Agricultural Fair 2018. 2

gli orti di Bozoum
les jardins potagers de Bozoum

Agricultural Fair 2018.  2

This year since the beginning of the Bozoum Fair, 14 years ago, for the first time the Bozoum Agricultural Fair did last three days instead of the usual two.

The opening day it was Friday January 25^th while Saturday 26^th was dedicated to special visits. While the fair was going on normally, with the exhibition, sales and trade, the three Ministers of the Government and other guests went to visit the rice fields and vegetable gardens.

Saturday morning I guided everyone to the Center Rizicole Bohoro: a center created in the ‘70s by the Chinese, which is kind of model for the rice fields. The rice, unlike other products, has a fairly high price (around 60 euro cents a kilo). Moreover, thanks to the fact that some Organizations buy the rice in large quantities, the farmers decided for a larger production. Compared to 2016, from the 12 hectares of early stage of cultivation we reached now 32 cultivated hectares. As well for the yield: from the past 35 tons to today 192 tons, with the result of an improvement from 2.91 tons per hectare to the actual 6 tons.

Saturday afternoon is the time of the visit to the vegetable gardens of Bozoum: a dozen families and small cooperatives grow salad, tomatoes, onions, peppers, spinach, potatoes and much more for consumption and sale. Visiting these gardens is always exciting: it is a joy for the eyes, and for the heart!

On Sunday, after the celebration of the Masses, we go back to the Fair: sales are proceeding well, and the students of our “St Augustin” High School are busy to help exhibitors getting ready with the cards showing the achievement of their sales. In the meantime everything is ready for the award ceremony, which starts at 11am. It is a long awaited moment: the best vegetable gardens and the best exhibitors of the fair are rewarded. There is a lot of suspense, and it is nice to see that among the winners there are many who came from far away and a good number of women. A small but well deserved recognition of the fatigue and sweat of so many people. In the evening the closing of the Fair, though the sales go on until Monday. And the result of all this great effort is very encouraging: the cooperatives have achieved an income of over 60,000,000 CFA francs (over 91,500 Euros; 114,000 USD). And already on Monday evening, thanks to the exceptional work of Maurizio Dischino and Francesco, the Bozoum Fair was broadcast in Italy on TV2000. Here is the TV Report:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5VaVtuWaDo&feature=youtu.be

Visita alle risaie
Visite au Centre Rizicole

Foto con il Ministro dell'Agricoltura e il Ministro dell'Allevamento
La photo avec les Ministres de l'Agriculture et de l'Elevage

Aggiungi didascalia

Agricultural Fair 2018. 1

Agricultural Fair 2018.  1

Finally here we are again with the great Bozoum Agricultural Fair. Are at present 14 years we have been promoting this initiative. It’s the only one of its kind in the whole Country: dozens of small cooperatives on an area of 220 km, bring the agricultural products here, taking care of their display and trading them. It's a three-day festival, of exchanges, of trade. It is the peasant pride party. A dozen or so trucks were loaded with corn, millet, beans, peanuts, sesame, cassava, rice and what was produced by families and small cooperatives. The trucks arrive from Ngaundaye, Ndim, Bocaranga, Taley and other areas, within 220 km.

This year we have about 180 cooperatives. For the occasion our Caritas (with the support, this year of the Friends for the Central African Association) organizes the transportation of the merchandise, the organizing of the stands, the reception of the visitors and everything a similar event requires.

Over the years, the Fair has grown, becoming an important event for the all region and for the Country. It is the only Agricultural Fair. For the occasion, the President of the Central African Republic wanted to come and see for himself. At the last moment other important commitments didn’t allow him to come, but he still wanted to send three Ministers (Agriculture, Breeding and Youth).

This year, given the increasing volume of exhibited products and trading, the Fair lasts 3 days. This morning, Friday, there was the inauguration. Tomorrow we will continue until Saturday closing with the awarding of prizes to the best exhibiting cooperatives.

We go on with our peasant pride!

Le varie tappe del riso
les différentes ètapes du riz

Just married

Just married

Saturday, January 13^th we joyfully celebrated the wedding of a nice couple: Sylvester and Valentine. He is the Dean of the state High School, and she is a teacher. Beautiful celebration and beautiful party, which is prolonged, after Mass, with food, drinks, dancing and music.

On Tuesday I go to Bouar, for some meetings, back home in the evening, together with Paolo Silvestro. His wife Chiara and the other two newly arrived volunteers, all of them are a bit sick, for this reason they are forced to stay home.

The preparation of the Fair is more intense day by day. The Fair will take place on January 26^th -28^th, so very few days left and still a lot to do. During the week we go around visiting the fields which appear already like beautiful gardens.

Last Sunday, in Bangui, the brick machine trainer (Hydraform) arrived and there is a good group of people wanting to learn. We also sent two masons, because in the future we could start building schools and chapels with this material. The work is proceeding well: on Wednesday alone they produced 2,250 bricks. It's very good news.

With this good news something not so good. The car accident which happened last week regarding the Caritas car it was a lot scaring. I received some pictures: the engine went off, the brakes did not work and the car started to back away until it fell from a bridge into the river below. We just have to thank that no one, I stress no one, got hurt!

 .

 

 

Sr Annita, Ada, Anna, Sr Lydie, Gauthier, Chiara, sr Anne Marie, Jacques e Ada

i mattoni Hydraform

  

Visiting friends

Visiting friends

Here I am. In the city of Paoua north of Bozoum, 130 km from here, tens of thousands of people are fleeing from rebel fighting. What was a relatively calm area has become once more an outbreak of violence. For now, there are no fleeing people towards Bozoum yet, but the tension is high.

Sunday afternoon I go to Bouar and Baoro. On early Monday morning I go to Bangui. In theory at 9.30 we have a meeting in our Carmel convent, with the FAO. But ... I’m the first reaching the meeting place, though coming from 400 km away, well before of those living here in Bangui.

Tuesday I keep busy in meeting various Government Ministries in order to prepare the Bozoum Agricultural Fair, which is now approaching (26-28 January 2018).

Wednesday morning I welcome at Bangui airport Father Davide Sollami, Enrico Massone, Paolo Silvestro together with Chiara, Ada and Anna. All of them are here to get to know the environment and give help. In the afternoon I get a phone call: the Caritas car, which I sent to the North to prepare the Fair, ended in a car accident. Thank God, there are no wounded. Unfortunately, the car, I have to say very old, companion of many missions of help to many people, will be thrown away.

In the evening we welcome to the Carmel the new bishop of Bouar, Mirek Gucva. At the end of the dinner we give him a beautiful statue of the Child Jesus of Prague as sign of protection and prayer.

Thursday morning we leave towards Bozoum together with Paolo, Chiara, Anna and Ada. Despite yet another flat tire, the driving isn’t too bad, and after 7 and a half hours we arrive in Bozoum.

I wish everyone good work!

Orti al Carmel a Bangui
Jardins potager au Carmel à Bangui

Allevamento bovino al Carmel
élévage de boeufs au Carmel

I semi delle palme da olio

La vecchia macchina della Caritas, in gennaio 2014
la vieille voiture de Caritas, en janvier 2014

Il nuovo vescovo di Bouar
le nouvel eveque de Bouar