Opac women plant soybeans in March as cash crop
Women farmers of Ocan Resettlement Women’s Group asked OCHAN for soybeans to plant in the first three-month crop cycle of the three-cycle rainy season this year. Soybeans add nitrogen to the soil which will help the second cycle planting of sunflower crop to grow well. Additionally, once soybeans germinate, they prove resistant to drought. Further, products from soybeans are many: milk, oil, source of vegetable protein when added to food, sale for cash to help fund home needs. Last summer, the women enthusiastically and unanimously agreed in their meeting with OCHAN that they would greatly benefit from being able to farm this crop both in their individual plots and in the group farm. Donations to OCHAN made their wish come true. Pictures below tell the story of March-May of this year.
#1
(#1) 200 women sign for and receive their 10 kilos each of seeds and…
#2
#2. carry them home.
After learning from agricultural expert provided by OCHAN about the benefits of planting soybeans in rows instead of broadcasting them, the farmers are sowing the group farm this way in #3.
#3
#4
The young plants are taking hold in the soil (#4).
#5 the women weed the group garden.
#6
(#6) These lush plants will be ready to harvest when the leaves turn yellow in June.
Hope runs high for a robust result. Stay tuned.