A few months ago, we introduced you to our grassroot trainer Letson Kachoronga, who was sent to Lusaka to work for SIFAT (Servants in Faith and Technology) who work in partnership with the Methodist Church. We visited him recently to see how he was doing with the project.

As we drove through the community to the church, many of the maize fields we passed looked as though they were lacking water and nutrients, and had been planted late – the plants were small and the leaves were yellow. As we reached Letson’s crops we were amazed, the demonstration plots that he has planted in front of the Methodist church really are a shining light to the community around. Even though he experienced poor germination with some of his soya beans and ground nuts, the plots still look healthy.

Letson shared with us that of the eight or so farmers he trained at the beginning of the season, all of them have adopted the teaching and have planted their maize using Foundations for Farming methods this year. Though there are weaknesses in mulching and weeding, Letson is pleased with the results that his farmers have achieved in their first year, and he is encouraging them to go the extra mile and weed more and find more mulch so that their results will be even better. Letson took us to see one of the farmers who has tried Foundations for Farming and his maize was twice as high as his neighbours’ and looking much more lush and green.

John, the pastor at the Methodist church has also adopted the Foundations for Farming teaching from Letson. John and his family have worked hard on a large plot of land, and he was proud to show us his crops. “I’m going to grow maize this way every year” John told us, “because look how great my crops look.” He took us to his neighbour, who normally gets the highest yields in the community, but his crops weren’t looking as good as John’s. John explained how his neighbour plants maize in the same place every year and that he needs to learn to do crop rotation. John is hoping that as he rotates his maize with his Soya beans next season, his neighbour will see the benefit, and start to practice crop rotation too.

Please continue to pray for Letson and John as they try to spread a message of hope through farming.

Gavin Johnson (’95 Springbok Rugby World Cup winning team member!) owns a fishing lodge on the Zambezi River in the West of Zambia, called Mutemwa Lodge. Mutemwa is a beautiful place, full of the love and joy of Christ. Gavin has a heart, that not only the guests of Mutemwa Lodge may be blessed by the love of Christ, but that the surrounding communities will also be affected, and so in working with the local church, Gavin is involved in bringing Foundations for Farming to Western Zambia.

Gavin and his wife Penny recommitted their lives to God seven years ago, and as a result they now use their business to fund ministry among the poor communities surrounding the lodge. Gavin is an elder in a small village church led by a local Zambian called Anton. Anton has recently been to Harare’s Centre of Excellence for a Foundations for Farming Champions Conference and is passionate about now teaching it to the local people in Western Zambia. The church has just been given some land, which they hope will one day be home to a Foundations for Farming training centre among other things.

Western Zambia is a special place, largely untouched, it is rich in indigenous flora and fauna, however, it is under threat. The local people practice shifting agriculture (i.e. cut virgin bush down, farm for a couple of years until their yields decrease from soil degradation and then move on and cut down more forest and so forth), which has visibly affected the landscape on the road out to the remote lodge. Also, there is a road being built through the area to a main town further North, and while the road will bring good economic opportunities to the local villages it will also expose the forest to further exploitation as other nations seek cheap sources of wood for their own development.

Therefore, it is crucial that the local people are taught principles of stewarding the land well so this important ecosystem can be protected. Already the deforestation has affected the rain patterns (there is generally less rain) and the bare exposed soil is being washed into the river by what rain there is. Gavin’s boat guides say that every year the river is getting shallower in winter, yet every year there are now more floods because water runs into the river much quicker now there are less trees to help infiltration.

Gavin and Penny are obviously very busy running the lodge so it can be a challenge for Gavin to achieve his goal of demonstrating excellence in agriculture alongside his business, however, the staff at his grounds have had some practical training in Foundations for Farming and have planted maize at a very high standard, which is looking very lush and strong. They have also a rather size-able vegetable garden, the produce of which is used in the kitchen for the guests of the lodge, and they try to grow it all organically so there has been lots of effort put into building big compost heaps!

A farming life in Western Zambia is not without its challenges though, last year monkeys ate Gavin and Penny’s maize crop and they were unable to reap a single cob. They have also had trouble with monkeys stealing all sorts of produce from their vegetable garden. While monkeys are obviously a nice creature to have running through your lodge for your guests to enjoy, Gavin and Penny have been struck with the realisation of how much of a pest these creatures must be to the local farmers.

Gavin really hopes that his crops can be a shining light to the surrounding communities, and that the profits of the lodge can help to fund the training centre, and other community work that Anton and the church is involved in. Gavin also has a massive vision to see the area transformed into a place that is safe from deforestation, where animals and humans can co-exist, and where tourism can continue to fund work that benefits the local communities and environment.

First Quantum Minerals Ltd. is a rapidly growing mining and metals company currently operating two mines and developing five projects worldwide. To counter some of the negative impacts of mining, mining companies seek to benefit local communities in many ways. One of First Quantum’s mines is in the Copperbelt of Zambia, in a place called Solwezi and excitingly, they came to Harare’s Centre of Excellence to be trained in Foundations for Farming so that they can role out conservation farming in Solwezi as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programme. You may remember this letter appearing on our website, which was their response to our training. Since then a number of people from Harare’s Centre of Excellence have visited First Quantum in Solwezi to see how they have been doing.

Solwezi is a very interesting place, with it being at the heart of the Copperbelt, many people flood there with the hope of being able to get a job at the mines. However, even with the massive work forces employed by the mines, there is no where near enough jobs to go around. As a result, as you drive through Solwezi you will see a very chaotic sea of faces, the vast majority of them unemployed, resorting to prostitution, theft, or illegal businesses to survive. Teaching them to grow food will hopefully have a massive impact on this area.

On their return from Harare, the team from First Quantum planted some maize in their office car park, as a shining light to the many people that walk past. They told us that they’d had many strange looks as they planted because the ground in the car park was so dreadful it was crazy for anyone to expect anything to grow there. But we can testify that their small car park plot looks amazingly healthy, and hopefully people that are passing by are taking note of that.

Guy Hammond, who leads the conservation farming initiative in First Quantum works in a team of four, and between them they train and mentor 300 farmers. They visit the farmers on a regular basis to give them extra training and encouragement for the work they are doing, and are teaching them how to grow maize and soya beans. The farmers themselves have amazingly high standards of farming under the tutelage of Guy and his team, and though it is their first season doing Foundations for Farming, and it is very early days, we have been pleased to see their progress so far and see massive potential in their fields.

Alongside the training of the 300 farmers around the mines, Guy has been presenting conservation farming training for a local TV station on a weekly basis. The TV crew comes to a local school where First Quantum have been teaching and growing some crops, and they film Guy giving a relevant training for the time of year. The recording is then edited and shown on TV a few days later. While we visited, the TV crew came out with us to visit some of the 300 farmers, and it was great to see the excitement of the farmers as they told their testimony on TV!

The Copperbelt area receives a lot of rain and this is both a blessing and a curse for farmers. It is a blessing because most crops and vegetables grow very well, but it also means weeds also grow very quickly!  If farmers are not faithful with weeding all year round it has a big impact on their crop yields. Many fields that we saw that weren’t practicing Foundations for Farming had weeds as big, if not bigger, than the crops themselves. Comparing the fields you can see a massive difference in their crops to the crops of those who are following Foundations for Farming teaching.

Overall, it was encouraging to visit some of the farmers to see and hear of the impact that First Quantum and the Foundations for Farming teaching has had on their lives, and we pray that the word will spread that farming is a great way to support your family, and that one does not need to turn to theft or prostitution to survive. We are also trusting God to establish and build His church in Solwezi to bring the hope of Jesus in place where there is a lot of suffering and poverty.

Pete West was born in Zimbabwe, and for a year and a half from 2001, lived with Brian and Cath Oldreive (founders of Foundations for Farming) on their commercial farm. While he was there he helped on the farm, and also worked with Kingsway Community Church in Bindura, Zimbabwe. It was while he was living with Brian and Cath that he learnt the principles and techniques of Foundations for Farming (or Farming God’s Way as it was then).

Pete recalls, “Through spending time with Brian and Cath I caught a measure of the heart that God has for the poor. With that burden, I was released by Brian to serve a friend of his in Clarens in the Freestate and so I moved to South Africa in 2003.”

In 2003 Pete started to serve a local church in the North of Lesotho, called Rehobothe Church, from the base church in Clarens. He was involved in leadership in the church and also with training their members and the rest of the community in Foundations for Farming.

In 2004 the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN approached Pete and his wife to see if they could help spread Foundations for Farming into Lesotho. They have now been working with them for six years and have seen hundreds if not thousands of people trained.

Though they have seen so many people trained, Pete shared that it has been a real struggle to get all the farmers who have been trained to be faithful with all the principles. “We believe the most effective way to see widespread transformation is for the gospel to go out as we teach people to honour God and farm His way. Our nations need churches that can be centres of excellence where the glory of God can be displayed even in our crops. We believe that walking with people, in accountable relationships, is going to be how we ensure the transformation of our rural areas. Often we have found that once the transforming work of the Holy Spirit has changed a person’s heart, they are in a place where they can receive the full benefits of Foundations for Farming.”

For one person in particular, hope was enough to bring change, though Pete is still trusting in God for their salvation, the transformation in the life of Mr Thabang Mokone and his family has been dramatic.

Thabang uses his property around his house to grow maize for his family. It is roughly one fifth of a hectare. Before using the principles and techniques of Foundations for Farming he was yielding 60kg of maize off the plot.

In 2005 Lesotho experienced a terrible drought and the only people to get a crop that year were six farmers from a village called Mokotjela who Pete had trained in Foundations for Farming. They had faithfully gone up into the mountains to cut thatching grass to make sure that they had enough mulch for their fields. That year the six farmers averaged 1.2 tonnes per hectare each, when the majority in the country got nothing. The average yield per hectare in Lesotho on a good year is 300kg. It was during this season that Thabang saw what was happening in Mokotjela and decided he could do the same, if not better.

Pete West has been so encouraged by Mr Thabang Makone’s progress with Foundations for Farming, “I visited him and his family recently and his favourite catch phrase for the afternoon was ‘God’s way of farming has made the difference’ – This was said a number of times throughout the afternoon, my favourite was when his wife brought out the meal and I noticed we had chicken to eat (chicken is normally served about twice a year in Lesotho) ‘God’s way of farming has made the difference!’ – Amen to that.”

Thabang’s yield grew from 60kg to 340kg in his first year and he is now reaping over 1 tonne of maize from his little garden. So his average yeild is the equivalent to 5 tonnes per hectare compared to the national average of 300kg per hectare! Thabang’s performance attracted the attention of the Public Eye Newspaper (to read the article click here). He now spends his time in his garden, with his family and with his community teaching them to enjoy ‘God’s way of farming making the difference’.

Pete West says, “Our vision for Lesotho is to see the Kingdom of God come to Lesotho and to raise up leaders that will bring transformation to their communities and to the nation. Foundations for Farming is a key that will unlock the Gospel to this nation.”

ESPANOR is a Christian organisation based in the Mozambican town of Milange, close to the Southern border of Malawi. The ministry aims to contribute to the socio-economic and spiritual development of the Milange district. They felt called to start with holistic community development, and as the majority of the people in Milange district are dependant on agriculture, they were looking for an agricultural training program. In June 2010 and 2011, Johann van der Ham from Foundations for Farming Malawi, visited ESPANOR and carried out two, week long Foundations for Farming trainings in various villages that ESPANOR are working with. In seeing the amazing fruit from these visits, ESPANOR contacted Harare’s Centre of Excellence and asked if there was any possibility of ‘borrowing’ a Grassroots Trainer so that they could continue the Foundations for Farming work that Johann had started in their communities and improve the standards a their own farm.

In October 2011, Cliff Mutawu was sent to ESPANOR to serve them, and both Cliff and ESPANOR have really enjoyed the season together so far. Cliff has been working with Foundations for Farming for two years and seemed like the natural choice to send to serve ESPANOR in Mozambique.

 “Although we received some basic trainings, we missed this someone and failed to implement Foundations for Farming at our own farm to a high standard. Therefore we wanted to have a Grassroots trainer to train and coach our staff by walking hand in hand with them and being involved in the daily running of the projects.” says Weibe van Horssen, a Dutch missionary who is working for ESPANOR in Mozambique. “We really wanted to be able to convince other people of new farming methods, based on Biblical principles, and to do this we felt we needed someone who is mature in their faith, and a good trainer of Foundations for Farming.”

Though Cliff was originally invited to serve ESPANOR for a three months, they have been so pleased with the work that he has done that they have asked him to stay for the duration of the year, finance permitting.

Cliff told us “The education in Mozambique is down, so for them to change from their beliefs is a challenge. It’s a good learning experience for me, and I am seeing the hand of God in the challenges I am facing because I am not in my comfort zone.” Being younger than many of the people he is training, it can be a challenge for Cliff, especially as he is also having to speak through a translator most of the time, though the staff at ESPANOR have been especially grateful for the way that he has conducted his relationships with the other staff at the farm with dedication, joy and openness. Weibe says “Cliff is a dedicated and faithful person,with vision and passion for his work. We have seen that he is motivated to bring change on a holistic way. He is technically well equipped; knows what he is doing and has the teaching skills to share his agricultural knowledge with others.” They have also been really impressed with the very high standards that Cliff has implemented at their farm.

It seems that ESPANOR will continue to use Foundations for Farming in their ministry and outreach, and we are excited to see where this leads in the future. Weibe shared with us that it is their desire to establish a Foundations for Farming training centre in Milange . “At this centre we want to train volunteers from several communities in the complete package of Foundations for Farming (at elementary level). We want to have our staff involved in the community work and the farm trained in the complete package of Foundations for Farming. It is our desire to make our farm a demonstration of Foundations for Farming in practice on a larger scale” Weibe says.

Having now sent Grassroot trainers to Mozambique and Lusaka (which you can read about here) we are excited to see how God is starting to use some of the young people that have been discipled and trained at Harare’s Centre of Excellence over the last few years. Who know’s where in the world God will send one next… maybe to your nation?

Dan and Mary Vissani came to work for Foundations for Farming in 2009 and took up the responsibility of teaching the Foundations for Farming principles to churches and people living in the peri-urban areas of Harare. They teamed up with Joseph and Vivian Chitepo, a Zimbabwean couple, and as a team they served faithfully for two years. Sadly, Dan and Mary’s work permit renewal was not granted so they returned home to America just before Christmas, but we are so grateful to God for the time they were with us in Zimbabwe. Dan and Mary talk about their time with Foundations for Farming  in a recent interview.

So, Dan and Mary, how did you come to be here in Zimbabwe?

“When Dan came back from his first trip to Zimbabwe, he knew God was calling him to pursue an agriculture-themed ministry. He followed the only contact he had, a agro-centred ministry in Florida called ECHO. Amazingly, Brian Oldreive (founder of Foundations for Farming) had just been there to speak at their annual conference, so when they heard about Dan’s connection with Zimbabwe they pointed him to the Foundations for Farming plot that Brian had established there. The following year Dan traveled to the Foundations for Farming station in Harare to learn as much as he could.

“During his visit in 2008 Dan saw that Foundations for Farming was an amazing Godly solution to the poverty facing Zimbabwe, and that it was indeed God’s plan for His calling of agriculture-themed ministry to be worked out alongside this anointed ministry. We then began to make plans to come to Zimbabwe and serve long-term, and we have now been serving with Foundations for Farming for two years, from September 2009 through October 2011.

What did you spend your time doing?

“Because of our heart for, and calling towards, a specific congregation in a peri-urban area, we were asked to serve Foundations for Farming’s peri-urban outreach. Over these two years we have developed its vision, purpose and plan, and taken part in its implementation, in partnership with 2-3 talented Zimbabweans. Practically, this involved strategy meetings, community visits, teaching, demonstrations, follow-up, and much prayer.

What have you learnt from being involved in the ministry that others might find helpful to know?

 “The uncomfortable truth in this type of ministry is that many people whom we teach and walk with will not follow-through with changes that can lift them out of poverty. (It’s important as well to remember that God is pleased not only by outward signs; there are many changes that happen in people which we are not privileged to see.) There are some, however, who, because of God’s work in their lives, grab the message wholeheartedly, work at it faithfully and reap abundantly.  Those champions have been a definite highlight.  Another has been the privilege of working with Zimbabweans of such high caliber and watching them grow in ability and grace.  We were thankful to be mostly out of the spotlight, facilitating and discipling these humble co-workers.

What is next for the Vissani family?

“After a brief stop in Kenya, visiting a ministry called AfricaHope, we will spend about five months traveling around the States to the many churches and individuals who supported our ministry here, sharing about the work God is doing in Zimbabwe.  During that time we will also be seeking direction from the Lord, as our next steps are rather unknown.” 

How can we pray for the you as you go home?

“Thanks for asking! Mostly for an extra measure of trust in our faithful God, and peace for our family in the midst of uncharted transitions. You can also join us in praying that God would reveal to us the right path which He has prepared for us to walk in.”

All of the team at Harare’s Centre of Excellence will really miss them, they’ve been such incredible members of the Foundations for Farming family, and it’s strange not seeing their faces around the campus. Please pray with us for them as they continue on in their journey with God and He takes them back home. Below are some public testimonies of thanks for their sacrificiall service:

“Dan set an example for all of us by learning to become almost fluent in Shona in a record time of under six months. With great love for our Lord and His people, they carefully and meticulously built relationships and shared vision and knowledge with the peri-urban folk, and expanded their horizons to numerous other townships. We have learnt so much from their experience and tireless efforts.”

- Brian Oldreive, Founder of Foundations for Farming.

“I think what I loved most about Dan and Mary was their willingness to be so totally part of life in Zimbabwe. The way they chose to have Olivia here when they could have gone back to the States for her birth. The way their Shona friends called Liv “Chipo” and that Liv answered to both names was such a lovely indication of their hearts for Zimbabwe. They built such strong cross-cultural relationships, which was such a great reminder to us all that we are “all one new tribe” in Jesus. They gave Foundations for Farming such credibility in the peri -urban areas where they worked, showing demonstratively that it was a tool to bring about the kingdom of God by serving so faithfully and giving so much of themselves in the process they will be GREATLY missed and always loved by us.”

- Cath Oldreive, Brian Oldreive’s wife

“Dan and Mary for me epitomised the two outstanding qualities of Jesus – unselfishness and humility. They actually walked their talk. It was surely a blessed privilege to have served alongside such a Godly couple who impacted our lives greatly. They leave Zimbabwe, not only as true Champions, but very special and dear friends to Bridgie and I”

- Craig Deall, CEO of Foundations for Farming

“The Vissani’s and Chitepo’s were so faithful in serving in their areas. Though they faced challenges they continued with wonderful love and hope. I’m confident God will continue to produce much fruit from their ministry in the years to come, but we will miss them all dearly.”

- Ben Frampton, Foundations for Farming UK.

“Dan and Mary are special friends, ones I know I will cherish for ever. Their leaving is a massive loss to Zimbabwe, and us, but a huge huge blessing to those in America, and I know that God will lead their steps and guide them into their next big adventure!”

- Cat Frampton, Foundations for Farming UK.

In October 2011 Foundations for Farming South Africa was officially launched by Brian Oldreive and Craig Deall, (Founder and CEO of Foundations for Farming respectively) when they were in South Africa. For a number of years there has been a growing number of South African Foundations for Farming Champions who have been training and sharing vision in their respective areas and across Africa.So it is great that they have now come together to form their own entity to take the message forwards in South Africa in unity. Willie du Plessis tells the story of how Foundations for Farming South Africa has come to this point;

“I first met Boet Pretorius and Ben Viljoen about four to five years ago while they were giving talks in South Africa. Ben lives in Uitenhage, which is not far from me and so we kept in touch. In October 2010 my wife and I attended a Foundations for Farming conference in Polokwane, South Africa where we also met Brain and Craig.

We felt that we would like to support Foundations for Farming in South Africa and discussed it with Brian and Boet. They have made a lot of contacts with people from South Africa over the years but there was no coordination or organisation to support the role out of the programs and so they asked me if I would be interested in setting up Foundations for Farming South Africa. After lots of prayer and meditation, we decided to do it.

We started off by setting up Foundations for Farming South Africa Trust and opened a bank account for it. We are in the process of registering as a Non Profit Organisation in South Africa.

During 2011 we spent most of our time making people aware of Foundations for Farming and following up on contacts we had and are still receiving. Then, we called together a group of interested people, along with Brian and Craig, and formulated a strategy for the future of Foundations for Farming South Africa.”

At the end of this meeting Brian and Craig prayed for the team and commissioned them to take the message forward in South Africa with the humility and unselfishness of Jesus.

This is an exciting new chapter for Foundations for Farming and if you would like to get involved please contact Willie du Plessis kromhout@intekom.co.za or find out if there is a Champion in your area by going to our contact page here.

In October 2011, Christian Aid launched a report on Africa’s Green Revolution and lobbied the British Parliament to support more sustainable agricultural approaches in Africa. The report argues that:

Sustainable farming techniques are being sidelined in favour of a quick-fix solution – modern seed varieties (MVs) that produce better yields if treated with synthetic fertiliser and pesticides. Such inputs are expensive and the seeds need frequent replacement. In Asia, the use of MVs in a head-long rush for bumper harvests has been shown to accelerate soil degradation, destroy crop diversity and encourage farmers to go into debt. 

As Africa seeks to banish hunger, sustainable alternatives that can boost production, incomes and food security, help conserve soil and water and build resilience to climate change remain badly under resourced.  

The report states that ‘while there is no denying the achievement of Asia’s Green Revolution in lifting yields and reducing hunger, improvements began to stall in the 1990s amid problems that should give African governments ‘more than a pause for thought’.’ 

These include widespread soil degradation, increased vulnerability to pests, farmer debts, a decline in traditional farming knowledge, increased inequality in rural communities, loss of biodiversity and increased greenhouse gas emissions from industrial agriculture. 

The agricultural methods which Foundations for Farming teach are also known as conservation agriculture or conservation farming and fall under the wider grouping term of sustainable agriculture. The Christian Aid report features case studies on sustainable agricultural projects around the world, including Zimbabwe, where the ZimPro Trust supported by Christian Aid, have been promoting conservation agriculture.

Foundations for Farming had the pleasure of training the staff from the ZimPro Trust in conservation agriculture and is pleased to see the impact it is having and hope its testimony persuades governments and donors to change their thinking.

However, on top of this Foundations for Farming believes that unlocking Africa’s smallholder productivity does not simply lie in changing their agricultural methods but in seeing real heart attitude changes towards faithfully stewarding their land and resources.

To download the full report ‘Healthy Harvests: The Benefits of Sustainable Agriculture in Africa and Asia’. Click here.

Despite the economic problems in Malawi, it has been a busy time for Foundations for Farming in Malawi with many exciting developments.

On 24th October 2011 the Mail & Guardian, South Africa’s oldest quality newspaper, featured an article examining the state of Malawi agriculture. In 2004 the Malawi government introduced a fertiliser subsidy programme which has attracted many plaudits and critics. The article features an interview with Foundations for Farming Champion, Johann van der Ham, on the issues facing small holder farmers and how conversation agriculture offers a better long-term solution to boosting productivity in Malawi. To read the full article click here.

Johann van der Ham also works for Crown Financial Ministries, an interdenominational ministry dedicated to equipping people around the world to learn, apply, and teach biblical financial principles. Crown Financial Ministries started in America, but is now found in most continents. Johann has seen how Foundations for Farming and Crown Financial Ministries can compliment each other in their teachings, “We all know that financial management is something that needs to be addressed. What if those we trained in Foundations for Farming are starting to show profits. Do they know how to handle/steward the money? Crown can play a significant role in teaching Biblical principles of finance.” - Johann van der Ham. So, in September, Johann invited André Styger, the Vice President for Crown Africa to attend the Foundations for Farming Champions Conference in Harare. Here is André’s reaction to the conference:

Johann van der Ham is currently involved in taking this relationship further, helping Crown to develop teaching material more relevant to rural Africans, and as a result, he’s making a film! Johann shares some insights into what the film will be about:

“Many years ago the Lord spoke to Brian Oldreive that he should teach Africa how to make a profit. Many small scale farmers embraced the message of stewardship and as a result are now showing profits! The question is; are they ready to steward the money to the glory of God?  

African Horizons (The producers of “Times of Change”) is in the process of making a new film addressing this critical question. In the story we find a young family in Malawi facing the normal struggles and temptations which comes with money in the house. Based on the teaching of Crown Financial Ministries, this movie is to take Africa by surprise. There are many uncertainties in a very unstable economic climate. There are many questions which demand answers. As the story progresses it takes us from the hot lower Shire Valley, all the way to the cool waters of Lake Malawi. The challenges of extended family, loan sharks, in-laws and coping with peer pressure set the scene for a need for financial breakthrough, breakthrough which comes only when God’s Word is applied to life.”

Johann and the rest of the team in Malawi, would really appreciate your prayers as they continue in the making of this film. With diesel shortages in Malawi, travelling to different locations for filming is a challenge, but the Lord will provide!

Letson Kachoronga, who graduated in September this year from Harare Centre of Excellence’s grassroot trainer programme, has recently arrived in Zambia. He has been sent to help SIFAT (Servants in Faith and Technology), in partnership with the Methodist Church, establish a Foundations for Farming training programme at their new base just North of Lusaka.

Letson arrived at the base on the 7th November, and has since been clearing land so that he can put in some Well Watered Gardens and research plots, and last week he trained a group of eight farmers from the community. As the community around the station traditionally farms using ridges ( which involves creating big ridges on the soil and planting on top of them), Letson will be putting in a demonstration plot which shows Foundations for Farming methods, and ridging side by side.  These demonstration plots are right on the main road so that the community can see the difference and benefits of Foundations for Farming come the end of the season.

John, who is the Pastor of the Methodist Church on the base, lives on site. He is a farmer himself, but up until now has been planting maize on ridges. He told us that he ‘hasn’t had the right knowledge’ until now, and this year he is looking forward to using the Foundations for Farming method of farming. He has been helping Letson to clear some of the land for the plots, but soon he will need to go and prepare his own fields.

The church itself is small, but growing, and so we’re hoping that this will be a good base from which to teach the surrounding communities about the truth of Christ, and the principles of Foundations for Farming.

Please pray for Letson and John in the coming months as they reach out to the surrounding community with the love of Christ, and with a new way of farming. Please also pray for good rains for the demonstration plots, and that they are a ‘light on a hill’ to the community around so that they will see the benefits of Foundations for Farming with their own eyes.