Conservation Farming

Rutendo Trust helps support the work of bringing conservation farming to small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe. These farming methods have revolutionised the lives of many farmers, bringing them and their families into prosperity for the first time in their lives.  This is the background:

The Problem

• Africa has 30% of the world’s natural resources and some of the best climate, rainfall and soils in the world. Africa has an abundance of arable land.  Yet, 35% of the population is chronically undernourished and the whole continent of Africa only contributes 1.3% to the world’s produce – it has the same GDP as a small country like Mexico.*

  In the last 50 years, Africa has received over US$ 2,000 billion of aid, yet the number of people living in poverty has increased.

  While world grain production has been increasing, Africa’s production has remained stagnant.

  	1961		2005
  USA	4.5 tonnes/ha	<	10 tonnes/ha
  ASIA	2 tonnes/ha	<	4.5 tonnes/ha
  AFRICA	1 tonne/ha	-	1 tonne/ha
  ZIMBABWE	1.5 tonnes/ha	>	0.5 tonnes/ha

  
  
  

  Why is Africa gripped by poverty and hunger?  Why is the situation getting worse despite all the aid being given? With the use of traditional (European) farming methods, Africa has seen a decrease in yields and escalation of costs over many years.  In a climate where rainfall is often limited to short intense periods, ploughed land is washed away and only a small amount of the available moisture is retained.  Traditional methods have sought to extract from the soil without protecting it.

  *Kofi Annan – World Economic Forum on Africa, February 2008

THE Solution

Foundations for Farming can reverse these trends because it brings a very effective and appropriate technology and implementation system and deals with the socio-cultural causes of the problem.

It is a natural law that those who are faithful with what they have, gain more.  Foundations for Farming principles protect and preserve the soil and rain a farmer is given.

In natural creation:

• There is no ploughing.
• There is a wonderful mulch cover from fallen leaves and plant material.

This greatly reduces soil erosion and captures and transfers the precious water effectively to the plants, reducing the risk from drought, pests and disease.

Our recommendations are:

• Do not plough.
• Do not burn.

Production

These principles can be applied in the smallest back yard garden to the largest commercial farm.  On a small scale all work is manual and requires nothing more technical than a hoe.

Typically, you’ll be able to grow sufficient food to:

• Feed your family
• Sell surplus to help buy next year’s inputs
• Sell and make a profit and pay for other living expenses
• Give to others

We have testimonies of farmers who, by adopting these conservation methods methods, have increased their yield over tenfold i.e. 0.3 tonnes to over 3 tonnes.

Profitability is essential for sustained production and development.  The only alternative to profitability for survival in the short term is begging or theft, both of which cause poverty in the long term.

Profitability

Profitability is possible if you faithfully apply these management principles of doing everything:

1. On Time.  Plan ahead.  Prepare well.  Start early.  Never be late!
2. At a High Standard.  Do every operation and detail as well as you can with no shortcuts.  Be honest and honourable in all you do.
3. Without Wasting.  Don’t waste time, soil, water, sunlight, seed, nutrients, labour, energy, opportunity etc.
4. With Joy.  If you do these first three things faithfully without self pity, complaining, blaming others, making excuses, but with thankfulness, there will be no need for fear and hopelessness and you will have hope and joy which gives you strength.

If these principles are applied faithfully, Africa can feed itself.

A bumper harvest

Participate

If you would like to join with us in seeing transformation in individuals, communities and nations through faithful and productive use of the land then there are a few ways you can do it…

Pray

The best way that you can get alongside what we are doing is to pray. As so many of our team train rural farmers, pastors, NGO workers and countless other people, we need your prayers that the light of God’s truth will shine through our words and actions and into the hearts and minds of the people we’re training.

Give financially

If you would like to give financially to the work that we are doing in Zimbabwe, please donate here

We need your help to provide  Pfumvudza 

Packs which will feed one family for one 

year - £33 ($50) per pack.