Brian Oldreive was a very large scale, successful farmer in Zimbabwe. He developed a system, which he calls “Farming God’s Way”. (Just search the net and you will get some interesting information about this project.) He even has a scripture text to support his project. Here is the verse paraphrased in the Amplified Bible.

“And God is able to make all grace (every favour and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and in under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient (possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation).” — 2 Corinthians 9:8

The principle is that we must be diligent in using the natural resources, which God has given us. Ekwendeni is a very good agricultural area with good soils and a long wet season. The rainfall is more than adequate for good crops. There is variation in rainfall as there is in all farming areas. The Ekwendeni district is capable of feeding farming families and producing cash surplus for purchasing clothes, household goods and paying schools fees. In fact, some farmers are doing this without using credit.

“Farming God’s Way” gives great emphasis to producing compost, mulching growing crops and covering the soil with crop residues in the dry season (winter). Great attention is given to keeping the crops free from weeds right up to harvest time. “Farming God’s Way” is not completely organic. Artificial fertilizers are used when there is clear evidence of a benefit in using fertilizers. Farm labour can be in short supply and using fertilizer enables the cropping area to be reduced.

There are problems at Ekwendeni. Many farmers do grow very good crops but this recent season only about 50% of the farmers repaid their “Seed & Fertilizer” loans. This represents a lack of commitment by the farmers to the aims of the project. We have diversified the farming system by providing planting material for cassava and seed for the groundnut and Soya bean crops. We have started bulking up seed for growing green manures. Farmers are alternating maize and cassava with legume crops to improve soil fertility. We have provided seed, fertilizer and watering cans for producing vegetable crops in the dry season.

We have donated about £25,000 to the agricultural projects. So why are loans not being repaid and why have so few farmers become independent? I suggest that we have something to learn from “Farming God’s Way” in terms of commitment and in the use of mulching, composting and clean weeding right up to harvest time.

The credit scheme is a problem. Some farmers keep on getting loans even though they have little or no intention of paying back their loans. They say they are poor, but they have some of the best natural resources in this part of Africa. Credit (and sponsoring schools fees) are ways of jump-starting progress, but there are pitfalls. We have fallen into the trap of spoon-feeding under the guise of credit or sponsoring. It is true that some grants and loans may have to be used to establish projects.

The present situation is that funds for the agricultural projects have fallen drastically. We still have work to do in improving the farming system. If we withdraw now, farming families will be short of food. Yet we are concentrating on handouts and sponsorship. The first priority is to read 2 Corinthians 9:8. The second priority is to help farmers produce food for their families. The third priority is to produce a surplus to repay loans, and eliminate the need for handouts and sponsorship.

The concept of “Farming God’s Way” can be extended to preaching the gospel God’s way, education God’s way, caring for widows and orphans God’s way and supporting preachers God’s way. People in Ekwendeni will starve unless we get our priorities in line with God’s way.

Said the robin to the sparrow,
“I should really like to know
Why these busy human people
Seem to fret and worry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin,
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.” — Anon

By David Murphy