MEXICO – Up high in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico is a small community named Shoctic. This remote community has seen many seasons of poverty and struggle. Until a decade ago, it was extremely difficult for anyone to reach. While the government eventually built a road to improve access and provided farmers with chemical fertilizer, the people struggled to improve their lives. They lacked training in how to use the fertilizers, what crops would grow best in their environment, and what new techniques they could try to improve their yields. Instead, over the years, poverty and malnutrition prevailed as the soil in Shoctic eroded, and fields yielded fewer and fewer crops.

Up high in the mountains of Chiapas, Mexico is a small community named Shoctic.

This remote community has seen many seasons of poverty and struggle. Until a decade ago, it was extremely difficult for anyone to reach. While the government eventually built a road to improve access and provided farmers with chemical fertilizer, the people struggled to improve their lives. They lacked training in how to use the fertilizers, what crops would grow best in their environment, and what new techniques they could try to improve their yields. Instead, over the years, poverty and malnutrition prevailed as the soil in Shoctic eroded, and fields yielded fewer and fewer crops.

Sadly this story of poor environmental stewardship and the poverty that results is far from isolated. Around the world, the effects of climate change are having devastating results as erratic weather patterns cause droughts and floods that destroy crops and leave farming families without a proper way to support themselves. What’s more, in many developing countries, subsistence farmers are overworking their land and inadequately caring for the soil in an urgent attempt to grow more food. As in Shoctic, these practices result in less and less food being grown each year.

World Renew believes that creation care is an essential component to responding to poverty around the world. This includes advocating for lifestyle changes in North America to fight against global climate change. It also includes working with communities, like Shoctic, to preserve and protect their local environment.

Through World Renew’s local partner, the Presbyterian Reformed Church, agricultural technicians were able to visit Shoctic and talk with the residents about how to improve their farming techniques. After these technicians examined the soil, they recommended organic fertilizers, greater crop diversification and the construction of hedgerows—a line of closely spaced shrubs and tree that can mark the boundary of an area and also prevent soil erosion.

Adapting these changes took a leap of faith for the people of Shoctic. As subsistence farmers, they rely solely on the crops that they harvest. Any changes to their farming techniques could put their year’s livelihood at stake. Despite this risk the community members took the learning to heart and began to use the new techniques.

Shortly after, the harvests in Shoctic greatly improved!  Individuals and families enhanced their crop yields, diversified their harvests, and increased their income and food sources. As a result, they are experiencing new abundance as their livelihoods flourish and their incomes improve over time through sustainable change. Praise God!

Today is Earth Day.

On this day and every day, World Renew staff and partners are committed to equipping individuals to better care for the world that God has made while also helping them to improve their lives and build better futures. We give thanks to God for the difference these environmental programs are making in Shoctic and around the world.

For more information, about World Renew's work in environmental stewardship, click here.