05/8/2009

Maandeeq’s initial field review/revision report.

The list of review/revision tasks and activities:

1- Land/field:

- Geo-mapping of the field.

- Mapped the types of natural vegetation and trees.
- Mapped field water contours, slopes and sheds.
- Mapped present water retention mechanisms.
- Mapped the condition of the perimeter.
- Mapped existing physical structures.
- Mapped developed and undeveloped areas.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Sanctioned Geo-Drawing (map) of the whole

field/land for future planning purposes and related
issues:

Steps: Hired a Geo-surveyor professional to map and

produce 3 design portfolios (A3, A5 and wall size) of the
whole farm/field.
Status: Completed. Cost: (see revision budget)

b-Developed physical structures and cultivated areas:

Steps: Count structures and purpose, measure planted
areas.
Status: Completed. Cost: Not applicable(n/a)

c-Re-enforce perimeter/fence:

Steps: Obtain suitable poles, hire labourers and erect

B.wire on vulnerable sections of the fence, eastern
perimeter.
Status: Pending Cost: Close approx. $100-150.

d-Water contours/slopes and sheds of the Land/Field:

Steps: Identify direction of water flow within the field

(from SW to NE) and put in place water retention and
slowing mechanisms, stack budding (quarter moon
shape/s).
Status: Pending. Cost: n/a.

2- Field/ farm production(grass, fruit trees and veg.):

- Mapped feed resources (grass) production+ storage

areas.
- Mapped fruit tree (FT) conditions and plantation areas.
- Mapped the tree nursery facilities.
- Observed/Studied and noted present farming
techniques.
- Seed variation an resources,

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Build grass storage/protection sheds:

Steps: Chop logs and sticks, hire a sessional worker, buy

ropes, wires and erect 4 sheds.
Status: Completed. Cost: see revision costs (so far).

b-List type and number/quantity of plant production:

Steps: Count all planted trees and estimate quantity of

grass produced, collected/stored or otherwise.
Status: Completed. Cost: n/a.

c-Seed and plant nursery:

Steps: Check current available seed, collect seeds from

existing grass/AFR, plants and store them for future use.
Status: Started/ongoing. Cost: n/a.

d-Grass seed dispersion on wild areas:

Steps: Collect seeds, identify suitable wild areas(soften

hard surface areas, if need be, by using the tractor. Disperse
seeds just before/during expected rains (Deyr season).
Status: Pending. Cost: n/a or some tractor time.

NB: Present planting/seeding/caring strategies were either

non-existent or v.poor or unsysthemic/unrecorded. The
reason why many fruit trees/AFR either died or unfit for
purpose.
 3- Watering and irrigation mechanisms:

- Mapped existing water and irrigation system/s.

- Mapped main water pipelines, junctions, bonds etc.
- Studied and noted watering schedules and routines.
- Noted available water tools, equipment and so on.

Decision and actions taken:

a-Setup an efficient+effective irrigation system for

trees:

Steps: Deploy drip watering technique, utilize stored and

functioning rubber water pipes+T-junctions. Modify T-
junction’s water outlet to fit the pipe feeding water directly
to tree trunks at the same time.

Outcome: 100% reduction of water/ing wastage/time.

Status: Completed+ functioning. Cost: See revision costs.

b-Setup sprinkle system for grass/AFR watering:

Steps: Repair the faulty sprinkle, setup the unused

sprinkle(if in order) and electric plugs, setup extension
poles and fit the water pipes.

Outcome: 100% reduction of water/ing wastage/time. It

will also cover large area and facilitate/allow further a field
grass production very quickly.
Status: Almost complete. Cost: see revision costs.
 4- Farm labour and workforce:

- Mapped the present WF + their daily tasks.

- Noted their roles, duties and responsibilities.
- Collected personal details, work experience etc.
- Consulted and noted their views, suggestions etc.
- Noted their strengths, weaknesses and needs
- And so on.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Formalise staff, employment and output records:

Steps: Log staff details(job application with photo), revise

and write their roles/responsibilities. Renegotiate
employment conditions/terms and production outputs.

Status: Half way. Cost: Around $20-40.

b-Formalise staff management, supervision and

monitoring:

Steps: Develop simple supervision and monitoring

records/procedures. Specify daily/weekly workloads and
schedules/timetable. Setup a relevant management
structure.
Status: Pending. Cost: Unknown.(Post you
later)
5- Farm resources- machines, tools and equipment.

- Mapped all current available resources in the farm.

- Surveyed their purpose, adoptability and conditions.
- Noted other farm facilities/resources.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Log and record all present farm/field machines and

tools:

Steps: Locate, check and identify all farm inventories.

Status: Completed. Cost: n/a.

b-Proper maintenance, usage and storage of

mach+tools:

Steps: Setup safe and secure storage of all equipment.

Repair faulty ones and ensure that they are cared for, used
and maintained.

Status: Completed. Cost. See revision costs.

6- Farm/field organisation- management, planning

etc.
 - Mapped past organisational and management
structures, where possible.
- Mapped past and present farm records, if any.
- Made inquiries about processes used by past
managers.
- Noted all relevant weaknesses and future needs.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Up to date farm records:

Steps: Setup and develop relevant and appropriate farm

records/documents- financial, production or otherwise.
Train staff and ensure they accurately record every thing in
relation to weight, volume, time, date and so on.

Status: Pending/developing. Cost: Send ASAP.

b-Setup and strengthen common LS development

structure:

Steps: develop rules, recruit management committee,

decide areas of interest, register and network with relevant
development SH, develop programme and funding
proposals etc.
Status: Initial stages. Cost: Forecasted $4-500.

7- Free watering scheme(FWS) for Livestock and

pastoralists.
 - Surveyed the frequency, type and number of LS per
day for a week.
- Studied and noted pressure and impact on the farm as
a whole.
- Noted main problems, possible abuses and changes.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Stopped Camel and LS export services:

Steps: Gave prior notice to service users and clear

instruction to staff not to allow above groups.
Status: implemented(from 19/8/09)

b-Impose service charges for all other users:

Steps: Gave notice to all s.users, a nominal fee for human

consumption (4,000 per trip) and 3,000 so.sh. per sheep for
pastoral households.
Status: Start on 1st Septemper 09.

8- Farm relations with present relevant

stakeholders(SH), local or otherwise.

- Apart from FWS, the farm has no other contact or

relations with all other SH.
Decisions and actions taken:

a-Establish close partnership and networking with all

SH.

Steps: Contacts-email, telephone, meeting etc- Publicity

events and so on.
Outcome: So far, secure support and partnership with
University of Burao and Terri Nouva. Following up some
other leads as well.

9- Farm invasions by wild creatures and others.

- Noted present and recent incidents and invasions.

- Noted the number, type, time and reason for intrusion.
- Mapped whether they are resident in the farm or
where they enter/exit the farm.
- Thinking about meaningful/possible coping strategies.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Flash out in-farm resident creatures:

Steps: Penetrate their hideouts in two locations/bushes in

the field, constant day and night patrols, re-enforce fence
penetration at night on daily basis.
Status: Implemented.
 10- Farm Camels.

There were no Camels in the farm when I first arrived. But

they are now here and safe in the farm.

- Noted their numbers, type, conditions etc.

- Noted current pests, illnesses and diseases.
- Noted their past, present and future milk production
capacity for selection and retention purposes.
- On going discussions with mum, herders and Dr
Haydar to decide the best way forward.

Decisions and actions taken:

a-Retain few milking and 5 She Camels expected to give

birth in October:

Steps: Select 5 highly productive Camels plus the five

expected to give birth very soon, ten in total (plus 5 in-
born-calves). I intend to use above Camels from current
stock as sample to test the viability of Camel Dairy/milk for
the remaining months, October-December, INSHA
ALLAH.

b-Sell or get rid of the rest quickly.

Unfortunately, there is no market at present and no one is

buying Camels for rearing. Besides, Maandeeq’s current
stock are not meaty enough for slaughter either, according
to locals. Hence, we are stuck with them and bound to
cause problems in more ways than one.

Fortunately, I had a different view and very confident they

can easily be sold below market value. As I informed you
earlier, I already sold seven Camels for slaughter for $
1,100 and sell the rest (unwanted stock) by September,
GOD WILLING. The BAARQAB will be my next target
group, among others, to ensure the locals (your present
staff or cult) fully understand what M is all about. A Viable
and Sustainable Local Camel Dairy Program. M’s priority
is to pull doze their self defeating stock of Camels and far
out business/development models which does not fit neither
M’s goals nor your alternative Camel development dreams.

As far as I am concern, Maandeeq is better off to let them

go for free, if we can’t sell them. Though this makes
business sense/logic and truly justified. However, I also
know that this is a very difficult decision, to say the least. It
was even harder to convince mum to sell camels at reduced
prices let alone to give them for free. Frankly, so far I am
only implementing the decisions and actions that you and
your past managers either failed or shied/ignored to
implement for four years despite earlier recommendations.
Let us hope this will reverse and address M’s past mishaps
and miss-fortunes in future.