Worm power

Kavita, 12, goes to the Green School in India. The land where she lives is dry and it's hard to grow crops. So Kavita and her friends learn about farming and how to respect the earth. They learn which plants grow without needing much water and what makes the soil better for farming.

'One thing that makes the soil better is worms, like these! They help break it up and get air into it by turning it over as they wriggle through,' says Kavita.

Dung rules OK

Ida the cow is a star member of Herbert's household in Uganda. She provides enough milk for the family to drink and sell to pay school fees! What's more, they can use her urine and dung for fertiliser and compost. This means Herbert's family can grow lots more food, and the soil stays full of natural products.

Wild fun

Members of Kent's Wildlife Watch group had fun getting their hands dirty, learning how to turn waste into compost. Layers of grass cuttings, green leaves, woody twigs, kitchen waste, manure and even newspaper all went into the compost bin, followed by water and an old carpet on top to keep in the heat. The waste will rot down to make great compost for garden soil. This will help plants to grow well without needing chemical fertilisers.

Click here to find out how to make your own compost

Christian Aid/Kim Naylor

Kavita

Christian Aid/Kim Naylor

'Herbert, 10, helps look after Ada and loves feeding Ida the elephant grass leaves that she eats.

Julia Bracewell

Some of these layers are a bit pongy!