That’s
what
Christian
subsistence
farmers
in
Zimbabwe
are
calling
the
maize
seed
that
Barnabas
is
funding
for
them.
What’s
so
special
about
the
seed?
Simply
that
it
breeds
true.
So
a
farmer
can
save
some
seed
from
her
maize
crop
and
sow
it
the
next
year.
And
repeat
the
process
the
following
year.
And
again
the
year
after
that.
One
gift
of
this
maize
seed
can
feed a
family forever .
farmers
in
Zimbabwe
receiving
their
4kg
bags
of
open-pollinated
seed,
bearing
the
words
“Jesus’
gift
to
you”.
God
willing,
they
will
never
have
to
buy
seed
again.
A
terrible
burden
to
be
lifted
About
70%
of
Zimbabweans
grow
their
own
food
on
a
small
plot
of
land.
Often
they
can
grow
only
enough
for
the
family’s
needs.
If
there
isn’t
much
extra
to
sell,
the
family
doesn’t
have
much
money.
But
every
year
they
have
to
find
some
money
to
buy
new
seed
to
sow.
This
is
a
terrible
burden.
It
prevents
subsistence
farmers
from
being
self-sufficient.
Recently
the
burden
has
got
even
heavier,
as
seed
prices
have
risen
extremely
high.
It
can
lead
to
hunger
and
dependence
on
food
aid.
The
burden
is
caused
by
the
fact
that
most
of
the
maize
grown
in
Zimbabwe
are
hybrid
varieties.
It’s
no
use
saving
seed
from
the
harvest
of
a
hybrid
variety:
the
seeds
will
not
grow
into
plants
like
the
parent
plant
they
came
from.
Hybrid
varieties
do
not
breed
true.
4kg
of
independence
and
resilience
What
Zimbabwean
Christian
farmers
have
named
the
“wonder
seed
maize”
is
a
traditional
open-pollinated
variety
‒
which
breeds
true.
Our
project
partners
grow
many
hectares
of
this
maize
every
year.
The
crop
is
not
eaten
but
dried
and
packed
into
4kg
bags,
which
are
distributed
free
to
the
poorest
Christian
families
for
them
to
sow
on
their
land.
Each
family
who
receives
a
4kg
pack
of
open-pollinated
seeds
will
never
have
to
buy
maize
seed
again.
The
project
has
“reduced
the
burden
they
were
carrying
on
their
shoulders”,
said
some
past
recipients.
The
crop
for
2024
is
already
in
the
ground
and
growing.
But
our
project
partners
rent
the
fields,
and
the
young
plants
need
fertiliser,
water
and
other
input
s.
This
is
where
Barnabas
steps
in
to
the
picture.
Your
gifts
can
help
with
those
costs.
of
hope
–
over
13,000
packs
of
seeds
were
grown
and
distributed
in
2023.
Each
4kg
pack
enabled
a
family
to
sow
their
land
and
grow
maize
to
feed
themselves
for
a
whole
year.
It
also
gave
them
a
sustainable
way
to
keep
growing
maize
and
feeding
themselves
for
years
to
come.
With
God’s
help
and
yours,
even
more
seed
packs
will
be
produced
in
2024
to
help
even
more
poor
Christian
families
Can
you
give
a
gift
to
help
Christian
farmers
lift
themselves
out
of
dependency
and
build
a
sustainable
future
for
their
families
and
community?
How
you
can
help
A
4kg
pack
of
open-pollinated
variety
(OPV)
maize
seed
will
enable
a
Christian
farmer
to
plant
a
crop
of
maize
that
will
feed
a
family
of
six
for
a
year
as
well
as
providing
seed
to
sow
for
the
next
year.
–
BarnarbasAid
Post
published
in:
Agriculture