Why I am excited about Seed

We’ve been busy conducting interviews for the Southern Africa Seed program and are now done the selection process. Eight young people from Southern Africa and North America are getting ready to join MCC and serve with our partner organizations for two years. During the interviews, one young woman asked us a question “what makes you (the facilitators) excited about Seed?” It is a question I never get tired of answering.

The Seed program started in Colombia several years ago as two year volunteer program for young adults with an emphasis on Serving, Learning, Reflecting, and Peace/Advocacy. Now there are 4 active Seed programs in Colombia, Bolivia, DRC, and Southern Africa. Here in Southern Africa, food security is a key priority for many of our partners so the participants will be placed with organizations involved in conservation agriculture activities.  

So what makes me excited about Seed? 

Seed is about getting young people involved in something bigger than themselves. It is a chance to learn about a new culture, to travel to new countries, to meet new people, and to learn a new language. Seed is an opportunity to serve and give of yourself, and in doing so you will most certainly receive more than you can imagine.

Seed is about getting young people involved in agriculture. Agriculture is life. It carries a responsibility we too often neglect; to be good stewards of the land God has given us. Agricultural practices can damage and destroy the land or they can redeem and restore the land. The tools for healthy and sustainable living have been given to us if we open our eyes to learn from the examples of nature around us.

Seed is about connection. Taking a group of young people with a common interest in agriculture and development and putting them together to dig down to the root causes of food insecurity and injustice in their communities. Young people motivating and challenging each other to be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and change agents.

Seed is about young people having a say in the development of their communities. If young people are involved in agriculture, and if agriculture is life, then young people can shape the development of their communities in a move towards sustainability, food sovereignty, and shalom.

What is shalom? What are the root causes of food insecurity and conflict in our communities? What is the link between agriculture, food sovereignty, justice, and peace? How do those four areas work together to bring about communities where people know shalom, where people are in right relationship with themselves, with their neighbours, with God, and with creation?

The Seed program is a seed- a seed of transformation planted in the participants, in the communities where they work and live, in our partners, and in MCC herself. It is a goal that at times seems lofty beyond our means, but that is the power of relationship and working together. To see young people motivated and inspired to lead their communities towards food sovereignty and shalom. To see farmers, communities, and partners with the capacity to do the same. To see MCC set priorities where the needs are most strongly felt and to use to the greatest advantage the strengths, abilities, and passions of young leaders from Southern Africa. That is where we are headed over the next two years, and that is what makes me incredibly excited. 

Part of our job in these early months is going around and visiting MCC's partners in Southern Africa who are doing Conservation Agriculture. The Brethren in Christ Church in Zambia has been training farmers in rural communities how to apply CA in their fields.

Guba isn't a partner of MCC's but the organization in Swaziland is doing some fantastic stuff when it comes to permaculture, community outreach, and addressing the issue of small land owner's access to market for cash crops. This is a section of a woman's kitchen garden- notice the variety of crops, the mulch, the small composting pile in the centre. And did I mention she is doing all of this on a mountain side? Wow!

I might have made a friend in Swaziland.Too bad I couldn't take her with me.  Smuggling past two borders and airport security seemed a bit much.

On the way to visit one of MCC's partners in Zimbabwe (Binga district) we stopped by the road to see the hot springs. Who knew?

Also in Zimbabwe. This lovely picture of elephants doesn't have much to do directly with Seed it is true, but it has everything to do with being a part of the awesome MCC Zimbabwe team, who happened to go on a team meeting together to Hwange National Park last month. What an amazing time of laughter, community, and seeing the beauty of nature up close. Did I mention I saw a good 30 different species of birds in the morning without standing up from my seat overlooking the watering hole?