In August of 2007, our first drip irrigation workshop targeted the agricultural ministries of Borno State. Of the 40 trainees that we invited, only 20 of these government workers actually participated. There were complaints concerning the lunch served, low transport allowance, and queries concerning the whereabouts of INTERCEP trustee board members. On the whole, that first workshop was successful in establishing INTERCEP as a partner with state government agricultural officials. As we’ve inquired, none of them have built a compost heap, raised a plant bed, or used a drip kit.
In our second drip irrigation workshop in February of 2008, we hoped to really reach the poorest of the poor. Whenever one enters the city center of any northern Nigerian city, one is overwhelmed by the sheer number of the almajirai (Hausa for “disciples”). Therefore, we began to embark on a strategy through which these beggar boys could be trained in drip irrigation to keep them off the streets. My fellow sociology (criminology) students at the University of Maiduguri, particularly A’isha Mandara, encouraged me to first reach their malamai (Hausa for “teachers”). Thus, the Borno Youth Empowerment Forum (BYEF) was requested to help recruit malamai, almajirai, and almajiri parents who would attend the event.
On the workshop’s first day, it was difficult to read the expressions on the faces of these almajirai and malamai because they were obviously cynical. However, as we finally went to search for dry season compost materials each almajiri, every malam, and all of the almajirai parents participated. When lunch was served there were no complaints of someone wanting “tuwo” (corn meal mush) instead of rice. As the transport allowance was daily given to the BYEF officials to assist these poor participants, gratitude was abundant. Not one of these trainees inquired about the constitution, nature, and purpose of INTERCEP because they knew that our only hope was to train these little boys.
Fortunately, this grassroots makeup of the participants even influenced others to marvel at the level of those being trained. One agricultural lecturer from a nearby junior college (“Polytechnic” in the British system) attended and is now building composts heaps on campus. Malamai who were unable to attend the workshop are creating space for raised plant beds in their “tsangaya” (Hausa for “Quranic school”) to train their almajirai. Requests are now coming left and right for drip irrigation kits from casual observers who attended the workshop. State government officials and other Borno non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) are requesting partnerships with INTERCEP in future drip irrigation workshops.
The Son of Man tells a story about a great banquet where the host invited property owners, livestock holders, and the newly married. After hearing of the refusal of each party to attend his fabulous feast, he invited the poor, the crippled, the blind, the lame, and went to the country roads to seek guests. The meaning of this narrative demonstrates that the poorest of the poor are those most likely to participate in the Messianic meal. What we witnessed at our INTERCEP drip irrigation workshops is that those at the grassroots of society are most eager to implement self-help farming. It is those at the village level who will be most receptive to the Master’s message of hope.
Gathering Millet Stalks for Composting
Randall McAdams with Almajirai and Malamai
