In Bada Geter, Hobicha District, Sidama Region, agriculture shapes daily life. But for years, families faced shrinking harvests caused by degraded soil and unpredictable rainfall.
Among them was Ato Zekarias, a farmer determined to provide for his family and overcome food insecurity.
Before joining Tearfund-supported agricultural training delivered in partnership with Terepeza Development Association (TDA) through his local church, Zekarias struggled to harvest enough even for his household. Traditional plowing left soil exposed to erosion, and fertilizer was too expensive to use regularly. His family often relied on emergency support and could not plan beyond
each farming season.
Change began when the church and TDA offered Conservation Agriculture (CA) training, a simple, practical, and sustainable way to steward God’s land. Zekarias learned to keep the soil covered, disturb it as little as possible, and diversify crops. He first tested the methods on a small plot. “The results surprised me,” he said. “Even with less effort and cost, the harvest increased.” Encouraged, he expanded CA practices to half a hectare.
The transformation was significant. His yields improved, his expenses decreased, and for the first time in years, he no longer needed food assistance. Instead, he started sharing food with neighbours and helping others understand the practices that had changed his life.
His growth also deepened his faith. At church, he joined a small group focused on Bible study and community action. Together — supported by TDA’s ongoing guidance — they prayed, planned, and uplifted one another, strengthening both their families and their spiritual lives. “We encourage one another,” he said. “God’s Word strengthens us, and farming knowledge helps us feed our families.”
Today, Zekarias’ vision extends beyond his own fields. He is preparing to train other farmers, believing that what transformed his household can lift the entire village. “When one learns, the community should learn,” he says.
Already, families around him are adopting the same techniques. The soil is improving, farms are greener, and neighbours are beginning to plan not just for today but for the future. Local churches and TDA continue walking with farmers like Zekarias as they grow both spiritually and economically.
What started as simple training has become a testimony of faith in action — fields once dry now thriving, families once worried now hopeful. “God has changed our life,” Zekarias says. “We have enough to live, and we thank Him.”
