update june 2025

The period from our last visit in February until now is one of two rainy seasons in Rwanda. This is the time for the farmers to fill up the "storehouse" which must last until the next harvest in December. 
On FRED'S FARM we are preparing for a long, hot, dry season. 
       

Preparation for the dry season covering the soil with organic matter to hold moisture and give nutrition to the soil.

​TWA

The positive progress in the TWA village continues. The new male "work group",  established in February, is still active. They started a savings account in the micro finance system where FF contributed with the start capital. Since its establishment, the start capital has more than doubled.  

THe School

The does(female goats) given to the school in January have been well cared for. Our goatherd, Daniel, and Jacques have supported Marceline in this venture. 08. June, two healthy purebred kids were born! Now, our next step is to discuss with the school principal how we can set up a "service station" at the school; FRED'S FARM will supply a buck, and local farmers can bring their local does for mating. The intention is to have a plan in place before school takes holiday break. 
The farming group at the school has been given an area on FF to cultivate more moringa for use in school lunch. The first step is taken, and the area is partially cleared. In the next rainy season, September/October, they will plant moringa. 
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Left: area which is cleared for cultivation.  
Right: Marceline, the goat caretaker at Kizi school, and the purebred dairy goat with her 2 newborn kids.

​The Farm

At FRED'S FARM (FF), 2 kids were born in the past weeks. The most vulnerable children in the area are invited daily to get milk at FF. These children are identified by the village leader. 
To ensure no inbreeding in our goat herd, a new buck must be purchased every second year. Since COVID the "supplier" has increased the cost of young bucks considerably, a new buck now costs 2,500 norwegian kroner We need a new buck now, and are in communication with Rwanda Action (an NGO we collaborate with) to find a best possible solution for both them and us. Perhaps we can swap!    

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The coffee harvesting is now completed and production is slowly increasing:) Our daily efforts to improve the soil health through regenerative, organic principles is a long term, slow process, so our goal is for gradual, increased crops. Both improved soil quality, and continual efforts to reduce soil erosion are best practices to meet the visible climate change with more severe rain, and longer dry season. 
Banana production now supplies more than our staff needs, so we sell the surplus.
           Macadamia care has improved. JMV, our new staff member, works well with Joseline. Nut production slowly increases, but kilo price is low. In Rwanda, there is unfortunately no regulation system in place for farm gate price, few buyers and few facilities for processing macadamia nuts.

​GOAT TRAINEES

Immacule and Erik (trainees) and Daniel, goatherd on FF

​For 10 days at the end of May, Immacule and Eric were the first residential trainees on FF.  They came from a small initiative in the North of Rwanda. Their goal was to learn about dairy goat husbandry, and were eager and motivated students. In the course of their stay they learnt how to construct a goat pen, how to treat the goats (with care, not beating), how to milk, spray for ticks, clean the goats, check the goats' health and when to report to the vet for help, how to cultivate nutritious fodder (moringa and calliandra trees) and make liquid fertilizer and worm tea.    
On return home, Immacule and Eric brought one purebred male buck, and two crossbreed does (50% purebred dairy, and 50% local ). With these 3 goats as starting stock, the intention is to breed 75% milking goats. These should have good milk production, but be more robust in a local setting than the purebred. 
Through this initiative and ongoing collaboration, we hope to learn from each other and help each others development and to introduce more farmers to milking goats.  

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​​Thank you for your support! 
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