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Description Of Jacaranda Farm
History The Jacaranda Farm was abandoned when its owner fled the country's riots in 2000. The Kaduna Archdiocese purchased the farm in late 2003 for NGN54,000,000 (Approximately CAD$530,000). The farm was a going concern when the owner left the country. However, due to neglect, the facilities are in dire need of refurbishment. Location Jacaranda is located approximately one hour north of the city of Kaduna. The surrounding area's climate is heavily influenced by the prevailing winds, which blow dry and dusty air from the Sahara desert in the dry season and up from the tropical southern delta region in the rainy season. Much of the rural area is inaccessible by vehicle during the rainy season. The geography of the farm is unique in the area, with a self-contained water-table providing potable water for livestock and a system of two dams, designed to capture rainwater and stream water to use for irrigation. Existing Facilities (Click to see photos) The facilities at Jacaranda provide: a self-contained potable water source, existing agricultural and aquacultural resources in the form of passionfruit, mango and cashew plantations, fish farm infrastructure, a pottery works, a piggery. The intent is to have Jacaranda economically selfsufficient in two years. The residual income will be used to build up the farm and send students to school in Kaduna.
Ministry, Jacaranda Style As part of our visit to Kaduna, Nigeria, we visited the rural villages, in the areas where the Jacaranda Farm will have the greatest impact. We spent the day with Archdeacon Andrew and Canon Praises in the Kasuwa Magani rural deanery and the planted churches among the Gbagyi, Koro and Kadara peoples. The terrain is hostile for most of the year, as the Harmattan winds bring the heat and dust of the Sahara - only a few hundred kilometers away - from November to March, and the rainy season occupies the rest of the year, rendering most of the roads we traveled impassible to conventional automobiles. The villages we visited were constructed from mud brick, and thatched roof, except where tin or plastic could be scrounged for better protection. On a normal day, Archdeacon Andrew travels his routes by foot, bicycle or by hitching rides. He is responsible for bringing the Word to the indigenous people in his deanery. His congregations are made up of primarily subsistence farmers. There is little or no access to medical care, education or disaster relief, except for the presence of the Church. Although it was apparent that the area currently had enough food to foster a small local market (which ground to a curious halt, as we walked around), one couldn't avoid concluding that the region was one drought or disruption in the food distribution network away from famine. Archdeacon Andrew has seen Archbishop Idowu-Fearon's vision: "To live the great commission without confrontation To take the gospel to the rural areas and give them an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour and experience a new life style in Him.". If it wasn't obvious to us prior to the anniversary celebration a few days later, it became very clear during the service that the rural areas are to be the centerpiece of the Archbishop's missionary strategy in the Archdiocese, devoting a significant portion of the event to introducing the Kaduna audience to the rural tribes, allowing their praises to lead the gathering. The Primate of Nigeria lauded the strategic direction of the Kaduna Archdiocese, and prayed that the Lord would cause the plan to bear the type of fruit that multiplied the small Kaduna Diocese from a single unit into 23 Diocese from 1980 to 1999. The Jacaranda farm is a key tool in this strategy, and one which will serve the Archdiocese well into the future. The facilities at Jacaranda are promising given the level of development in the surrounding area: a self-contained potable water source, existing agricultural and aquacultural resources in the form of Passionfruit, Mango and Cashew plantations, fish farm infrastructure, a pottery works, piggery and so on. The intent is to have Jacaranda economically self-sufficient in two years, the residual income to be used to build up the farm, and send students to school in Kaduna. Most importantly, our tour of the rural area drove home for us the absolute necessity of delivering the Gospel message to the people of these areas. The strength of God's word in the face of man-made or natural adversity has been well documented throughout the ages; our Nigerian brother Andrew carries this strength with him every day to those who need it most. – Barry Parker, Tim Davies Map of Nigeria CLICK HERE to view a map of Nigeria showing Kaduna.
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