Inroads into Zambia and South Africa Continue
19 April 2011
Foundations for Farming continues to spread its roots deeper into Southern Africa.
Not only is this method of conservation agriculture gaining momentum in Zimbabwe where it originated when God spoke to Brian Oldreive about how to go about farming His way more than twenty years ago, but it is increasingly being taught in neighbouring countries such as Zambia, South Africa and Malawi.
Former Zimbabwean commercial farmers, Boet & Celia Pretorius, are doing their bit to help spread Foundations for Farming in the region and were recently in Zambia where they visited Operation Mobilisation (OM).
”We spent time in Kabwe where I held a morning session with the practical discipleship class which had received Foundations for Farming training the week prior to our visit. We also met with some of the OM Zambia leadership and it was good to see Coen Scholtz, who was visiting from South Africa,” Boet said.
”Coen and Paul Stander helped pioneer work among the gold-panners of the Angwa river many years ago and we always have many stories to share,” Boet said. Boet, himself, has worked with gold panners, notably Makesure Muchenge, who is now a leading farmer and Foundations for Farming trainer in Mashonaland West in Zimbabwe.
Boet and Celia were encouraged by the progress they saw in Zambia.
”It was wonderful, for instance, to see a demonstration plot of many crops next to the main road around the Figtree Coffee Shop just outside Kabwe,” Boet noted. The demonstration plot had been planted by Jerry and Hailey Field of Bright Hope, a New Zealand-based mission organisation.
”These two young people whom we trained in Foundations for Farming principles and methodology in April last year, are such an inspiration! They have trained all their 22 partners across Zambia and seen great breakthrough,” Boet said.
He and Celia also spent a week at the Koti Ni Farm where Foundations for Cross Cultural Education (FCE) are based. For some years now, Boet has helped conduct one week agriculture courses with FCE and during this last visit, training was given to twenty students. These comprised Zambians from all walks of life, five final year FCE education students, as well as two international participants.
”This was an amazing group of people with a deep love for the Lord and we had wonderful times of fellowship. We are, however, considering changing the format of our next course, which will be held in August, so that it focuses more on the villages around the training centre. This would also involve putting more energy into agriculture at the community school,” Boet said.
Besides Zambia, Boet and Celia have big plans for South Africa where they will shortly spend more than two months.
”While we were in Zambia Coen and I discussed the possibility of doing Foundations for Farming training in South Africa among OM discipleship groups,” Boet said, adding that he would look further into this.
During their time in South Africa, Boet and Celia will work with Eagles Nest School in Polokwane with the prospect of establishing a school-Foundations for Farming partnership model. The possibility of doing this in the Southern Cape with Pietie and Suria Uys, who are pioneering Foundations for Farming training in that region, will also be considered. Finally, Boet and Celia will also spend time with Vision Africa in Hoopstad and see about setting up a bible school-Foundations for Farming model.
”With each passing day, I’m convinced that we should focus our training at schools and bible schools where we can bring lasting change with our limited capacity,” Boet said.