Farming God’s Way: agronomy and faith contested

Harry Spaling () and Kendra Kooy ()
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Harry Spaling: The King’s University
Kendra Kooy: The King’s University

Agriculture and Human Values, 2019, vol. 36, issue 3, No 3, 426 pages

Abstract: Abstract Farming God’s Way (FGW) is a type of conservation agriculture (CA) that re-interprets the CA principles of no tillage, mulching and crop rotation using biblical metaphors such as God doesn’t plow, God’s blanket, and the Garden of Eden. Through faith-based networks, FGW has spread throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and beyond, as a development intervention for improving food security, adapting to climate change, and restoring soil productivity for resource-poor farming households. This research identifies and compares the production, sustainability and faith claims of FGW to ascertain which claims are contested. A qualitative study of Canadian program managers with responsibilities for CA or FGW projects in Africa and smallholding FGW farmers in Kenya is employed using semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Production-related claims of improved soil moisture and climate change adaptation are generally consistent among program managers, farmers and the literature, but social claims of increased labour demand on women and religious claims of faith enhancing CA are contested. Findings show that female farmers unanimously contest the claim that their labour for weeding is increased under FGW. Similarly, FGW farmers contest the claim that faith inhibits adoption or innovation on the farm, reporting instead that FGW connects faith to their vocation, transforms why and how they farm, and changes mindsets for adopting faith-based CA.

Keywords: Farming God’s Way; Conservation agriculture; Sustainable farming; Religion and agriculture; Kenya (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1007/s10460-019-09925-2

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