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Former Minnesota farmer helping Tanzanian farmers get better Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Agri News staff writer
ANNANDALE, Minn. -- A former Minnesota ag teacher and farmer is leading work in Tanzania to improve agriculture practices there.
Mark Jensen of Annandale is the founding director of the Institute of Agriculture for Tumaini University in Iringa, located in Tanzania. He's setting up an Extension-like service, to help local farmers who currently grow food just to survive. Eighty percent of the population are peasant farmers. Jensen wants to help them grow enough crops to make a profit so they can get medical care and send their children to school.
He's doing all this while undergoing treatment for cancer. He was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2003. The cancer has spread and he's lost half of his liver. Doctors are focusing on his lungs, where he has tumors too numerous to count.
Jensen's dedication to the project stems from his faith in God and his relationship with Tanzanians.
"It's through the love of Jesus Christ, it's my faith," he said. "I really feel I've been called and asked to do this. It's for the love of the people, they're a great people over there."
He is known affectionately there as Babu Mzee, or Grandpa Old, a sign of respect that hints at the Tanzanians' reverence for the elderly. Jensen's wife, Terry, is also involved in the effort.
He juggles his time between Tanzania and his treatment in the United States, and he's emboldened by progress made so far.
Three demonstration farms have been established, each in a different landscape to provide information on growing crops throughout the country. Ten villages each have two half-acre test plots. By 2010, Jensen expects 30 villages will be in the program. The plots are normally by a church, said Don Hoese, a farmer from Mayer who traveled with Jensen to Tanzania for three weeks in July.
The institute is focused on three main staples: Rice, edible beans and white corn.
"We're teaching them the value of hybrid seed, soil fertility, weed control, proper timing, minimum tillage...we do some fertilizers, we deal with retaining moisture. Even during their rainy season, they have stretches with no water," Jensen said.
He also teaches them to plant corn close together to create a canopy to retain moisture and block weeds.
The results so far have been astounding. A recent report on one half-acre plot of white corn showed, on a per acre basis, yields of more than 100 bushels.
"That is extremely good," Jensen said. "Usually over there, the farmers get eight to 12 bushels per acre."
The average income in Tanzania is the equivalent of $300 per year, but Jensen said the families he works with probably make about $50. If they store their corn and market it correctly, they could get $7 a bushel.
"It shows that with one acre, this can net as much as one income in Tanzania," he said.
The institute also holds six required demonstration days each year.
"All the community can come. We teach the pastor and evangelists what we're doing specifically, we give handouts. People come and see our plots are different than normal plots. The pastors and the evangelists become Extension agents. They teach when we're not there."
Jensen is getting more help with his work in Tanzania. A research assistant oversees the project while Jensen is away. The Tanzanian native has a agriculture-related degree and studied for a time at the University of Minnesota, learning the model of Extension. U of M representatives have also traveled to Africa, to assess how they can become involved in Tumaini University.
The institute is financially supported by Evangelical Lutheran Church in America congregations in the Saint Paul Area Synod, according to Jensen. The churches and individuals commit $6,000 over three years for one village to have a test plot. They also have raised money for demonstration farm land.
A U.S. advisory committee, which includes retired and current U of M staff, business leaders and pastors also raises funds for the project and oversees the institute, which Jensen is trying to working to make into a non-profit organization. Committee members are beginning to visit Tanzania to help keep the project moving forward.
"We really feel we're doing something to help people, very poor people," Jensen said. "...We're trying to help them better themselves and helping Tanzania to do better in agriculture. There's a lot of potential here, and we're very excited about it."
Hoese said the Tanzanians appreciate Jensen's work.
"Of all the mission trips I've taken, the people love Americans -- not because we got deep pockets, but because we're out there to help them," he said.
To donate: Make donations out to the Institute of Agriculture, Mark Jensen, P.O. Box 157, Annandale, MN 55302.
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