YAOUND Cameroon, Africa As Africa is disproportionately affected climate change, local Caritas agency do all they can to implement this plan of action. Laudato SiPope Francis’ 2015 eco-encyclical.
The Caritas chapter of the Diocese of Buea in the South West region Cameroon is training farmers how to make and apply organic liquid fertilizers, and women how to use improved firesides. Both of these have the potential to preserve and protect the environment and reduce climate change.
Pierre Ernest Tchinda (director of Caritas Buea) says even small actions can make a big difference in the environment.
We are driving Scriptures and the social teachings of the Church. Protecting the environment is more than a slogan. It is the role, culture, and tradition of the Catholic church as described in Pope Franciss Laudato SiHe said: Crux.
Below are excerpts from the interview
Crux: You claim that you are committed to sustainable development. One of your actions was to train 300 farmers in organic fertilizer production. What is wrong using synthetic fertilizers that locals used in the past??
Tchinda:They can cause a lot more harm than good. We train our farmers in organic farming techniques and organic pesticides. We are a Church organization. This means that we protect human life and the environment created by God. We train farmers to make fertilizers, but also educate them on safe nutrition. We have seen that pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are causing a lot more harm than good.
What harm does it cause? What harm do they cause?
Both. We have climate change. The environment is being affected by all the chemicals that are used. It also causes a lot of problems with the climate and pollution of water sources. This can affect the diversity of crops as well as animals. It causes a lot to the human being. People complain about their eyes because of the manipulation of herbicide. It is a poisonous substance that can cause death if it is not used properly.
This stems from Pope Francis’ encyclical. Laudato Si?
Yes, it is true. We are the sociopastoral arm the church. Caritas draws its inspiration from the teachings of the popes. Protecting the environment is more than a slogan. It is a tradition and culture of the Catholic Church.
The environment is closely related to the implementation of what you call the improved firesides. What problem are you trying to solve?
Because people use firewood as their primary energy source, there is a lot of deforestation. The climate is changing as more forest disappears. Our goal is to reduce forest destruction and combat climate change. We aim to reduce the amount wood used for heating and cooking, but not compromise the quality of these functions. The improved firesides, for example, could reduce the time it takes to cook beans from two hours. It also uses less wood and produces less smoke. This means that you use less wood to make your beans, cause less damage to the environment, and also save time.
How have these innovations been received by the communities that are beneficiaries?
It is easy to see that innovation is welcomed by communities when it solves a lot of problems. For example, people don’t need to travel very far to search for fuel wood. They also don’t need to spend huge amounts of money on synthetic fertilizers.
But, it’s not so simple to make organic fertilizers.
Natural fertilizers can be time-consuming. Natural organic fertilizers require manpower. Although we have a method of applying natural fertilizers in small quantities, the problem is manpower. It is extremely cost-effective and costs almost nothing.
It would be helpful to briefly describe how to make organic fertilizers.
Most often, we use natural waste. We start by collecting dry or crop waste. Next, we cut the dry waste into small bits and place it on the first layers. Then, we take the fresh pieces and cut them into small pieces. We then add it to the second layer. Then, if you have any animal manure, put it on your third layer. The fourth layer is where you place wood ash in small quantities. Finally, on the last layer you add soil. After each layer, water thoroughly before moving on to the next. Cover it and then dip a stick in to monitor the decay process. You then check the stick (the stick) after three days. If it’s warm, it means that the process was successful and farmers can apply for their crops.
Who funds your project?
Our donors provide funding for our projects. After identifying the needy, a report is sent out to the bishop. The bishop then sends a letter to all the donors. These donors are the bishops conference of Germany and Italy. These are the people that fund our projects. Our project is funded by the Catholic Church. We are also partners with the catholic Conference of America. These are the main sources of funding for us.
