Many Kolping members around the world live from small-scale farming. Often enough the income from their barren fields is not sufficient to feed the family. Moreover, droughts and other climate extremes threaten crops. KOLPING shows the farmers cultivation methods which help them increase their crop yields and adapt to climate change.
Progress with livestock farming
KOLPING shows farmers in courses how they can easily generate better harvests – small livestock farming is just one example. From the manure of goats and pigs, which are distributed by KOLPING as an initial help, farmers learn how to produce an organic fertilizer to fertilize soils. With such new cultivation methods, farmers may be able to more than double their harvests. The families have enough to eat and can even sell the surplus.
Defying climate change
In many places rainfalls have become increasingly unpredictable. If the rains come too late the seeds dry out. This is why KOLPING shows farmers what seeds grow best in dry soils and supports them with resistant seeds. The farmers learn to protect their fields from drying out by planting cover plants. With creating terraced fields they learn to counteract the washing away of soils in the event of heavy rains. These tricks help farmers to have regular crops despite increasing climate extremes.
From farming to small entrepreneurship
In workshops many farmers also learn how to profitably process and sell excess crop yields. Chips or pastries can be made from sweet potato flour, for example. Fruits can be better preserved when processing them into jam. By selling these products the women generate an additional source of income. It makes them proud and increases their self-confidence. The whole family benefits from the additional income: it can be used for the doctor, new equipments, house repairs, or school fees of the children.
