richardbferguson

Observations from Rwanda: March 10, 2022

Looking back to Lake Kilimbi on a Sunday morning bike ride. March 6, 2022.

Grey-Crowned Crane, at the Gashora Bird Watching Spot north of the campus of the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA). January 30, 2022.

Great White Pelican. Gashora Bird Watching Spot. January 30, 2022.

White-Faced Whistling Duck. Gashora Bird Watching Spot. January 30, 2022.

RICA Second Cohort students preparing to plant vegetables in a new production field. February 11, 2022.

Hippo tracks through a field of newly planted pepper plants on the RICA campus. The papyrus marsh along Lake Kilimbi is in the background. February 28, 2022.

Maize drying on racks outside a home. North of Lake Sake, which is northeast of RICA. February 18, 2022.

Dried maize, ready to be bagged and trucked to the buyer. Nasho Irrigation Project, February 25, 2022.

RICA students, along with RICA faculty and staff, visiting with a farmer in his field at the Nasho Irrigation Project. The farmer has mulched his corn with composted corn residue, and removed weeds in a timely manner. The area in the foreground is a different farmer’s field, which is not as well managed. These are two of around 30 farmer’s fields under one center pivot irrigation system. There are 63 center pivot irrigation systems in this project, each pivot with 30-40 farmers. February 25, 2022.

Area residents stop to listen to RICA students visiting with farmers – Nasho Irrigation Project. February 25, 2022.

Termites working in a newly planted irrigated soybean field – RICA campus. February 26, 2022.

Banana trees in the foreground of a misty valley east of Lake Sake. February 18, 2022.

Black-Headed Weaver building a nest. February 26, 2022.

White-Browed Robinchat song. February 19, 2022.

Woodland Kingfisher song. February 6, 2022.

Observations from Rwanda: February 6, 2022

Cattle grazing near Lake Gaharwa, with the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) on the far bank. RICA is situated between Lake Gaharwa on the south and Lake Kilimbi to the north. January 2, 2022.

Children cooling off in Lake Gaharwa before filling water jugs and returning to the village with water on bicycles. January 2, 2022.

Pushing a bike uphill loaded with water is a team effort. January 16, 2022.

RICA student Jean Claude picking mangoes in the RICA orchard. January 14, 2022.

RICA Vegetable and Fruit Enterprise Technologist Pacifique demonstrates to students how to identify damaged mangoes while harvesting. January 14, 2022.

A RICA dairy cow in the pasture after milking on a foggy morning. January 2, 2022.

Construction workers arriving to work early on a foggy morning. January 2, 2022.

RICA dairy cows in the pasture after milking in the morning. RICA’s dairy herd is mostly Friesian (Holstein). Approximately 20 cows are being milked in a temporary facility until the permanent dairy enterprise construction is complete. RICA’s water treatment facility is in the background. January 9, 2022.

Cattle Egrets are typically near the RICA dairy herd in the pasture. January 16, 2022.

A Cattle Egret over RICA’s dairy herd. January 16, 2022.

A RICA housekeeper sweeping the sidewalk near Muduha Hall early in the morning. January 15, 2022.

RICA students dissecting rabbits in Biology Lab, with oversight of RICA faculty. January 11, 2022.

Heading to market in the nearby village of Gashora. Jackfruit are currently in season. January 30, 2022.

A farmer preparing a paddy rice field for planting near Gashora, north of the RICA campus in Bugesera. January 30, 2022.

A Wire-Tailed Swallow on a bridge over the Nyabarongo River, east of Gashora in Bugesera district. January 30, 2022.

Observations from Rwanda: January 1, 2022

The campus of the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) has been very quiet the last couple of weeks. Students finished final exams and left campus on December 16. Most construction activities have taken a break over the holiday season. A few staff and students stayed on campus to milk cows and feed chickens, and others insured RICA’s solar power plant and water supply systems continue to function. Students will begin returning to campus in another week, with the next term starting January 10, 2022.

Richard Ferguson

The dormitory for 2nd and 3rd year students on the campus of the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) across Lake Kilimbi. The short structure in the foreground is the water pumping system to draw water from the lake for the campus; the structure under construction to the right is a swine barn for the First Year Farms. December 5, 2021.

A Black-Headed Heron taking flight from one of RICA’s fields. December 5, 2021.

Trees in the conservation savanna woodland on a misty day on the RICA campus. RICA has the second largest area of natural savanna woodland in Rwanda, after Akagera National Park. December 29, 2021.

Female Grosbeak Weaver in a farmer’s sunflower field near Lake Kilimbi. December 5, 2021.

Male Grosbeak Weaver (also known as the Thick-Billed Weaver) in the same farmer’s field as the photo above. December 5, 2021.

Children gathering firewood from RICA savanna woodland. December 29, 2021.

Side-Striped Jackal on the RICA Peninsula Road. December 22, 2021.

Our cat (Little Bit) watching for monkeys. December 29, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: November 20, 2021

Hadada Ibis pair on the banks of Lake Kilimbi, near the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA). July 25, 2021.

Candelabra Tree (Muduha) in the RICA dairy pasture, with Lake Kilimbi in background. July 25, 2021.

RICA students using a GPS receiver to locate soil sample points in their Site-Specific Crop Management class. September 28, 2021.

RICA students processing soil samples in Site-Specific Crop Management class. September 29, 2021.

Measuring soil electrical conductivity, Site-Specific Crop Management class. October 6, 2021.

Planting maize for a study field for the Site-Specific Crop Management class. September 22, 2021.

Young pineapple in our garden. September 26, 2021.

Student Learning Center in the newly completed Campus Center. October 27, 2021.

Exterior of the Campus Center, with Dining Hall on the right. October 21, 2021.

Saturday morning community exercise, RICA campus. October 23, 2021.

*Ammocharis* bloom, along RICA’s peninsula road. Grows as an above-ground bulb. Blooms have very short duration. September 25, 2021.

Along the peninsula road through RICA. September 25, 2021.

Vervet monkey reflection after a rain. RICA Campus Center, October 24, 2021.

Observations From Rwanda: October 3, 2021

Mount Sabyinyo in Volcanoes National Park. Farmers are working in potato fields in the foreground. August 28, 2021.

The past few weeks have been eventful, and very busy. The 2021 academic year for the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) finished on August 12. Students left campus for a well-earned break of about a month before the next academic year started in September. During that time faculty and staff took short breaks, along with conducting a two-week orientation for new students before the start of the term. Teresa and I, along with some other RICA staff, had the opportunity to visit mountain gorillas in Volcanoes National Park during the break. We had a great visit!

Richard Ferguson

Kwitonda (*humble*) – the dominant silverback gorilla (30 yrs old) of the Kwitonda family – 20 members total. August 28, 2021.

The silverback gorilla’s hand as he eats. August 28, 2021.

One of the juvenile members of the Kwitonda family. August 28, 2021.

An adult female stripping leaves from a plant stalk. August 28, 2021.

One of the youngest members of the Kwitonda family – around 1 year old. August 28, 2021.

The silverback gorilla with young playing around him – and Teresa observing. August 28, 2021.

RICA Second Cohort students, during class portrait session. August 29, 2021.

The arrival of an additional 84 students to RICA has changed the atmosphere around campus. Having twice as many students, often with multiple classes occurring at the same time, along with relaxation of RICA’s COVID restrictions, makes the campus feel more like a fully functioning university. Classes for the academic year started September 13, 2021.

RICA is partnering with a German manufacturer to evaluate a prototype electric tractor, studying systems that may be appropriate for use by smallholder farmers in Africa. September 22, 2021.

Construction workers arriving on campus in the morning. Construction continues – currently up to 1800 workers are on campus each day, with some work continuing around the clock. September 19, 2021.

Night construction on the Campus Center. September 13, 2021.

African Pygmy Kingfisher, on the shore of Lake Gaharwa, RICA Campus. September 25, 2021.

Our most recent negative COVID test results. All RICA students and staff are currently tested twice a week on campus by RICA’s nursing staff. Frequent testing, coupled with all students and staff being vaccinated, has allowed RICA’s hands-on approach to education to proceed. October 2, 2021.

The entrance to the now complete housing complex for 2nd and 3rd year students at RICA. The building is in a figure-8 shape; the east side is Akagera Hall, the west side is Nyungwe Hall. September 16, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: August 1, 2021

A Swamp Flycatcher greets the morning on a papyrus stalk on the shore of Lake Kilimbi. June 27, 2021.

Students get their first look at the interior of Akagera and Nyungwe Halls – the housing complex for second and third year students at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA). The building is scheduled to be ready for the next academic year starting in September. July 24, 2021.

RICA students and staff view the interior courtyard of Akagera Hall. July 24, 2021.

Small blooms appearing during the dry season on new growth of a Candelabra Tree (Muduha) on the RICA campus. July 11, 2021.

Ring-necked Doves courting near Lake Kilimbi. July 17, 2021.

A Palm-nut Vulture on the RICA campus. June 27, 2021.

A Hamerkop carrying nesting material. June 27, 2021.

RICA students and Dr. Ullman installing a net electric fence around a small zucchini field, to evaluate this as an option to deter monkey damage to student fields. July 17, 2021.

A Brown Parrot near the RICA cafeteria. July 7, 2021.

A Grey-headed Kingfisher near our house on the RICA campus. July 24, 2021.

The RICA cafeteria, Inuma Hall (Ring-necked Dove), as dinner time approaches. July 20, 2021.

Hamerkop nest building near Lake Kilimbi. June 27, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: July 18, 2021 (Bonus)

While assessing construction progress at RICA’s Campus Center, vervet monkeys found my bicycle to be a new source of entertainment. July 11, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: July 18, 2021

The past few weeks have seen significant increases in COVID-19 cases in Rwanda, presumably due to spread of the delta variant. Parts of Rwanda are in lockdown conditions, though the Bugesera district, where the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) is located, is not yet among the affected districts. Still, the increase of COVID cases nationally has impacted RICA. While the ‘campus bubble’ relaxed slightly mid-term, movement to and from campus is still very limited. These approaches have allowed experiential education to continue at RICA.

Richard Ferguson

A Hamerkop carries nest materials over Lake Kilimbi. June 27, 2021.

A Hamerkop arrives at the nest with additional material. June 27, 2021.

A Hamerkop pair working on their nest. Jun 27, 2021.

A Hamerkop nest in a dead tree near the shore of Lake Kilimbi. Hamerkop nests are the largest of any bird in Africa, and a pair may build several nests a year. The word Hamerkop is derived from the Afrikaans word for ‘hammer-head’. June 27, 2021.

RICA students visit one of the Institute’s center pivot irrigation systems. Classes next term will include introduction to irrigation system management. June 23, 2021.

Patrick, a RICA staff member, describes basic functions of a center pivot irrigation system to RICA students. June 23, 2021.

RICA students listening as Patrick describes the center pivot irrigation system. June 23, 2021.

RICA’s dairy pasture and cows. The enterprise dairy herd has been steadily building over the past few months, with the eventual goal of 20 milking cows in the enterprise ready for instruction in September. Buildings in the distance are part of the temporary base of operations for one of RICA’s construction partners. June 22, 2021.

RICA students in line for COVID testing. With the increase of COVID cases in the country and around RICA, the Institute is currently testing all staff and students twice a week. July 17, 2021.

Until RICA’s potable water treatment plant is fully operational, drinking water is trucked into the campus daily. June 22, 2021.

Wild Morning Glory growing on papyrus plants on the shore of Lake Kilimbi. June 27, 2021.

A Pied Crow on the RICA campus. July 17, 2021.

Red-Capped Robin-Chat – near the RICA mango orchard. July 5, 2021.

Our family was able to meet for the first time in 18 months in June. Ben (left) and Ryan (right) joined us in Nebraska for about a week. The shirts were designed by the son of a RICA staff member. June 15, 2021.

A Palm-nut Vulture over the RICA campus. June 27, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: June 6, 2021

The third term of the academic year at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) began May 10, 2021. This is the first full term that includes only courses from students’ second year of classes, due to curriculum adjustments due to COVID and construction delays.

Richard Ferguson

Construction workers on the roof of the Campus Center, with Lake Kilimbi in the background. May 18, 2021.

RICA students perform a skit during a Bible Study presentation to campus. May 12, 2021.

RICA students enjoy a day on the beach during term break, complete with a food truck (outside the bubble). May 8, 2021.

Full attention during Enterprise:Marketing class. May 18, 2021.

The Lake Kilimbi commuter ferry making its way across the lake. May 15, 2021.

A Black-Headed Weaver on the shore of Lake Kilimbi. May 15, 2021.

RICA farm staff spraying citrus trees in the First Year Farm orchard. May 19, 2021.

A construction worker removes water from a trench after an overnight rain. This was the last significant rain before the dry season set in later in the month. May 15, 2021.

Observations from Rwanda: May 2, 2021

The second term of the 2021 academic year at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) was completed last week. This marked the end of first-year classes for the first cohort of students at RICA; an academic year which stretched over 19 months due to COVID delays.

Richard Ferguson