Jeremias Zuniga is a 68 year old farmer from San Pedro de la Paz, department of Carazo, NICARAGUA.
The Beginnings with La Semilla Ministries
Don Jeremias began working with La Semilla Ministries in 2019 when he had planted an acre of corn. The corn he planted was seed saved from previous years’ harvests and netted him a yield of 10 sacks of grain.
In 2020, Jeremias attended an introduction seminar for La Semilla where he learned how the long-term strategies we promote transform producer knowledge into better experiences and potential for income. He learned about the difference between commercial grain (then used for planting), and Certified Seed (marketed by ourselves as the brand EXITIERRA).
Achievements and Knowledge Gained from La Semilla
With his first planting experience with La Semilla, Jeremias saw the great impact that the use of certified seed could have on his yields. He had an acre of beans planted with his commercial grain that yielded 3 sacks, and another acre where he used certified bean seed, together with the technical advice of his agronomist Eduardo Torres, which yielded 15 sacks of clean beans. That’s a 5 times increase!
In 2023 and 2024, a pastor with La Semilla Ministries, Nicolas Sequiera, shared a series of talks called “Cultivating Lives”. In this series Nicolas shares what the Bible teaches us about living in a God-honouring way. The themes are biblical principles and values that we apply to our everyday lives. Topics include: Attitude, Goal setting, Roles Within the Family, Care of God’s Creation, among others. At the end of the 12 week series, each participant was gifted with a Bible of their own. This has helped Jeremias to be someone different, someone God-honouring in his community and society.
Agriculture Development Program Benefits
Don Jeremias is very enthusiastic and motivated by what he has learned from his participation in the Ag Program. “It’s a great way to improve so many aspects of the lives of rural people, improve the quality of life” he says. “I now insist on only using certified seed, and I share this message with many others here in San Pedro de la Paz. My life has changed so much because of the workshops and seminars I have received from members of La Semilla Ministries”. Trainings in which Jeremias has participated include:
- The Use of Certified Seed in Basic Grain Production
- Crop Rotation Strategies
- Proper Care and Preparation of Soil for Planting
- Integrated Pest Management
- The Use of Inoculants for Bean Production
Jeremias is very thankful to the leadership of La Semilla Ministries for implementing a program that shares the love we learn about in the Bible. For the sake of a small seed placed in the soil, La Semilla expands this theme into an understanding of how God transforms our lives when we make a commitment to HIM. Lives have improved, families have improved, whole communities are making changes in how they live.
The Potential of La Semilla Ministries in the Rural Communities
“I guarantee that in my village of San Pedro de la Paz, and in the other communities where La Semilla is present, that there are many more farmers and families that could benefit by becoming associated with La Semilla and the Agriculture Development Program. Farmers need to change their practices, need to use certified seed in order to realize higher yields and incomes for their families” says Don Jeremias.
Since Jeremias became the first producer with La Semilla in 2020, through his efforts, and those of his attending agronomist, enrollment in the Ag Program has increased to 10 farmers from this village. The majority of them have also participated in the Cultivating Lives Series with pastor Nicolas and are already applying biblical values in their lives. The Bible that has been gifted to each participant has been a great help to continue to read, reflect and apply the Bible to real living situations.
