A report of industrial training carried out at St. Paul's college, Mbale mixed farm

Abstract

The internship was conducted at St. Paul's college, Mbale mixed Farm, located in college cell. Namakwekwe ward, northern division Mbale Municipality in Mbale district along Soroti road 2km from Mbale town for a period of ten (l0wks) starting from 20th May 2019 to 26th July 2019 The purpose of this farm was to impart students with practical skills and knowledge in order to meet the demands of the communities the following areas as seen below; Pasture Management, we carried out activities like; cutting and collecting both Napier and brachiara species in preparation for raising new pasture gardens, planting them using Napier stem cuttings and brachiara splits with the spacing of 1mX1m, planting soybean in guinea grass in order to fix N2 to the soil harvesting elephant grass to feed on animals and rejuvenate, clearing weeds in paddocks to create space and reduce on competition. Poultry section, we carried out activities like; operating the incubator in preparation of setting eggs for incubation and mixing both layers and broilers chick mass to feed on chicks. Banana plantations, we carried out activities like; minimum tillage to maintain the soil structure and texture and conserve moisture, we pruned them. pricking out some banana plants, opening water channels and marking banana holes to renew the garden. Maize garden, we investigated the effects of fall army worms on maize plants, pest management by setting up moth fraps trap the spraying using Hitcel, Eminent and AMDOCS to control fall army worms. Farm structure and greenhouse farming under farm structure, we made a barbed wire fence to fence the farm land, and under greenhouse farming we maintained the green house, collecting gutter positions and opening blocked emitters, harrowing and levelling ridged soils, sprinkling and watering, fixing drip lines and binding wires, dibbling holes, planting, spraying insecticides. weeding and monitoring the planted crops in the green house. Cotton garden, we fetched and collected water for mixing pesticides, measuring the pesticides to have a correct mixture, spraying against cotton boll worms, and repairing matabi knapsack to increase on the pressure and mist. Passion fruit garden: we dug pole holes for supporting passion fruit plants and branches, weeding, cutting and collecting poles for making the shade, measuring and cutting poles, treating the stand poles to prevent pest attack. spraying against spider mites and aphids, raising the treated poles, making the shade and pruning them. Finally, coffee plantation, we slashed weeds to prevent the outbreak of pests and diseases. We were supervised by our university lecturer Mr. Budda Mark on the above activities through interviewing us one by one and assessing marks on Thursday 18th July 2019 in the 9th week of our internship and lastly pest management by spraying against coffee pests and diseases.