Have you ever paused on a walk to consider the ground that you are stepping on? Or stopped while eating your morning toast to think about the earth in which the wheat for it grew?

For many of us, soil is something that we take for granted. For farmers in the rural community of Messumba, Mozambique, however, soil is a reason to celebrate.

This December 5 marks the second annual World Soil Day as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. It is the perfect occasion to join Messumba farmers in praising God for the great gift of soil.

Messumba is a community just outside the capital of the Lake District in Niassa Province. Mountains and enormous rocks surround this community, and these geographic conditions have made it difficult for farmers to produce harvests big enough to provide for their family’s needs.

Today, nearly half 
of the farmers in
Messumba use conservation
agriculture techniques
in part of their
large farm.

Messumba has historically been a fruitful site for Christian ministry. The first missionaries settled in this community in 1862. Many good things happened in the following years: a cathedral, a school, a teacher-training colleague, and a hospital were built and have served many for decades. However, these missionary offerings contributed to a culture in which the people of Messumba learned to receive, and not give. It also prevented them from believing that they could make much of a difference to their life without outside help.

In 2012, World Renew began to work in Messumba with its partner the Reformed Church of Mozambique.

Through World Renew partners, community trainings were held to teach farmers about new agricultural techniques designed to help restore lost soil fertility, such as crop spacing and the making of compost for organic fertilizer. Eighty-five people from the community then began to implement these new techniques in a small portion of their farms.

When these farmers compared the crop growth and health on their small portions of land with the rest of their field, they noticed good results. The new farming techniques were working!  They also saw that the recommended crop spacing allowed them to take good advantage of their limited land.

The farmers were so excited about their improved harvests that they were glad to teach their neighbors about these new conservation agriculture techniques. Today, nearly half of the farmers in Messumba use conservation agriculture techniques in part of their large farm.

Although Messumba is one of the few communities in the World Renew project areas where commercial fertilizer is available, the majority of farmers no longer need to purchase it anymore, since they have learned to make and use their own natural compost.

Through World Renew programs, the people of Messumba have begun to more fully recognize what they can do with their own resources and have improved the soil in their community so that it can grow more food for their families.

Soil is a great gift of God that plays a vital role in many of World Renew’s programs that helps farmers feed their families and earn extra income. Through the use of soil to grow vegetables, fruits, rice and other crops, God’s children are experiencing better health and stronger livelihoods—tangible reminders of God’s bountiful love.

Celebrate World Soil Day with a gift to World Renew’s sustainable agricultural programs at worldrenew.net/sustainableagriculture