The Association of Social and Economic Development Visits DEMOSFÉ, Campus farm of G.O.d. El sAlvador
On August 25, 2022, G.O.D. Int’l staff on our campus in El Salvador hosted approximately 40 visitors from the Association of Social and Economic Development (ADES), including the general director, select staff, and special guest Licenciado Chavarria Chang, an Agricultural Engineer and Agroecologist from the UNED (Universidad Estatal a Distancia) of Costa Rica.
ADES runs an agricultural center in El Salvador, with the support of Horizont3000, an Austrian NGO with a goal to “offer support to people in our partner countries in their aspiration to improve the quality of their lives in a sustainable and human way.”
Guests attending the tour of our campus and presentation included men and women of a range of ages from communities near our hub in El Salvador.
G.O.D. Int’l Staff Present on Biointensive Methods
The primary facilitator of the event was DEMOSFÉ Farm Manager, Antonio Mejia, supported by his wife and ministry partner Lorena Mejia and student interns Orlando Pineda, Gabriela Herrera, Kenia Mejia and Doris and Amilcar Mercado. Mejia opened with an introduction of the organization and staff, followed by a brief history and tour of the various areas of the garden, including the facility used to cultivate organic fertilizers, an area of particular interest to Mejia. On-campus tours provide an opportunity to demonstrate how the methods that are being developed on our farm, using local resources, are effective and thriving. We conduct tours routinely on our farms in Nashville, Uganda and El Salvador.
Following the tour, Mejia presented in more detail on the methods that have led to such a thriving agricultural center. He highlighted the preparation of bio-inputs (fertilizers), soil preparation techniques, the conditions and care given to crops during the various stages of development and growth, and the fundamentals of seed collection.
To close the afternoon, a meal was shared by all in attendance. Guests reported that they were encouraged to see a focused effort on sustainable agriculture, producing such consistently good results. Mr. Chang noted the quality of produce and fertilizers produced, and congratulated Mejia on the success of Demosfé.
Others commented on the diversity of our team and how challenging it can be to develop young people who have a passion for sustainable agriculture and will endure in the effort. Still more asked for more agricultural seminars to be offered in the future, and expressed a desire to purchase produce from the farm in order to improve their diet and eat cleaner foods.
More Seminars to Come in 2022
Our team in El Salvador is preparing for another agricultural seminar which will take place in the Fall of 2022. We consider it a great opportunity to bless those around us by sharing what we have learned.
Why We Do What we Do
Antonio Mejia led visitors on a tour of our campus garden and shared in-depth about fertilizers, soil preparation techniques, crop development and growth, and the fundamentals of seed collection.
Lead manager for the Latin America Regional team, Matthew Parker, says, “In Mark 4:30-33 Jesus teaches the parable of the mustard seed which is intended to describe what the Kingdom of God is like. Jesus notes that the mustard seed is smallest of all the seeds yet when it is sown into the ground it grows to become one of the largest of all the shrubs. Not only does the small seed become a large shrub, but it becomes a haven for birds to find rest. Jesus is speaking metaphorically as a way of talking about our efforts in the Kingdom of God. God works with those who are small, and initially you might not expect much from them.
When we established this hub in El Salvador, our neighbors told us that the land would never produce food; that it was dead. The garden program is now a supportive haven for farmers and locals to come and see the functionality and effectiveness of biointensive agriculture. Development workers note that a rural farmer in the Third World requires a minimum of 5 years of observable success to consider making changes to their agricultural practices. They need that time because the risk is too high to make changes and not have food to harvest.”
Our garden has been successfully producing food for over 5 years now and we look forward to sharing with those who want to learn from us how we have achieved this success. We are thankful to be this kind of supportive network for our neighbors and visitors. Learn more about DEMOSFÉ and its history here.
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