Learning New Ways to Grow Vegetables at the Farmer Field School
ACJ’s Farmer Field School is a place where farmers can learn and practice climate-smart agriculture techniques with their peers, and then take those practices home to use for their own families’ benefit.
When Hector, an agronomist from ACJ, stopped by and invited a young farmer named Evelio to join the school he wasn’t very interested. But friends and neighbors were involved, so Evelio decided to give it a try. He received some seeds, and learned a variety of planting techniques he initially thought of as “a waste of time.” Like disinfecting the soil and then having to wait a few days before planting. He was a little concerned when Hector said the gift of seeds was “a one-off thing” and he’d have to save his seeds to plant the following year. But Hector showed them how.
Evelio’s training was a success. He used homemade organic fertilizers and insecticides and made a little money by selling these mixtures to his neighbors. He was able to save enough seeds to plant the following season and sold some to Hector to give to other farmers in other communities.
Said Evelio: “It just goes to show that there are different ways to do things, and learning has no price. New ideas and knowledge are the best inheritance we can pass on to our children.”
Thanks to your generosity and support:
• Families have reported improved food security thanks to climate-smart agriculture practices
• Crop diversification means better harvests and enough food to store for year-round nutrition
• Forming savings groups and focusing on maternal and infant nutrition further strengthens
communities
Nicaragua Boaco Camoapa Program
Led by World Renew and Local Partner Asociación Cristiana de Jóvenes de Nicaragua (ACJ)