The Lwama I community garden is right next to the Lwama II garden. It is found in the northwest of Kindu, a town in Kasuku township near Kindu national airport, in Maniema province which is found in the center of the DRC.
Lwama II community garden is made up of 10 active family members. The group includes one student from Kindu University who studies agronomy. This member takes advantage of the opportunity to put into practice that which has been learned at the university, while also preparing for final exams.
This 10 are rectangular garden is managed by a team that includes a president, a secretary and a treasurer, while the garden’s funds are managed collectively. The members meet and decide how to manage 60% of the harvest, sometimes rationing it directly, while 40% is reserved for the coordinators.
The garden in situated on a terrain that is dominated by floral species common to forest undergrowth, such as:
cogon grass, Guinea grass, benth, cassius SP, African oil palm, sugar cane, mangoes, papayas, etc. All of these species help fertilize the soil thanks to their decomposition. The garden enjoys a tropical climate, featuring two seasons: the rainy season lasts 9 months and the dry season lasts for 3.
The soil in the area is a sandy clay mixture and a part of the garden is found in a marsh land.
The garden was formed in 2009 by ADJM, the Development Association of Maniema Youth, which is supported by the Action for Rural Promotion Ngo, a non-profit group. These two groups work together in synergy under the acronym CACODI-MANIEMA, which stands for the Coordination Framework for the Integral Development of Maniema. Another Ngo, CARS – a member of CACODI-MANIEMA with the support of the FAO, worked with all of the partner Ngo’s in 2008-09 on a project dedicated to food crop cultivation.
The seeds found in the garden are all local varieties, among which are: bitter eggplant, tomatoes, amaranth, hot peppers, bell peppers, onions and spring onions. There are also two local medicinal plants: “tangauzi” and “majano”.
To make sure that the garden is profitable, the community has had to grow other crops as well, such as cabbage, celery, leeks and yellow onions.
The members come to the garden every morning and evening to do maintenance and water the plants, as they all live quite close to the site.
Area
Kasuku Township, Lwama quarter, Mangobo area, Maniema province
Coordinator
Tabu Zauma Jacqueline