Insights from the first CSS village: Tindiga With a population of approximately 4000 people representing 1000 households, Ingida village is located 12 kilometers from Kilosa town. The village has a fertile plain with a perennial river crossing the village agro-landscape. The road to Tindiga is in good condition and compacted to save it from flooding plain. All Tingida households are involved in farming with maize and rice being the major energy staples grown in the village. Whereas 100% of the total population grows maize for both food and cash, 80% grows rice. 50% of the maize grown as well as about three quarters (75%) of rice produced is sold for cash. There is a reasonable number of farmers who manage rice fields above this range which makes Tindiga village a hotspot for rice production. Apart from maize and rice, Tingida villagers also produce a range of grain legumes including pigeon pea by 60%, beans by 70% as well as cowpeas by 100% of the total population. Most of the grain legumes are sold. Moreover, sesame and sunflower are also grown in the village by 20% and 10% of the households, respectively. Coconut is also grown in the area. Tindiga village is also a hotspot for vegetable production. The vegetables are grown in extended valley bottom plains under irrigation. The vegetables grown include cabbage, Chinese, tomato, cowpeas, amaranths, cassava leaves, sweet potato leaves. About a quarter of vegetable producers are used motorized pumps and the remaining 75% are practicing bucket irrigation. On the other hand, mangoes and banana are fruits grown in the area. The village is in a Mango forest which leads to diseases during the mango season due to a massive mango production that leaves a big number of rotten mangoes. The banana varieties include both fruits and coked bananas. People of Tingida also keep livestock mainly chickens and ducks. About 80% of villagers keep chickens and 50% keep ducks. Both children and adults in Tingida village eat twice a day including lunch and dinner; children being those who have just weaned and joined the family for common meals. The foods usually include an energy-based food (rice, stiff porridge, or cooking banana) and only-one relish from either vegetables or grain legumes, and sometimes sardines. A typical household in the village consumes meat (either beef or poultry) once a month during a lean period and twice a week during a grace period coinciding with crop harvests from July to October. Sardines from Lake Victoria are brought to Kilosa town by wholesalers. It was found that they are able to smooth consumption and health expenditure through chickens’ sales. Tingida has different sources of water used for different purposes. Whereas the drinking water comes from 3 deep wells, the two rivers with one crossing the village settlement provide water for washing activities. Nevertheless, the river water is being used for cooking beans due to the saltiness nature. The river is also used as a place to dispose wastes, take baths and water the cattle of the Maasai. Consequently, the flowing water from the rivers through the settlement poses a major health risk. The common diseases in Tingida village include malaria, dysentery, Urinal Tract Infection (UTI), typhoid, cholera, bilharzia and HIV-AIDS. Most of the rampant diseases reported can be associated with safe water problem. The village has a dispensary that offers at services including RHC, disease diagnostic tests and OPD treatment; as well as three small pharmaceutical shops.
22.06.2016 08:00
