The incubées describe their experience (Part 3)

Joseph Ngalu Ngalu

“My first impressions are good. It’s a beautiful adventure where I am learning a lot. Before this, I was groping along, but the project showed me where to start, the broad principles, the boundaries... It’s concrete now. (...) I learned to become autonomous, I can trust myself now. With regards to administration, I have to keep a document with all the data, unlike the peasant practice. On the technical plan, I was able to master the value chain from production to marketing. I also mastered the steps of agroforestry in space (acacia and fruit trees). My dream is to create an agricultural business to be autonomous. (...) I learned with the workers, that if you don’t cooperate with them, there will be consequences in the work... I learned to make them feel at ease while being a leader. You have to respect them. It creates a climate of trust. “

Serge Makelela

“For the first time, we put in place hectares of soya and cassava cross-culture. We learned that we wouldn’t reach the standard yields. In fact the predictions were made on the basis of a standard yield, but the actual yields were lower. Maybe we should have taken into consideration the fact that soy was planted in association with cassava and acacia, as opposed to a monoculture. (...) It’s an innovative project, where we associate acacia trees, cassava, fruit trees... With this experience I feel well-equipped for the future. I will work well because of this project. Personally, I learned a lot. (...) There is an exchange of experience with the others. I acquired a lot of experience with my fellow incubatees. We have to continue in this direction, and accumulate capital to be able to continue. We are pioneers. The project must go forward . “

Nestor Mulamba

“The project allowed us to put the theory into practice. It allowed me to work and manage 2.5 ha. (...) The niebe crop didn’t adapt well to the season. We couldn’t harvest anything. I struggled, re-planted and this time it’s working. I did my investigation, re-read a few authors… it looks like niebe isn’t adapted to the long season. [The project] allowed me to manage financial resources, human resources and material resources. (...) At the very beginning, it was difficult. The workers think they know how to do things, and we also have our own method. There are contradictions. We tried to reconcile the methods and to adapt ourselves. Some of their methods waste space. For cassava, they sow with a hoe. That way, the cuttings don’t burn. (…) The future is better. I now feel capable of doing everything. The next cohorts will have models to follow. “

Dady Makaya

“[With this project] you can perfect your professional experience. It’s a service to the Congolese nation. The country expects us to feed the population. Here I was given the financial means, the material means, housing.... You have to have a business plan, a very important tool for any future entrepreneur in order to launch an activity. It’s the daily management of a private business, you need to organize, you need to coordinate. You need to works hands-on, you need to pay people. (...) I learned from the others, and the others learned from me. It is important to integrate ourselves to their way of life (the peasants). “