Sustainable agriculture for a healthy future 🌱
Chapter 1: Pest Control
The dedicated garden team sends you greetings from the vegetable garden in Ongombombonde, Namibia. steps for children sets Since 2022, we have been focusing on sustainable agriculture by using natural pesticides to promote healthy soils and thus produce an environmentally friendly harvest.
How this was achieved and which means of pest control are used is reported in this article by Garden Manager Ripura McMillan Hewicke.
from left Eckhard Volkmann, consultant, Cesilia Mungago, Philip Shindimba, Godlop Mbeuserua, Jakura Tjaapo, Ripura McMillan Hewicke, manager
Our approach to pest control
In our efforts to reduce environmental and water pollution, we use a natural approach to agriculture. Instead of using synthetic agrochemicals, we use environmentally friendly methods for pest controlwhich not only secure our crop yields but also preserve the natural ecology.
Cesilia shows you how she prepares the natural fertilizer.
Click here for the video
Natural repellents
We rely on natural repellents such as:
- onions
- Chili
- Wood vinegar
- vegetable oil
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Garlic
These agents create unfavorable living conditions for pests by changing the pH, habitability and odor of the host environment. To ensure that our sprays remain effective, we add biodegradable soap which acts as an adhesive and prevents the agents from being washed away by rain or irrigation.
Promoting a healthy ecosystem
Our goal is not only to repel pests, but to promote a healthy ecosystem. We believe that a healthy crop is our best defense – because pests primarily attack unhealthy plants. In a sense, they are nature’s “garbage disposal team”!
The importance of healthy soil
To cultivate healthy plants, we need healthy soil. This includes important parameters such as soil structure, water holding capacity and organic content. There are ecological support services that enable healthy soil, such as water, nutrient, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and much more. So, we create an environment where all of the above processes can take place, through sustainable practices such as Composting, green ripening, retention of crop residues, mulching, intercropping, crop rotation and microbial inoculation of the soil, to name just a few.
Our vision for the future
This is more than just a method: It is our vision for vegetable and olive cultivation as part of steps for children. Together we are working to create a sustainable future for future generations.
Support sustainable vegetable cultivation in Ongombombonde now
– for a healthy future!
