During the dry season, only one well is fully functional. All the wells are shallow with a depth of 5-6m. 9. ICA staff clean up the empty lot in the office compound to make it available for palm and cashew seeds. The Japanese rural development specialist helps weed and rake leaves. The old fence behind him is soon to be replaced by a new one to keep cattle away from the nursery beds.
ICA staff break the ground to expose rich soil for the palm and cashew nursery beds.
This dry, sandy soil is usually mixed with regular soil to make potting soil for the nursery. Fertilizer containing mainly nitrogen and phosphorus plus some potash are added to the soil mixed with cattle-manure rich soil. Soil management after nursery bed has been made, by applying proper amounts of fertilizer, is very important to increase the quality and quantity of young trees. After wetting, the carefully made soil is packed in the plastic bags. Shade will soon be made about one meter above the pots to protect the seeds and seedlings.