

Ihanzutwa thus ends its history of isolation, advancing a new great step in its path to development.

Medical services available in the village of Ihanzutwa for the first time – June 2007
ASF has concluded the construction of a medical clinic and a house for medical personnel in the village of Ihanzutwa. A task a little bit apart from the usual jobs of the Foundation, primary medical attention was however an extremely basic and necessary service that ASF has always wanted to implement in the hamlet. After the pertinent negotiations with the Tanzanian Authorities and the assignments of tasks, the medical clinic is now a reality, complete with all equipment and personnel. Something that will greatly improve life in the village.

Formation days for the Agronomos Sin Fronteras volunteers – December 2006
On 26 and 27 December 2006, in Torreadrada, ASF has finally achieved a project initiated a long time ago: to have a seminar with the ASF volunteers to improve their knowledge in the Foundation programmes so as to ease the communication between the departments of ASF in Spain and the projects on the field.

This extension of our organization allows thus to face the future with optimism. This seminar has been useful to plan the new activities for 2007 in a way that will make easy to reach the established objectives.

The Asociacion Estudiantil Agrnomos Sin Fronteras is born - December 2006
ASF welcomes the new Association that will promote the values of cooperation and volunteering inside the University life, and that will present the development activities of the Foundation.

Its President, Fermin Amor, has visited program Ihanzutwa during the month of August 2006 and his contact with it has inspired him to create this Association that will integrate the volunteers arrived from the Escuela Superior de Ingenieros Agronomos of the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid.

The Minister of Agriculture of Tanzania visits Ihanzutwa – June 2006
On June 5th. Mr. Joseph Mungai, Minister of Agriculture of Tanzania, has payed a visit to Program Ihanzutwa to recognize the enormous and beneficial work that the Foundation is carrying out in the region, and to manifest his support to ASF on it.

Also during his visit, representatives from Asante Sana and Agronomos Sin Fronteras have presented to him the proposal of a frame agreement with the Tanzanian Government for the next proyects to be deployed together in the country.

Graduation of the first promotion of students at Ihanzutwa - June 2006
On June 3rd. 22 students that have completed the course at the School of Agricultural Training at Ihanzutwa were presented with their Diplomas of recognition. It is the first promotion that has attended, during the year 2005-06, the different modules, theoretical and practica,l conducting to the cultivation of the new product introduced by ASF in the region, the paprika, that will allow them to overcome the big inconvinients derived from the use of subsistance agriculture, and permit their work to translate into cash income and to enter the country economic system.

The learning process has included not only lessons, but also the introduction and cultivation of paprika in the farmers’ own fields.

Crops thus obtained will be transported and sold in Iringa by a cooperation of all these small farmers through the association created for that purpose.

The new volunteers of the Foundation arrive at Ihanzutwa - June 2006
On June 20th. three volunteers from the Schools of Agricultural Engineering of the Universities of Madrid and Leon have arrived in Tanzania in order to develop during a month projects such as the formation in glasshouse techniques and the developing of watering systems and terrain leveling, among others. Troughout July and September more volunteers will arrive in Ihanzutwa in order to continue the valuable agreements thus started with different Spanish Universities.

Despite the brevity of the stage, the works completed by the volunteers have been extremelly useful, and their collaboration greately apreciated by the Foundation. Apart from this, their experiences will allow the sensibilization of people in general and the Agricultural Engineers community in particular on the enormous challenge presented by subsistance agriculture in the Third World, and the necessity of the aid programs such as the one ASF is carrying out.

ASF and Asante Sana sign a collaboration agreement in Iringa - April 2006
In the month of April, during the visit of the president of Asante Sana, an agreement of collaboration between both organizations, Asante Sana and Agronomos Sin Fronteras, has been reached. The scope of it is the development in partnership of new agricultural proyects in Tanzania.

Asante Sana is an Italian non governmental, non profit organization with long experience in the area. Although primarily dedicated to the provision of medical assistance, Asante Sana also conducts projects in the field of agriculture and in other areas of social interest.

Iniziation of new constructions at Ihanzutwa - May 2006
During the month of May the construction of a storing building for the products of the Association of Farmers has been started, with funds from Agronomos Sin Fronteras and the Council of Las Rozas, Spain, that will provide up to a third of the total necessary budget.

Also, the new funds delivered by Fundade and AECI have allowed ASF to start the construction of a drying-processing plant for the Association of Farmers and a medical dispensary to provide the populatiion of Ihanzutwa with basic health care, as well as to repair the pumps from the wells that supply the village with drinking water.

The bishop of Iringa inaugurates the School of Agricultural Training
- November 2005
On November 30th the bishop of Iringa Tarcisius J. M. Ngalalekumtwa has inaugurated the School of Agricultural Training of Ihanzutwa as special guest of the ceremony. Accompanyed by the staff of the Caritas Development Office of Iringa, local partner of the Foundation, the bishop witnessed with satisfaction the seriousness with which ASF has made its promisses good. Also present at the cerimony were the high delegations of the local government, namely the District Commissioner of Mafinga, the Diwani (responsible of the council of the zone), the mayor of Ihanzutwa, and the delegations from the local governments of the towns from where the students come from.

Visibly impressed by the tasks taken to a good end, all the guests confirmed their compromises and their own faith in the Program by offering full disponibility and support to ASF. The District Commissioner in particular made the announcement of having already defined and approved a project to build the road leading to Ihanzutwa from Sadani, which is currently in such a bad condition that it renders even more hard the condition of isolation of the hamlet. The partipation of all the people from Ihanzutwa, organizing dances and songs for the guests conferred a joyous taste to the ceremony. Ihanzuwa has shown its awereness of being part of a success in which they are directly involved.

It is the desire of Agronomos Sin Fronteras to express its own gratitude to the bishop and to Caritas Iringa , to the representatives from the government and to the people of Ihanzutwa, for sharing and supporting a view of development in which the Foundation heartly believes.

Opening of the School of Agricultural Training - October 2005
On October 24th 2005 the new School of Agricultural Training has been opened for the students of the region of Iringa. After having carried out a careful selection of specialized teaching staff, and having finnished the construction of a comfortable building for the students, the School has been finally started, helped also by the very important collaboration of ‘Manos Unidas’, main donor for this project.

This event signals the achievement of one of the most important goals of ASF, which since the beginning has believed in the importance of providing local people with a school capable of bringing the path to improvement. Lessons in the School, in fact, will teach the students-farmers the cultivation of new crops, the utilization of more advanced techniques for farming and the way to obtain more results from their own fields.

Farmers arrived mainly from villages close to Ihanzutwa, where ASF was already known for its work, are filling up the School this week. To challenge their own knowledge discussing practices transmitted and used for centuries proves the confidence that our Foundation inspires in the local people, who during these years has observed how much and with which interest work has been carried out in the region. We are particularly proud of this achievement.

Click here to visit the School and meet teachers and students.

Project Ihanzutwa produces its first fruits - May 2005
ASF had already begun to provide the people of Ihanzutwa and their lands with electricity and a more efficient irrigation system, as well as starting the School of Agriculture, creating a spirit of cooperation and filling the future with great expectations. But Project Ihanzutwa has definitely cristallized with the first fruits produced in the farm: the paprika plants are full, the crop is being dried under the sun, and soon its marketing will provide funds to reinvest in the Project, increase its reach, create new targets, and make the living conditions of the local populations a little bit better. See it for yourself.

Manos Unidas supports Project Ihanzutwa - April 2005
After studying the proposals submitted by Agronomos Sin Fronteras and evaluating the very far reach and potential of our projects Manos Unidas has decided to get involved and collaborate with us donating money to finance the construction of the School of Agriculture at Ihanzutwa. Their cooperation will allow us to buy solar panels to feed the electrical installations, design and implement a new irrigation system, lay the foundations for new constructions and, of course, continue with the on going crops and study new possibilities and options.

ASF in FIMA - April 2005
Feria de Zaragoza / FIMA
From 5 to 9 April the city of Zaragoza (Spain) has played host to FIMA, the prestigious exhibition on machinery for agriculture and related things. Despite of being yet a young Foundation giving its first steps in the sector, Agronomos Sin fronteras has managed to be present, enjoying a 12 square meters stand in which we have tried to introduce ourselves to the public. It has been a big effort. Members of the Association and some Patronos have moved in from different places of Spain and even from Tanzania, in order to be present in this event and to be able to promote our ideas and aims. Our mission was to introduce ourselves.

To search for possible commercial contacts, donors and volunteers. Anyone who shares our belief in the collaboration for a better world and wishes to help. Also and for the first time ASF has started a new project to sell local Tanzanian products (fair trade) with the purpose of helping financing our Agriculture School in Ihanzutwa.

The exhibition has been a success. A big deal of visitors has shown their interest in ASF and has manifested their intentions (which are already becoming reality) of joining us. Agronomos Sin Fronteras is beginning to gain some fame, and many people agrees to our motto: Without AgriCulture, nothing.

If you want so, you can still pay a visit to our stand from here: browse through some pictures to see how we received our visitors or wait dowload this video (4 MB), to check the big animation surrounding Agronomos Sin Fronteras.

Or, if you prefer, download the fantastic banners (in PDF format) that for the ocaon have been produced by the ASF Association in the Escuela de Ingenieros Agronomos of Madrid (available only in Spanish):

Regional representatives and officers visit ASF at Ihanzutwa - March 2005
During the last week of February local and regional representatives paid a visit to the farm where Program Ihanzutwa is being deployed. Among the visitors were those responsible for Agriculture, Cattle and Land, as well as officials from the Government and nearby towns. ASF took them on a walk all around the farm, and they checked the good work that is being done in the farming and social fields, as well as realising the excitement and enthusiasm of all local people involved in the Program. They were explained with all detail the different projects that make up the Program and we received total approval and full support from them all. Not only they agreed to help as much as they can for the different things to be done, but also they will try to encourage local people to collaborate in tasks to improve infrastructure in the area.

The UPM with ASF - March 2005
ASF has recently presented its projects in the Escuela de Ingenieros Agronomos (School of Agricultural Engineering) at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid. An office in the library building has been allocated to us, becoming the first delegation of ASF. Students and teaching staff support our views and are eager to collaborate.

ASF in Metro - January 2005
On January 18 20 Minutos, one of the most popular newspapers in Spain, has presented a small article about ASF in its section about starter ups.