“Namaste. I’m Basant, a farmer in Kumalgadhi, in the Western lowland area of Nepal.

For years, I struggled with small harvests caused by unpredictable weather and poor soil. Like many farmers here, I started using chemical fertilisers to try to improve my harvests, but they only made the soil even worse over time.

With support from Practical Action, I’ve completely changed the way my farm works. I’ve been able to speed up my composting and now I can get nutritious soil in as little as 3 months instead of 12! This saves me money and improves my farm’s soil. My compost piles are now a big part of my farm. I don’t need to buy expensive chemical fertilisers anymore.

The results have been amazing – I’m growing more food, saving money, and have been able to send my eight-year-old son to school. My family’s future is bright. I hope to soon be able to buy more land to expand my sustainable farm.

My greatest source of pride is that I’ve been able to share my knowledge by opening up my farm as a ‘field school’ to inspire others. I’d love to see more farmers here in Nepal learning these methods.”

The simple trick that makes this technique so effective is drilling holes in a number of plastic pipes added across the base of the compost heap, with one placed vertically to act as a chimney. This lets the air in and speeds up the process! A plastic sheet keeps it warm and dry.

Soil is the Earth’s living skin, a teeming ecosystem vital for all life. Here’s why soil matters so much, especially to farmers like Basant:

• Food: Nutrient-rich and microbe-filled, healthy soil nourishes the plants that sustain Basant’s family. Without this fertile base, they go hungry.
• Water: Like a sponge, soil soaks up rain and releases it slowly. This prevents flooding on Basant’s farm and secures clean water for his family to drink, cook and wash with.
• Climate: Soil stores vast amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and regulating Earth’s temperature. Healthy soil helps Basant combat climate change.
• Biodiversity: Home to countless organisms, from earthworms to bacteria, soil’s rich diversity breaks down organic matter, enriching the nutrition of Basant’s vegetables.

Basant’s enriched compost has led to bumper crops, providing food for his family and giving him hope for the future.

Transform the lives of more people like Basant. Please give today.