Menu
Corn is sown in the ridges. Usually 2-3 grains together. This is bad farming practice, but it is a tradition. Because there is little shade, a lot of weeds grow and take away valuable nutrients. Fertilizer is very expensive in Togo.
Higher yields would be possible quickly with a maize drill.
Donations are still urgently needed for the purchase of a corn drill!
Agriculture is small-scale, ranging in size from 0.5 to 2 hectares. The farmers are mostly very poor and there is no money to buy machinery. The field work is carried out with almost unimaginable effort. Everything is done by hand and the harvest is also carried home. Traditionally, loads are carried on the head with incredible skill. The load often exceeds the weight of their own body. At lunchtime, from 12 noon to 3 p.m., work usually stops because it gets too hot, even for Africans used to the heat, under the tropical sun with its extreme radiation.
During the tour of Togo together with representatives of the OCDI (Caritas), the idea of an agricultural machinery station came up. I would now like to implement this in the diocese of Kpalimé, whereby the OCDI will provide advice and their local knowledge and contacts will be a great help. A tractor with various attachments and a trained driver will be made available for field work at the agricultural machinery station. When I tell the farmers about my idea of an agricultural machinery station, I always see their faces light up with anticipation.
As there is growth all year round, the fields are very quickly overgrown and have to be laboriously cut free. All by hand.
The grounds of the agricultural machinery station are currently (Jan. 22) being fenced in with a 2.40 high wall. A well for the water supply has now been installed. A container with workshop equipment and other relief supplies arrived in Togo in January 2022. The power supply was installed in August 2022. Initially 220V 15A We have already received a disc harrow and a rotary tiller. A good and sturdy mulcher is needed for maize stubble cultivation and to prevent wild growth, which we will thankfully receive as a donation from the Dücker company in Stadtlohn! With a maize drill, preferably a direct seeder, higher yields could be achieved quickly. The use of the machine will be charged according to the variable costs.
A workshop has already been set up in a small container at the machine station. This is necessary for repair work, but is particularly important for training farmers in the use and care of the machines.
Even the roadsides have to be kept short by hand!
I will report on the progress of the project in a timely manner under News. It is obvious that the realization of this project is impossible without donations.
Our association:
Landmaschinen für Togo e.V.
Mühlenplatz 12b
46354 Südlohn
Tel. 02862 / 8 97 07 84
Mobile: 0172 / 7 94 54 36
Mail: Schmeing-Werner@t-online.de
Registered in the Coesfeld district register under VR. No.:7661
Donation account: Sparkasse Westmünsterland
IBAN: DE 57 4015 4530 0050 2943 05
BIC: WELADE3WXXX
Keyword: Gadjagan
Tax receipts will be issued for donations of €50 or more. A big request to all donors: Please provide us with your address either with the bank transfer or with a short email to make it much easier for us to issue a donation receipt!
I can be reached in Africa at: tel. +49 151 124 28 533 or +228 92 39 93 51 whatsapp, telegram, signal
mail: herking1@t-online.de.
Calling via Whatsapp is possible and inexpensive without any problems.
I moved my residence to Togo in order to set up the station in the best possible way and to train additional staff.
The machine station is located near the village of Agou-Nyogbo, approx. 110 km north of the capital Lomé and approx. 11 km south of the regional town of Kpalimé. A new tarred road ensures good accessibility.