ugp techincal tips field guide english final

Local Solutions in Ethiopia’s Urban Gardens

USAID Urban

Gardens Program

TIPS & TRICKS

HANDBOOK

2011

2 USAID Urban Gardens Program 2011 TIPS & TRICKS FIELD MANUAL

Table of Contents

Introduction to USAID UGP ......................................... 3

Irrigation and Water Conservation ....................... 4 - 8

Soil Fertility Solutions ......................................... 9 - 11

Marketing and Sales ........................................... 12 - 15

Pest Control & Organic Pesticides ..................... 16 - 21

Soil Conservation Solutions ................................ 22 - 24

Chicken Coop ............................................................ 25

Food Preparation Solutions ...................................... 26


Introduction

This handbook strives to highlight and share the local gardening knowledge of the participants of USAID Urban Gardens Program (USAID UGP) for HIV Affected Women and Children. By sharing homegrown techniques, Gardeners in Bahir Dar can directly benefit from techniques used by Gardeners in Adama, for example. Building gardens based on traditional farming techniques and adapting them to an urban setting allows Gardeners to develop skills that have already been tried and tested and are flourishing in Ethiopia’s cities. The techniques presented in this manual are simple, low-cost and sustainable ways to increase a garden’s productivity on all levels. Here, Gardeners will find innovative techniques to improve a garden’s fertility or the Gardener’s ability to tackle pests and irrigation issues. Farmers will also discover innovative ways to market and sell their vegetables. As urban agriculture spreads, experience sharing is a key asset to a garden’s sustainability as well as to the Gardener’s quest to improve income, nutrition and health. All of these techniques can be easily replicated and implemented. In addition to the one year spent absorbing technical skills of USAID UGP’s staff, Tips & Tricks is another tool to encourage creative Gardeners to follow the path from student to teacher, from apprentice to expert and change their lives and their communities. The Gardener’s influence over his or her family, friends and neighbors has been, until now, an untapped resource. The evolution from one-way instruction between expert and Gardener to a multi-layered source of knowledge is just the beginning of empowering Gardeners to think and work on their own. USAID UGP’s Gardeners already have the knowledge and skills needed to be successful, this manual attests to their commitment.


Micro Gravity Drip Irrigation System

Description: Creating a miniature drip irrigation kit is as simple as finding a plastic

bottle and hanging it above your micro-garden or potted

garden. Micro drip kits allow for slow release of water and

are effective if you plan to be away from your garden for a few

days.

Instructions: With a nail, poke a small hole in the bottom of water bottle. You may need more than one hole. Fill the bottle with

water and hang from string or wire above growing area. There should be a slow drip of water. If the water leaks too fast then the hole is too large, remember the smaller the hole the slower the

drip.

Advantages: Cheap, easy to build, does not clog and an example of recycling materials. Materials needed: Plastic bottles, string/rope

nail & a place to

hang your micro drip kit.

Location Modjo

Type of Garden Modjo 1 School

Garden

IP SWDA

Gardener(s) OVC Gardeners

OAC/Extension

Officer

Fikre/Kebede


Sand & Gravel Barrier Water Filtration

Description: By placing sand and gravel in a

contaminated water way, Gardeners can filter a

potentially hazardous water source.

Instructions: Place the sand and gravel in a way to

block the water flow with sand at the bottom. Allow water to force its way through the sand and gravel barrier. Build a basin on the other side of the barrier to catch the water.

Advantages: Cheap, easy to build with locally available material;

removes large and small contaminants and, if done right, can make dangerous water sources available for irrigation.

Materials: River

gravel (12mm diameter

and 6-9mm diameter,

sand.

Location(s) Kombolcha

Type of Garden Tesfa 01 Group

Garden

IP Tesfa Hiwot Association

Gardener(s) All Gardeners

OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebayew/Ashenaf


Drip Kit Set-Up

Description: Setting up a strong drip kit is key to

functionality. By using wooden boards, pegs and

nails, you can fix the drip kit line to be straight and unmovable.

Instructions: Place two wooden beams on opposite sides of the garden plot with pegs to fix the beams to the ground. On the side nearest the bucket, use nails/rope to affix the lateral line to the

wood. On the end farthest from the bucket, use rope to affix the end of the drip lines to the wooden beam. DO NOT overstretch the

drip lines. Advantages: The drip lines stay straight for longer period of time

allowing Gardeners to better target seedlings and thus save water. And helps preserve the life of the drip kit parts.

Materials needed: Wood, nails, rope, drip kit

Location(s) Dessie

Type of Garden School & Group

Gardens

IP Mekdim, Nigat,

Netsebrak, AHRRA


OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebayew/ Endalk,

Genet, Ahmed, Meaza


Drip Kit Stands

Description: A drip kit stand should be well built

to resist extreme weather conditions such as heat

and rain. Here we give some examples of drip kit

stands found in some UGP gardens in Adama.

Instructions: The type of drip kit stand best for your garden will depend on what materials are available in your area.

Advantages: Cheap and easy to build, stone-built stands are

more sturdy than wood, but wooden stands may be easier to build.

Materials needed: Mud, rocks, wood.

Mud Only Wooden Stand Mud & Stones

Location(s) Adama / Debre Zeit

Type of Garden Group & School

IP All

Gardener(s) All

OAC/Extension

Officer

All


Hemispherical Underground Pond

Description: This type of water harvesting pit is useful to provide

water for the garden during the dry season. This pit can hold up to 60

cubic meters of water and is enough to provide water for 300 sq. meters of land for three

months

Caution: Be careful in high-risk malarial areas as standing water

can in turn breed mosquitoes. Always make sure pits and wells are safe for children.

Instructions: After digging a circular pit, 3m deep with a 3m radius, line the pit with industrial strength plastic covering. Build

the rooftop with wood and grass to prevent evaporation. Make sure water runoff leads to the pit, while passing through a silt trap.

Advantages: Allows Gardeners to save water for the dry season and avoid expensive municipal water.

Materials needed: Pit, plastic sheet (11.5m x 11.5m), wood,

grass, nails. The group garden spent a total of 5,500 birr

on the underground pond in the photo.

Location(s) Modjo

Type of Garden Kera Group

Garden

IP SWDA

Gardener(s) All

OAC/Extension

Officer

Fikre/Kebede


Double Digging

Description: Technique used to increase soil drainage and

aeration. Double digging is typically done when cultivating

soil in a new garden, or when deep top-soil is required. On

poor or heavy soils, or for vegetable gardens, double digging might

be required every 3-5 years.

Instructions: Divide garden plot into 50cm parts. Dig and remove

a layer of 15-30cm of topsoil and place on the side. Till the next 15-30cm layer with a hoe. Add manure or compost. Cover the

second layer with the top layer of the neighboring part. Fill the final part of the garden plot with the topsoil from the first part.

Advantages: Allows soil to aerate and brings needed nutrients to deeper areas of the soil.

Materials needed:

Shovel, hoe, manure.

Location(s) Dessie

Type of Garden Personal Garden

IP Netsebrak

Gardener(s) Samson Aberra

OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebeyaw/Genet


Liquid Fertilizer: Manure Tea

Description: Manure Tea is a liquid solution made by

steeping manure in water. Most often liquid fertilizer is applied

to seedlings when planting.

Instructions: Collect 50kg of

animal manure and place in a burlap sack. Tie off with rope and hang inside of a 230l tanker full of water. After sitting for 2 weeks, the water can be diluted 1:1.

Advantages: Easy to apply, increases vegetable yields.

Materials needed: Fresh Manure, water, plastic tank, burlap sack, rope.

Location(s) Shashemene

Type of Garden Burka Gudina

Group Garden

IP Muluwongel

Gardener(s) Fate Temame

OAC/Extension

Officer

Abeje/Degefu


Above-Ground Compost Pile

Description: An above- ground compost pile uses

local resources to provide added fertility to a garden and can be completed in

the rainy season in time for the dry season.

Instructions: Stack the following three layers several times: 1) Brown & yellow organic matter, i.e. dead leaves, roots, wood. 2)

Green organic material, i.e. weeds and plant waste. 3) Manure, ash and topsoil. When the pile has reached a height of 1.5 meters,

cover the entire mound with moistened soil. After a month, check the temperature of the compost pile with a stick. If compost heat has subsided, turn the pile over with a shovel. After 3 months the

compost should be ready to be distributed in the garden.

Advantages: Maintains garden’s fertility without chemical fertilizers. Utilizes local materials and garden refuse to maintain

fertility. Laying compost pile is a team activity.

Materials

needed: Brown, yellow and green

organic material,

manure, and ash, water.

Location(s) Debre Markos

Type of Garden Police College Garden

IP Anti Malari


OAC/Extension

Officer

Getachew /Netsanet


Vegetable Sales on a Bicycle

Description: This Garden has differentiated its

marketing and sales services to its customers by

delivering vegetables door-to-door on a bicycle. The peri-urban Garden is located

10km from Bahir Dar center, and the bicycle connects the garden to the market at a lower price than taxi or Bajaj.

Instructions: Geteneh’s group uses the bicycle in two ways: 1) customers call and order vegetables which are then delivered on

the bicycle 2) sellers use the bicycle to go door-to-door. In addition to free delivery, the gardeners have built a small kiosk in front of

their garden to serve neighbors and people passing by. Advantages: No fuel costs, gives clients fresher products and

better prices, good exercise.

Materials needed: Bicycle, bag or rope to tie on vegetables.

Location Bahir Dar

Name and

Type of Garden

Woramit Hawaria

OVC Group Garden

IP TMIDA

Gardener(s) Geteneh Aber

OAC/Extension

Officer

Mebit / Lijalem


Seedling Production for Income

Description: This OVC school garden has enlarged

their nursery to raise tomato, kale, carrot seedlings, among

others, for commercial use. In six months, the OVC have sold more than 3800 birr

worth of seedlings and become Gonder’s main source for vegetable seedlings.

Instructions: Plant nursery in a shaded area and market seedlings to other IPs and farmers.

Advantages: OVC have more incentive to care for their nursery

and receive more experience in seedling production on their own. School garden receives more income and makes important contacts with other UGP IPs and farmers in the area.

Materials: Seeds and appropriate land for a nursery.

Location(s) Gonder

Type of Garden

Kebele 03 School

Garden

IP Wogen


OAC/Extension

Officer

Kassahun/Denberu


Mobile Phone for Market Information

Description: This group

garden uses a mobile phone

to gather information about

vegetable prices from

markets located in Ziway

and Addis Ababa. They use

the mobile phone to contact vegetables brokers to broaden their

customer base and find better prices. Information communication

technologies like mobile phones make marketing easy without

spending time and money to bring the products to new markets.

Instructions: Gather mobile phone numbers of key brokers and

market vendors. Call or SMS to identify prices or market needs

Advantages: Saves time and

transport costs when searching

for market and price

information, improves access to

markets and helps fix optimum

selling prices.

Materials needed: Mobile

phone.

Location(s) Adama

Type of Garden Awash Melkasa

Group Garden

IP Medan Acts

Gardener(s) Dejene Gizaw

OAC/Extension

Officer

Fikre /Fikeru


Growing Commercial Grass for Income

Description: Local grass is

a great way to subsidize

the inputs of a garden or

earn extra income. And

many households need the

grass for animal fodder or

decoration. Depending on where a garden is located, grass is

commonly found near open water sources. This garden earns 400

birr per grass harvest.

Instructions: Identify unused grass around your garden/home.

Manage the grass by 1) harvesting only small spaces 2) protecting

from animals and 3) watering in the dry season.

Advantages: Commercial grasses can experience high demand,

especially in the dry season and during religious holidays. Grass is

an essential part of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony.

Materials

needed: Extra

land, grass

clumps,

cuttings.

Location(s) Gonder

Type of Garden Angereb Group

Garden

IP Wogen

Gardener(s) Girma Bekele

OAC/Extension

Officer

Kassahun/Amsalu


Bird-Proof Garden Net

Description: Plastic netting

helps to deter birds from

eating seeds or seedlings in

the garden

Instructions: Simply cover

your garden plot with a net by

placing wooden support pegs throughout a 1mX10m plot.

Determine the height of the peg by the height of the bed’s

vegetables.

Advantages: A netted cover is especially useful in areas with high

bird infestation, especially in the dry season. It very easy to install

and allows sunlight, air and water to pass through the net to the

vegetables.

Materials needed: Plastic net with holes larger than that of a

mosquito net.

Location Shashemene

Type of Garden

Positive Charity

Institution Garden

IP Mekdem

Gardener(s) All

OAC/Extension

Officer

Abeje/Bushra


Hanging Garden Alarm for Rabbits

Description: Moges, a disable Gardener, has created a noise

trap to keep rabbits (birds, monkeys, etc) and other pests

away from his vegetable garden.

Instructions: Using a 20 meter rope and discarded pots and pans, Moges scares the animals away during night without having to get

up. He just simply pulls on the rope. Advantages: Provides a disabled Gardener with a mechanism to

protect his vegetables from rabbits and other rodent by frightening

them with the sounds of the pots hanging on the rope.

Materials

needed:

Rope,

discarded

pots and/or

pans.

Location(s) Tikel Dingay

Type of Garden Home Garden

IP Frehiwot

Gardener(s) Moges Tadege

OAC Kassahun


Pest Control: Neem Leaf Solution

Description: Neem leaf

solution is easy to prepare and

very effective against aphids as

well as diseases such as

powdery mildew.

Instructions: Chop 3kg of

neem leaves and mix with 230l

of water in a tanker. Let the solution sit for 7 days. Remove half of

the solution and replace with water, for a total of 460l of solution.

Spray vegetables every 20 days.

Advantages: Organic

pesticides avoid spraying

vegetables with chemicals

that may be harmful for

human consumption.

Neem leaves are easy to

find and prepare.

Materials needed:

Tanker (230l) or large

bucket, neem leaves

(3kg), water.

Location(s) Debre Zeit

Type of Garden

Kebele 15 Group

Garden

IP Dawn of Hope

Gardener(s)

Danel Gebayew

OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebru/Alemneh


Pest Control: Termite Skull

Description: Burying a cow

skull deep in a termite colony is

a sure way of capturing the

termite queen. Until the queen

is captured, the termite colony

will continue to spread

underground. Termite colonies can spread to as wide as 70 meters

long.

Instructions: Dig deep into the heart of the termite colony and

bury a decaying cow skull. Cover with dirt and let the skull sit for

2-3 days. Uncover, locate queen and dispose.

Advantages: Quick, effective and low cost way of ridding your

garden’s termites.

Materials needed: Shovel, cow skull

Location(s) Debre Zeit

Type of Garden

Kebele 15 Group

Garden

IP Dawn of Hope

Gardener(s) Emanuel Kaza

OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebru/Alemneh


Pest Control: Animal Urine

Description: Using cow or

bull urine is a very effective

and low-cost way to fight

aphids and cut worm. With

just a little bit of urine, a

solution can be made. Note

that other animals such as sheep and goats may be used.

Instructions: Collect urine at night after the animal has been fed.

Use a large basin to catch the urine. Dilute the urine with water

using a 1:10 ratio. Let the solution sit for 12 hours before spraying

directly on vegetables.

Advantages: Organic, low-cost, readily available.

Materials needed: Animal, large basin, water.

Location(s) Wenji (Adama)

Type of Garden Group Garden

IP Medan Acts

Gardener(s) Eshetu Heliso

OAC/Extension

Officer

Fikre/Ato Asefew


Pest Control: Castor Bean & Melia Leaf

Description: By combining

the leaves of two common

trees: castor and melia (AKA

chinaberry), Gardeners can

produce an effective, organic

pesticide. Note that castor

fruit is only available during the rainy season and the leaves can be

used in the dry season.

Instructions: After chopping the castor leaves/fruit and the melia

leaves, add 2 liters of water. Filter the solution and use right away

otherwise it may become too strong. If left alone for more than 1

day, dilute with more water. Three liters can cover up to 50m2 of

land.

Advantages: Organic, low-cost,

readily available.

Materials needed: Castor fruit

and/or leaves (150g), melia leaves

(150g), large basin, water (2l).

Location(s) Wenji (Adama)

Type of Garden Group Garden

IP Medan Acts

Gardener(s) All

OAC/Extension

Officer

Fikre/Ato Asefew


Barrier or Border Planting

Description: Planting beneficial plants in your garden can help

maintain the life of your vegetables, soil and yield. Many

plants, like the African Marigold help repel leaf miners and aphids from your leafy

vegetables through its strong odor. Elephant grass can work as a barrier from toilet flies while providing deep roots to strengthen

soil conservation. Many types of flowering plants also help to attract beneficial insects (to attack and eat pests) into the garden.

Instructions: Marigold (and other beneficial flowers/plants) seeds/seedlings should be planted between vegetables or alongside

beds and borders of the garden. Advantages: Repels insects without using chemical pesticides,

while beautifying the garden. Protects: Swiss chard, lettuce and cabbage. Elephant Grass is a great barrier to a nearby latrine.

Both plants are safe to use, easy to transplant. These plants are available in most communities.

Materials: Marigold seeds

and/or seedlings, elephant grass cuttings.

Location(s) Kombolcha

Type of Garden Addis Biltsigna

Group Garden

IP Nigat

Gardener(s) NA

OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebeyaw/Endalk


Rock Barriers for Soil Conservation

Description: When faced with a

slightly sloping hillside this school

garden have collected stones and

placed them around each

individual garden plot. The stones

help protect raised vegetable

beds from erosion caused by the

rains.

Instructions: Collect stones from surrounding fields and place

along contours of the land. Build up walls to hold soil and create

planting area.

Advantages: The stone barriers protect the soil erosion, especially

during the rainy season, and thus help maintain soil fertility. The

barriers are easy to create and stones are locally available.

Materials

needed:

Stones.

Location Debre

Markos

Type of Garden Dil Betegil

School Garden

IP Anti Malaria


OAC/Extension

Officer

Getachew

Fente/Nestanet

Minwuyelet


Biological Soil Conservation

Description: Stone wall erosion protection methods backed up by

vetiver grass become even more effective and sustainable.

Instructions: Plant the vetiver grass seedlings 30cm from the

stone band or terracing wall. Note that vetiver grass must be

trimmed at least twice a year to keep it from growing too tall and blocking the sun. Once the vetiver grass is cut, the roots are strengthened.

Advantages: While vetiver grass helps control soil erosion, the

plant is multipurpose and cuttings can be sold at the market. Vetiver grass also beautifies the garden. ASK GOSHU BOUT H20

Materials: rocks, vetiver seedlings (found at most nursery sites)

Location Dessie

Type of Garden Green Gold &

HIbret Llemelt

IP AHHRA &

Netsebrak


OAC/Extension

Officer

Gebeyaw

/Abiy, Ahmed


Chicken Coop made from Local Material

Description: This triangular, two-story chicken coop was

made from local materials by a 13 year old student. The coop

is well ventilated, and he has installed a light bulb to provide

added warmth for the chickens.

Instructions: Create an A-frame on each side of the coop.

connect the two frames with beams. In the middle of the frame, create the upper level using logs. Using wire mesh, create doors in each level to handle the chickens. The coop measures 1m tall by

1m long.

Advantages: Made from local materials, sturdy, keeps chickens safe, warm and productive, easily moved.

Materials needed: Wood (locally available), mesh wire, nails, and an electric bulb (optional). Abraham spent 500 birr on the

construction of his chicken

coop.

Location Bahir Dar

Type of Garden Home garden

IP KHCDP

Gardener(s) Abraham Adan

Extension

Officer/OAC

Mebit/Dagmawi


Beetroot Leaves Preparation

Description: Cooking with beetroot leaves was unheard

of in Debre Markos until we learned that these leaves can be used in the same way

as Swiss chard.

Instructions: Clean 10-15 de-stemmed green leaves and chop into small pieces. Chop and cook 2 onions & several garlic cloves in oil for 3-5 minutes. Add beetroot leaves to the stir-fry along with

green chili pepper (optional). Cook until wilted (7-10 mins). Add salt and pepper, and a quarter of a lemon or vinegar and serve.

Use young leaves for salad and older leaves for stir-fry. Advantages: Gardeners use the whole plant since the beetroot

leaf is usually discarded, and leaves have high nutritional value.

Materials needed: 10-15 Leaves of beetroot (without stems), 2 onion bulbs, garlic cloves, 1 green pepper, salt, oil, vinegar and/or

lemon.

Location Debre Markos

Type of Garden All Gardens

IP All IPs and Schools


OAC/Extension

Officer

Getachew/Nesanet

ugp techincal tips field guide english final

Documents