Foundations for Farming Update September 2025

Recent Events

India

Adra, West Bengal
Bright Hope World was very excited to be able to greenlight, for the first time ever, Foundations for Farming (FfF) training with partners in India. We consider this to be something of an historic event and see almost unlimited potential for this to transform Indian agriculture and poverty alleviation efforts.

Thirty-five farmers were trained in FfF by an organisation called HUT who were introduced to us by the FfF organisation in Zimbabwe and is manned by Indian trainers based in Chennai.

This training took place over 3 days in August.

Sironcha, Maharashtra
Twenty-two farmers and pastors were trained by HUT over three days in August.

Trainer Comments:
The HUT trainer advised the following in terms of the two training sessions:
- “There is a huge potential in both the locations. They have very big lands (unused properly) and if they could implement this methodology, it could transform the community.”
- “Both the locations are having incidents of persecutions and agriculture would open the doors to share Gospel in both the locations.”
- “They have very good network and presence, and they work in grassroots level which is an added advantage as we can spread.”
- “Overall, the first phase of training went off well, it needs to be followed up by the Local leaders to encourage to implement. Second level of training will be scheduled based on their availability. Participants are so much encouraged to implement which can be followed up and advise them to include participants from the group to implement together.”

Follow-up visits by the trainer will happen in a few months to assess the uptake of the FfF methods by the farmers. A visit by BHW’s Agriculture Directors Glenn and Sharyn Cant is planned for April 2026 to independently assess the success of the trainings. It is hoped that this collaboration with HUT will be expanded in coming years with other BHW partners in India, funding permitting.

Zambia

Mkushi Training Centre, Central Zambia
Nine trainees were funded by BHW to travel to and attend a FfF training at the Mkushi Training Centre in Zambia in August. The trainees came from several BHW partnerships (CORAC in Chingola ZAM27, OM in Kabwe ZAM13, Patience Orphans in Ndola ZAM17, and Chaba Christian Care Group in Luapula ZAM16). Those attending have had a range of FfF experience, so for some it was a refresher, while others it was their initial training.

Trainee Comments:
Several of the trainees provided feedback on the session:
- “Thank you very much for the sponsorship you gave to us. We are learning a lot of things, and it has transformed my mind. I personally think I will never have a loss again. And I am sure people in our area also will be happy to learn from us. There are lot of things I have learnt but most likely I have seen it better not to use ridges but minimal tillage.” Amos

- “The training has helped to show the whole process of growing. I particularly learnt more about the benefits of mulch for the soil.” Moses

Zimbabwe

Fountain of Hope, Bulawayo (ZIM02)
Fountain of Hope trainers provided FfF training to 500 farmers in the 2024-2025 season. In addition, 205 farmers received inputs, primarily consisting of maize seed, which helped them implement the training effectively

A district wide Field Day was held in Makamure where participants learned first-hand how FfF produces results. Farmers from Makamure are now teaching others. There is widespread confidence in this method with neighbouring communities beginning to adopt principles.

Fountain of Hope plan to expand to expand to the Bundu Area to train 70 to 100 farmers. They are also intending to reach Manyumbu Communities and train 50 to 80 farmers.

One of the farmers in Chikofa, Kenneth Linda noted “We used to wait for someone to help us, now we help ourselves and others. This is a real transformation”.

Mozambique

This week, three YWAM church planter/farmers connected with a BHW partner are attending the five-day international training at the FfF training centre in Harere, Zimbabwe. It is the intention that these farmers will become FfF trainers in their communities upon returning home and help support the self-sustainability of the church planting network there.

Uganda

Thomas Lubari, Jinja (UGA08)
Thomas Lubari continues to train significant numbers of refugees in FfF principles, with a total of 325 trained in the last year. A breakdown of numbers and locations is below.

The potential to multiply the effectiveness of this training in the refugee camps is virtually unlimited. It is difficult for us in the western world to fully grasp the size of some of these refugee camps which are among the largest in the world.

Unfortunately, the ongoing conflicts in South Sudan and Congo, are largely unnoticed and unreported on in the world. Both conflicts are creating enormous numbers of traumatised people, who will need to be given hope and the ability to survive.

The training session undertaken are as follows:
Bidi Bidi Yumbe - Refugees - 30
Yoyo Yumbe - Refugees - 30
Rhino Arua - Refugees - 30
Imvepi Terego - Refugees - 30
Lobule Koboko - Refugees - 30
Palorinya Obongi/Moyo - Refugees - 30
Pagerinya Adjumani - Refugees - 30
Kiradongo Kiradongo - Training taken to Namutumba
Palabek Kitgum - Training taken to Namutumba 65

Additional training sessions were also carried out in Yei, South Sudan, where 50 “returnees” were trained.

Discussions have commenced with Thomas about BHW’s Partnership Facilitator meeting two South Sudanese FfF trainers in Northern Uganda to discuss the opportunity for BHW to partner with them to provide FfF training in areas of South Sudan. This is now planned for April 2026.

Thomas has also carried out a training in Yei in South Sudan and is looking at expanding that in that city and in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. He has identified that there are areas around both of those cities where FfF could be practised and there is a relative degree of safety, notwithstanding that the country is engulfed in civil war.