Sustainable agriculture for a healthy future
Chapter 1: Pest control
Greetings from the vegetable garden in Ongombombonde, Namibia, from the dedicated garden team. steps for children has been committed to sustainable agriculture since 2022 by using natural pesticides to promote healthy soil and thus achieve an environmentally friendly harvest.
In this article, Garden Manager reports on how this was achieved and which pest control methods are used Ripura McMillan Hewicke.
f.l. Eckhard Volkmann, Consultant, Cesilia Mungago, Philip Shindimba, Godlop Mbeuserua, Jakura Tjaapo, Ripura McMillan Hewicke, Manager
Our approach to pest control
In our endeavour to reduce environmental and water pollution, we rely on a natural approach to agriculture. Instead of using synthetic agrochemicals, we use environmentally friendly methods for pest control, which not only secure our crop yields, but also preserve the natural ecology.
Cesilia shows you how she prepares the natural fertiliser.
Click here for the video
Natural defences
We rely on natural defences such as:
- Onions
- Chilli
- Wood vinegar
- Vegetable oil
- Sodium bicarbonate
- Garlic
These agents create unfavourable living conditions for pests by altering the pH, habitability and odour 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 off by rain or irrigation.
Promotion of a healthy ecosystem
Our aim is not just to ward off pests, but to promote a healthy ecosystem. We believe that a healthy harvest is our best defence - because pests mainly attack unhealthy plants. In a way, they are nature's „rubbish disposal team“!
The importance of healthy soil
In order 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 make healthy soil possible, such as water, nutrient, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles and much more. So we create an environment in which 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 within the framework of steps for children. Together we are working to create a sustainable future for generations to come.
Support sustainable vegetable growing in Ongombombonde now
- for a healthy future!
