Saturday 30 December 2017

Agroecology for People and the Environment

The so-called ''Green Revolutions'' produced the dominant agricultural model of today. It is both capital and technology intensive and operated by multinational companies in large estates. It tends to exclude traditional, small crop farmers and, over the last century, provoked an unprecedented rural exodus which has negative impacts on both the countryside and cities. While this model significantly increased agricultural performance in terms of yields, it relies heavily on ever-larger inputs (fertilizers, pesticides...) and irrigation water, which has already passed the point of diminishing returns in many regions (Altieri, 2005). More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the increase in world food supplies did not reduce the number of people undernourished, which only fell by ''80 million, from 920 million to 840 million between the late 1960s and the early 1990s''. The FAO's Regional Overview of Food Security And Nutrition published in November 2017 has reported that improvements in sub-Saharan Africa flatlined since 2010, and between 2015 and 2016 the prevalence of undernourishment in all regions of the continent ''rose from 20.8 to 22.7 percent''.

A holistic, ecological approach to agriculture must be implemented to address the root causes of hunger and to reverse land degradation. Agroecology acknowledges the fact that the present agroindustrial model has brought us to an ''ecological limit'' and provides an alternative path. It is labor intensive, reduces the demand for purchased seeds and chemical inputs and works in a systems approach that mimics ecosystems. In this spirit, ''agroecology is able to raise agricultural productivity in ways that are economically viable, environmentally benign and socially uplifting” (Altieri et al).

Agroecology is founded on natural enhancement and regeneration by using natural resources efficiently; for instance, by returning waste to productive use. Since sanitation is one of the pressing challenges communities in sub-Saharan Africa are confronted with, agroecology provides alternatives such as the use of human waste in agriculture (and aquaculture): this improves access to clean water and fosters food security (Haq, Cambridge, 2012)

A case in point is the pilot project initiated by TRAX, an NGO intervening in Northern Ghana, with financial support from Self Help Africa and the UK. The project targeted a dryland farming region in the Upper East Region of northern Ghana, the second poorest region in the country (AFSA, 2016, page 14). Poor soils, erratic rainfall and shorter rainy seasons and lack of alternative incomes are the main challenges faced by the communities. Climate change has already produced adverse effects in Pelungu and the traditional millet crop has failed in its historic role of shortening the ''hunger period”. The project aimed at increasing the production of the orange-fleshed sweet potato by family farmers in Pelungu. The orange-fleshed sweet potato is a variety that grows well under drought conditions on and marginal soils. The introduction of orange-fleshed sweet potato has not only shortened the hunger period but also allowed for surplus yield to be sold in the market.

Technical training courses were provided and smallholder farmers were guided throughout the implementation of the project, using Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) techniques. Instead of inverting the soil completely when plowing (increasing the vulnerability to erosion), the farmers learned to stabilize the topsoil with methods such as minimal and zero tillage. Slash and burning of cultivated and uncultivated lands was also a common practice, but Pelungu farmers were advised to adopt non-burning methods, teaching the importance of nutrients from decomposing residues. Lastly, farmers were taught to use compost and farmyard manure as an alternative to expensive and degrading agrochemicals. The family farmers reported that yields were double that of the ordinary sweet potato, increasing the ability to sell excess produce and raising incomes. (ibid.)

African smallholders who depend on agriculture to subsist may be more exposed to the risks of climate change. However, according to the Alliance for Food Sovereignty Africa, the continent already has what it needs to succeed; ''drought-resistant, pest-resistant, high-yielding, open-pollinated, seasonal, and naturally nutritious crops waiting to be integrated into agricultural systems without the need for newly engineered species. The only obstacle is the appreciation, respect and utilisation of these natural resources''.

For more information:

Agroecology, a tool for the realization of the Right to food - Olivier de Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food 
Agroecology: the bold future of farming in Africa - AFSA, 2016
Agroecology and the design of climate change-resilient farming systems - Altieri et al., 2015

Tuesday 26 December 2017

Seawater Farming

Perhaps you are asking yourself: why should we discuss seawater irrigation? 

The simple answer is: due to the impacts of climate change, the world is seeking renewable sources of energy as alternatives to a fossil-fuelled energy matrix. By the same token, we should be considering alternatives to irrigation from freshwater. Only around 0,5% of freshwater is directly available for human consumption and 70% of freshwater withdrawals are consumed by agriculture. Yet, saltwater drenches 2/3 of our planet, not to mention saline groundwater which underlies much of the land. Also, there are about 20,000 linear miles of sunny, desert seacoast with untapped potential. Bearing this in mind, let us focus on a specific challenge, or opportunity: desert economics. No, this is not about oil being pumped out of the earth!

I came across a documentary called ''The greening of Eritrea'' which I thought would be interesting to share. It follows the development of a seawater farm project conducted by Dr. Hodges together with the government of Eritrea to establish the world's first commercial seawater farm, back in 1998. In a country which suffers from severe malnutrition and poverty, this was not a minor accomplishment. Political instability, however, led to the discontinuation of the project, in 2003. 



Eritrea's economy and agricultural sector have been severely threatened by the combination of war, droughts, and land degradationEritrea has one of the highest child undernutrition levels, with the second highest score reported for the Global Hunger Index in 2014. Like many sub-Saharan African countries, the majority of the population depends on agriculture, which is mainly smallholder based and rainfed. Coupled with low total rainfall, insufficient access to seeds, soil and water erosion due to unsustainable land use practices, poor infrastructure and underlying poverty, the country's food supplies are unreliable and insufficient. 

Seawater irrigation showcases systems thinking approach, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem which has the potential to revitalize the arid seacoast, creating jobs and increasing livelihoods.

Too good to be true? 


There are two basic questions regarding desert economics which must be addressed. Firstly, does salt water allow for plant growth? The answer is yes, and abundantly, just think of seaside mangroves. One halophyte (salt-tolerant plant) in particular, Salicornia, was successfully produced in Eritrea's seawater farm project and has great benefits and potential. Salicornia is a sea vegetable rich in minerals and vitamins A, B1, B15, C, and D. This plant is also a great source of oils and can eventually be produced to power jets, as Bilal Bomani, a senior NASA scientist believes:


''So we talk about ideas worth spreading, right? How about this: In sub-Saharan Africa, next to the sea, saltwater, barren desert: how about we take that plant, plant it, half use for food, half use for fuel. We can make that happen, inexpensively'' - Bilal Bomani's TED TALK: Click here to watch!

Dr. Carl Hodges, the scientist behind the initiative, argues that Salicornia grown in desert regions can potentially replace today's soy production, eliminating one of the main threats to the sustainability of rainforests. If adopted on a global scale, seawater irrigation could even contribute to reducing rising sea levels.

So how does it work?

The desert transformations proposed by seawater farming are ambitious, aimed at creating a self-sustaining ecosystem which harbors flora, fauna and biodiversity. To do so, however, would be impossible without investments in infrastructure, namely, the digging of canals and lakes.


A Self-Sustaining Ecological Farming System / Diagram based on Eritrea's Seawater Farm/ Source
A first canal with pumps that lift the seawater is needed and a secondary series of canals and lakes become home to a flourishing aquaculture of fish, shrimp, and mollusks. The biological waste from the aquaculture activities become the fertilizers needed to support the production of Salicornia. Nothing is wasted; the resulting water irrigates lands, replenishing depleted wetlands, revitalizing mangroves and ecosystems which provide essential and valuable services. A veritable virtuous circle. 

According to CN Hodges, in its four years of operation in Eritrea, the Seawater Farms project planted 250 acres of Salicornia and nearly 240 acres of seawater forest. The exportation of shrimp was an additional value which provided incomes and employed nearly 800 people.

Today, other countries are experimenting with Salicornia and other saltwater tolerant plants as sources of food! Of course, there still remain major challenges, ranging from political instability to setting up innovative financing schemes to support this revolution. In Eritrea, the main problem constraining development is the absence of an effective institutional capacity, water policies, and legislation to regulate water management (FAO).

A Story of Regeneration and Reforestation From Eritrea - Circulate News
Greening Drylands with Seawater Easily and Naturally - Khaled Moustafa