Rain, Rain, Please Come Our Way

 The rainy season has arrived! Well kind of... 

Walk to my corn field (about 30 min)

Yes, I know, it's been a minute... But hey, I've been busy. The seasons have changed, bringing with it new tasks and project opportunities. In light of the new season, I want to focus this blog post on the weather and seasons in Togo, which seems only fitting as the weather is on everyone's mind here during prime planting and growing season.

Unlike most areas of the United States, Togo's seasons are not divided into spring, summer, fall, and winter. Although, do not be fooled, Togo still has very distinct seasons that bring with them different activities, foods, celebrations, and challenges. The determining factor here is just rain rather than temperature.

While there were teasers throughout the months of April and May that allowed farmers to begin working the soil and plant their peanuts, the true rainy season arrived in June, bringing with it a much-needed reprieve from the ungodly heat. I no longer sweat through my sheets at night, find pools of sweat around me after sitting in one place for more than five minutes, or sweat through my clothes by 9am (I wish I was exaggerating). It's funny--I remember thinking it was quite hot when I arrived in Togo last June, but the same time this year I find myself walking around town in a sweatshirt some evenings! 

The new cohort of volunteers arrived in Togo in June and are in the process of completing their three-month training. I was able meet two of the new trainees during their site visits, which are both close to my community. They nervously asked me and several other volunteers in my region if it's always this hot here. We just gave them a sad laugh and told them this is the "cool" season, just wait until February/March. Alas, they will adapt (and sometimes suffer) just as we did and learn to appreciate this time of year when you're not actively sweating every moment of the day.

As the rain became more frequent in June, there was a mad dash to the fields to begin plowing the fields and planting corn, sorghum, and millet. As we progressed through July, farmers continued the laborious task of plowing their fields by hand, and also began planting soybeans, sometimes among their corn. Beans will finish the planting cycle in August (weather willing) before farmers turn their attention to building mounds for yam cultivation and then begin the harvest in October. Right now, town often feels deserted during the day, and nights are quiet as people are tired from walking to and from their fields and working all day.

Working in our experimental field 

The rainy season brings cooler weather and a busy agricultural calendar, but it also brings more sickness. The mosquitoes are now out in full force and many people suffer from mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria and dengue fever. Standing water and lack of sewage systems also leads to decreased sanitation and greater stomach illnesses. Togo has some efforts to prevent certain diseases through campaigns to distribute mosquito nets and malaria medicine for young children, but sicknesses are still highly prevalent and impact everyone in the community in some way.

The rain can also make some activities challenging, such as laundry and sun-drying crops. While writing this post, we received a short burst of rain, and I had to run out of the house to help my neighbor frantically put away crops and clothes laid out to dry. Because most people are involved in agriculture and spend 90% of their time outdoors, I have come to realize how much the weather impacts people's daily lives here. Suggesting a set, precise schedule for field activities and household chores here now seems silly--too many of people's tasks are determined by the weather. I think the high dependence on the weather is a large reason why the concept of time here is so different than back home. Almost nothing runs on time and if it's raining, all activity halts until the rain stops. Even I have found myself more in tune with the weather: remembering the last rain, monitoring the clouds to know when to put away my drying laundry, and hoping for rain alongside my fellow community members to water my garden and corn field.

My garden in June--it's constantly evolving

This year, the weather has been abnormal, messing up farmers' planting activities and leaving people anxious. All crops in my area are rain-fed, and many field tasks are nearly impossible to complete without adequate moisture in the soil. As a result, farmers are left completely to the mercy of mother nature. In the past month, the rain has violently arrived for one or two days, and then leaves us in a dry bout for over a week at a time. The infrequent rains have delayed planting--some farmers are still trying to get their cereal crops in the ground. This has led a feeling of unrest around town, and everywhere you go, you hear people talking about the rain, or lack thereof. 

Each year, it seems abnormal weather patterns only seem to increase, undoubtly a result of climate change which is often discussed and (still) debated in our country. However, in Togo, people are not discussing and debating climate change, they are simply stating the obvious--it's not raining, it's not normal, and it's not good. For me, it's an interesting bridge between my two worlds--I am seeing firsthand how climate change is impacting some of the world's most vulnerable populations despite the fact they did not contribute to the problem while my own country continues to debate and disagree on climate policy and action and investing in renewable energies. (Ok, I'm done--the environmental scientist in me couldn't help it...)

 We all know that we cannot control the weather, so the community carries on the best they can, seizing every opportunity after a highly anticipated rain to complete their work. The rains will (hopefully) continue until November before the cool harmattan winds coming from the Sahara north of us will bring the dry season, and the dust. The landscape will change once more, along with people's daily routines. The dry season brings a much-deserved rest for the farmers (though there will still be yams to harvest and plant), and the community will turn its focus to more social activities and many traditional celebrations. The dry season is also a time to shine for the local masons: the lack of rain creates the opportunity for building projects and home improvements as cement and mud bricks cannot be made during the rains. January through early March is a time of celebration: celebrating the success of the harvest, taking the time to honor those who have passed away during the year, and enjoying the many cultures and traditions one can find in Togo.

Dry season hazy sunrise

But until then, the work progresses, and the community perseveres despite abnormalities in the weather. I will do my best to post more frequently in the coming weeks, but also don't be surprised if you don't hear from me again until the dry season...

I hope the corn is being blessed with bountiful rain back home (wow, I really am starting to think like a farmer these days...) and everyone is enjoying their summer.

Your friendly Peace Corps Volunteer,

Jane

Planting yams in the dry season