Feed yourself and your village
The best way to save money is to feed yourself and grow food. We understand that most of us don’t have much water or much land, so we try to teach you how to grow food with little space and little water.
Have a look at this video of Auguste in Windhoek – if you think it can’t be done…then see what Auguste has to say on how to feed yourself!
This Wiki is sorted so that you can find the information easily and you can start growing things, no matter where you are:
Production systems explain the different methods you can grow your own food, from aquaponics to wicking beds to deep soil and many more.
Don’t worry, you will learn all about these. We are also showing you which one’s are easy/cheap to build and which one’s are more difficult or cost more money.
The section on vegetables, animals and insects explain in detail each of these different things you can produce and how to care for them. They can be grown in different production systems and often they can be put together with other systems to make them even better.
We are trying to give every production systems a recipe on how much you need to feed 10 people. Then you can easily calculate how much you need for your family or your village. You need to try for yourself though, not all systems produce the same everywhere. It depends on the temperature, rain and how you care for them.
We are trying to build this system so you can feed a village of 70 people with 1000L of water per hour (20 000 Liters per day) anywhere in Namibia, on only 5 ha of land.
As a small motivation, here’s a video of one guy having a market garden of 40 000 m2, working only by himself 35 hours per week, and earning more than 100 000 USD per year….it can be done 🙂
Grow More Food in the Village: Practical Methods for Any Climate
If you want to feed yourself, your family, and even your neighbours, you don’t need much land or money. With a bit of knowledge and creativity, you can turn any space—no matter how dry or small—into a productive garden. Below are powerful ways to grow more food and build food security, even in tough conditions.
1. Grow food in sacks, tyres, crates, or buckets
You can grow vegetables like spinach, onions, tomatoes, and herbs in old sacks, tyres, or buckets. These containers need drainage holes at the bottom and a mix of soil and compost inside. Stack tyres or sacks to grow more in a small space.
2. Make a wicking bed
Wicking beds are raised beds with a water reservoir at the bottom. Water is stored under the soil and moves up slowly, so plants get what they need without wasting water. Line a container or pit with plastic, add gravel, then sand, then compost and soil on top. Add a pipe to fill the water layer. A great way to feed yourself.
3. Use greywater
Re-use water from bathing, dishwashing (with natural soap), and laundry. Filter it with sand or cloth and use it to water trees and strong plants. This saves clean water and helps in dry areas. Build a food circle – What an awesome way to grow food!
4. Start a food forest
A food forest is a mix of trees, shrubs, vegetables, herbs, and groundcovers that grow together like nature. Start with fast-growing trees like moringa, pigeon pea, and banana. Add fruit trees like guava, papaya, or citrus. Plant shade-tolerant vegetables, herbs, and beans under them. Food forests improve soil, conserve water, and give food year after year with less work.
5. Compost all organic waste
Kitchen scraps, plant cuttings, animal manure, dry leaves, and even ashes can become rich compost. Compost improves soil, increases water retention, and removes the need to buy fertiliser. Build a compost heap or pit, keep it moist, and turn it every few weeks.
6. Mulch the soil
Cover the soil with dry grass, old leaves, sticks, paper, or cardboard. Mulch stops weeds, keeps moisture in, protects from sun, and feeds the soil as it breaks down.
7. Practice interplanting and companion planting
Grow different plants together to help each other. Examples:
- Maize, beans, and pumpkin
- Tomatoes with basil
- Onions with carrots
This reduces pests, uses space better, and keeps the soil healthy.
8. Save and exchange seeds
Select the strongest, healthiest plants and keep their seeds. Dry seeds well and store them in jars or envelopes. Share with neighbours. Local seeds adapt to your climate and save money.
9. Make hügelkultur beds
Dig a trench and fill it with logs, sticks, grass, bones, or manure. Cover with soil and compost. As the materials rot, they feed the plants and hold water like a sponge. These beds are great for dry areas.
10. Use keyhole beds
A round garden with a path to the centre makes watering and harvesting easier. In the centre, you can put a compost basket that feeds the soil from the inside out.
11. Build swales and berms on contour
On sloped land, dig shallow trenches (swales) along the natural contour. Pile the soil on the lower side (berm). These slow rainwater, stop erosion, and let water soak deep into the soil.
12. Dig planting basins or Zai pits
In dry places, dig small holes and fill them with compost and manure. These catch rain and dew, and grow strong plants even in poor soil.
13. Plant nitrogen-fixers like beans and pigeon pea
Some plants pull nitrogen from the air and feed the soil. Beans, cowpeas, pigeon pea, and lablab do this. Mix them with your other crops or plant around trees.
14. Use tree pruning and chop-and-drop
Cut leaves and branches from legume trees like leucaena, acacia, or moringa and place them on the ground around your plants. This feeds the soil and acts as mulch.
15. Grow climbing plants vertically
Use sticks, fences, or ropes for beans, gourds, pumpkins, and tomatoes to climb. This saves ground space and increases yield. I love this way to grow food!
16. Plant living fences
Use thorny or fast-growing plants like moringa, cactus, or pigeon pea as fences. They give food or fuel, protect your garden, and stop wind.
17. Rotate your crops
Don’t plant the same thing in the same spot every season. Rotate between leafy vegetables, root crops, and legumes to keep soil healthy and reduce pests.
18. Use ash and charcoal
Sprinkle wood ash lightly on soil to add potassium and prevent pests. Mix crushed charcoal into compost to help it hold nutrients and water.
19. Use natural pest control
Plant garlic, onions, marigolds, or neem to keep insects away. Spray plants with chilli-garlic or neem tea to protect them naturally.
20. Raise small animals
Chickens, rabbits, goats, and ducks eat weeds and insects. Their manure makes great compost. Keep them fenced so they don’t damage your crops.
21. Grow mushrooms
Mushrooms can grow in shade, on old logs, manure, or straw. Oyster mushrooms are easy to grow and highly nutritious. How’s this to feed yourself?
22. Create vertical gardens
Use hanging containers, stacked pots, or wall-mounted grow bags to grow herbs and leafy greens in small areas.
23. Harvest rainwater
Catch rain from roofs into tanks, drums, or underground pits. Use this water for drinking, cooking, or garden use.
24. Build shade structures
In hot, dry areas, create partial shade using sticks, palm fronds, or old cloth. This protects seedlings and leafy vegetables from harsh sun.
25. Plant trees for windbreak and microclimate
A row of trees slows down wind, keeps dust away, and creates a cooler garden. This helps plants grow better and reduces water loss.
26. Build a worm composting bin
Worms eat food scraps and produce “worm tea” and rich vermicompost. This feeds plants and improves poor soil. You can use a bucket, crate, or an old bathtub.
27. Grow fast crops first
Start with easy and fast-growing crops like mustard greens, cowpeas, spinach, radish, and amaranth. These give food in just 3–6 weeks and build confidence. It’s a great way to feed yourself! Just grow food!
28. Grow perennials
Perennial plants give food for many years. Examples: moringa, cassava, chaya, bananas, lemongrass, sweet potato, and herbs like mint or thyme.
29. Use local knowledge and old methods
Ask elders how they grew food in the past. Many traditional methods are smart, low-cost, and suited to your local soil and climate.
30. Work together as a village
Join hands with neighbours. Share tools, seeds, compost, and water. Grow food in public spaces. Sell or swap what you don’t eat.
This kind of practical, local knowledge is the foundation for healthy families and strong communities. Start small, work together, and you’ll see the results in your plate, your health, and your happiness. Just grow food and feed yourself!
