Great Green Wall Project Nigeria: Successful Logistics - Successful Outcome?

WEP/Women Environmental Programme, a Nigerian NGO GET'S IT! However, they only get part of the story.

In a recent Desertification Blog entry: No Green Wall Without Small-Scale Gardens for Women, Dr. Van Cotthem adds another important element to the demand of WEP that the Nigerian Federal Government speed up the implementation of the Green Wall Sahara (GWSP) Programme (WEP Wants Green Wall Sahara Programme).

The Executive Director of WEP believes "that the impact of desertification raise[s] security concerns, especially among the vulnerable groups." That is a very true and important statement. There is an urgent push from several fronts in support of the very same effort to begin executing some form of the Great Green Wall in northern Nigeria.

Dr. Van Cotthem then offers why he disagrees with WEP that "Sahelian rural women will be better off with adequate information on climate change necessary to evolve steps to control it.“ He also offers insight into just one of the many challenges that implementation of the GWSP will pose for all involved.

Logistics.

Not simply the logistical challenges of seedling production and regional access to move seedlings into target areas. The logistics of food production to support the labor required to implement each phase of the GWSP.

Professor Van Cotthem provides two reasons for his disagreement with WEP:

"Even supposing that there would be a small chance to find adequate information on climate change for rural women, I am not so sure that this will help these vulnerable women to handle their security concerns raised by the impact of desertification."

"Even if the Green Wall programme may play a little bit of an interesting role in some aspects of climate change, it will not be tremendously important for the rural families in the northern provinces of Nigeria and in the other countries concerned."

According to the Professor, what WILL make a critical difference is to enable rural Sahelian women with the resources to create "small-scale agriculture (or gardening) with reforestation in the Green Wall programme (agroforestry)."

The Professor knows from his direct, successful creation of the Seeds For Food home garden projects for the Saharawi Refugees in Algeria that it is possible to produce fresh fruits and vegetables in the barren regions of the Sahara Desert.

The success of GWSP will require the design and execution of effective tactical elements in conjunction with right logistical strategy to satisfy both immediate demands and program longevity.

The partnership must enable everyone who will be effected by the implementation AND outcome - that most certainly includes rural Sahelian women. Their battle is being fought everyday at ground zero.

"These labourers will have to be well fed. Tons of food will have to be produced at the local level. By whom? By the local women?"

Seeds For Food: Gardens of Fruits & Vegetables in the Sahara Desert

When you visit the website - Seeds For Food, I guarantee you will be amazed at what is possible!

You will learn about refugees from Western Sahara who have been living in camps for over 30 years, deep in the heart of the Sahara Desert. You will see photos of this desolate landscape that has gradually been transformed - one home garden at-a-time!

Dimidia is proud to have become a member of a growing team that is committed to the vision of the program founder, Dr. Willem Van Cotthem - Feeding the World's Poorest. His blog on Desertification is a permanent link from this blog.

He has accomplished this task over the past 4 years by simply collecting seeds from many dining tables. Those collected seeds - normally discarded from our tables, have been collected, cleaned and sent to him for their ultimate journey to the Sahara Desert.

His photos tell a most unbelieveable story. We hope you will be inspired to participate in this effort. Details will be provided on numerous partner sites as this effort expands.

Please follow this progress from the following links:

• Seeds For Food: http://www.seedsforfood.org/
• WeForest: http://www.weforest.com/
• Dimidia, LLC: http://www.dimidia.com/

Other links will be provided to introduce you to our growing team. The Sahara is just the program's initial destination.

Desertification in Cyprus - Same Story. Different Country.

This post is about the impact of global warming on another Mediterranean country - Cyprus. Like Spain, both countries rely heavily on tourist revenue. Yet, rising tourist populations place considerable environmental demand on destination countries, especially, for freshwater.

Under "suitable" conditions, a desert is often considered to be an ideal resort destination. Under "normal" conditions, a desert is often deadly.

Before going into the article on Cyprus, I would like to revisit the extreme weather being experienced in Australia. I think you will see some important similarities.

In case you are not aware of the extended drought in Australia, I will provide a few links to put those conditions into perspective. The following link provides a map of the region impacted by the Murray-Darling River System - the agricultural heartland of the country. It is shared between the States of Victoria and New South Wales. Like failing arteries, the continuing drought has begun to constrict supplies of available water - ultimately, impacting the health of Australia's agricultural sustainability.

1. The Independent/Australia's Epic Drought: The Situation is Grim by Kathy Marks in Sydney (4/2007). Although a dated article, it has many of the decision details that countries suffering from drought/desertification must begin to consider. Many countries in arid and hyper-arid geographies, such as the Middle East, have been trying to address these issues for a very long time. Often, water issues are the only common ground that can bring politically-opposing factions to a negotiation table. The article opens with: "Australia has warned that it will have to switch off the water supply to the continent's food bowl unless heavy rains break an epic drought - heralding what could be the first climate change-driven disaster to strike a developed nation."

2. WashingtonPost/A Lingering Pool of Disbelief: Despite a decade of record drought, Australian farmers refuse to buy into climate change by Blaine Harden (12/2009). (P.S. Close the Advertisement if it pops up first. It is annoying). This article is two years more current and describes how life USED to be. "SWAN REACH, AUSTRALIA -- Before climate change strangled his lemon trees, Hermann Markovsky would drift off to sleep to the murmur of black swans in a lagoon beside his citrus farm. The lagoon has dried up and the swans are gone. Gone, too, after a decade of the worst drought on record, is Markovsky's right to pump irrigation water from the Murray, Australia's largest river. Once called the Mighty Murray, it is now too sickly to flow to the sea, nor can it fill the irrigation pipes that sustain the country's agricultural heartland."

3. Climate Progress/The Severity of the 'Big Dry': In this article, I think the conclusion will be most helpful to put its content into perspective. "So the work Aussie scientists cannot be used to argue that the “Big Dry” is not “a CO2-driven event” (which in any case isn’t quite what had been asserted originally). Indeed, the scientists find that climate change has probably worsened this recent drought, which again is not new climate science (see “Must-have PPT: The ‘global-change-type drought’ and the future of extreme weather“). Warm-weather droughts are generally worse than cooler-weather droughts — and this has been a hot-weather drought, which is perhaps the worst of all. Future droughts will increasingly be very hot weather droughts."

4. Drought Statement Archive: For the 6 and 12-month periods ending 31st December 2009. Issued on 5th January 2010 by the National Climate Centre.

Now that there has been sufficient background on the impact of freshwater deficiencies in Australia, I guess it is time to introduce the article on Cyprus. The article, Climate Change in Cyprus: Battling Drought from Euranet (01/2009) is another telling example of what is likely to become a recurring theme throughout many countries as freshwater demands increase for irrigation and consumption.

Again, I like to return to the simple formula: Food = Virtual Water. Whether we are talking about grain or meat production, water is the essential ingredient.

Global Oceans/Ravaged and Under Assault

I again refer to a Spiegel Online/International article - provided by Tom Simeone - that details results from a classified German Report on the current condition of our Global Oceans.

Relevant to this first article is another Spiegel reference from August 2008: Our Ravaged Seas by Thomas Schulz. It begins with this opening statement: "The oceans are a primary source of food for mankind, and fishing provides 200 million people with income, as meager as it may be. But growing demand and the industrial-scale exploitation of the seas are destroying global fish populations. The European Union's quota system is partly to blame."

Rather than summarize each article, I will first suggest that you read Ravaged Seas/Globalization Is Destroying the World's Oceans, a three part assessment of the impact of globalization. Part 1: Globalization Is Destroying the World's Oceans; Part 2: 'Everything Was Gone'; Part 3: Pirate Fishermen and Big Multinationals.

Then, continue to the article Global Ocean Protection Measures Have Failed (02/2010) by Axel Bojanowski. It begins with "thousands of tons of trash are thrown into the sea each year, endangering humans and wildlife. A classified German government report obtained by SPIEGEL ONLINE indicates that efforts by the United Nations and the European Union to clean up our oceans have failed entirely."

This is not simply an EU cause or phenomenon. The accompanying content and photos to both articles are revealing and a great cause for global concern.

Women in the Developing World - A Potential Potent Force in Political & Climate Stability

This post originated as a referral from my soon-to-be-graduating-from-college son, Tom Simeone, in his ever-expanding activities in International Studies. While it is necessary for him to actually read Spiegel in German, he is thoughtful enough to always forward the English version to me for my consumption.

The link is all about Gender and Climate Change: Poor Women Bear Brunt of Global Warming. The photo in the article shows the silhouette of four women walking from a well – carrying water. This is a common scene throughout most of Africa and one that I would see repeatedly as a Peace Corps Volunteer while living in West Africa.

What are not appreciated from the photo are the instinctive aspects of what appear to be simple processes. Such things as: the gross weight of the clay pots filled with water; the process of raising it to and lowering it from the head; the art of balancing – often for distances of up to 5-10 kilometers (3.5 – 6 miles) each way to and from a well – yes, it is an art that requires considerable endurance; and the often overlooked emotional impact to a woman who might drop and break the pot of water in an unforeseen accident.

To better put this process in perspective, I offer the following excerpt from the West African experience of an organization - World Chlorine Council - that works with improving potable water. The wells of subject were the very same that we were replacing in our Peace Corps program. Their experience is entirely accurate.

Clean Water - Essential to Life
“In sobering contrast to this scene, we also visited Garin Makaka, a village that is scheduled to have a bore well constructed in 2009. The residents currently subsist by using hand-dug traditional wells that are 60-80 meters deep. We spoke with villagers about the daily challenge of meeting a family’s water needs. Drawing the water requires lowering a container down the shaft and drawing it back up, hand-over-hand, by rope.

The village women demonstrated the physical toll of this work, each emphatically trumping the last by displaying increasingly calloused, worn and cracked palms. The water must be carried back to the village, typically in a clay pot holding about 10 liters. (One liter equals one kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. 3.7 liters equals one gallon). The water alone can weigh more than 40 pounds. I picked up a full container to feel its heft and tried to imagine carrying it a kilometer or more through the desert heat. The women and girls carry these on their heads, perhaps making four or five trips each day. For this labor, the families get poor quality water leading to high rates of diarrheal illnesses in the village.”

This experience is just about water. You can imagine how marginalized the poor are in poor countries.

This leads to another focus that can and will make a difference.

Work is being done by many people in many countries to try to improve the quality of life among the most disenfranchised – especially, women. I met Dr. Mishkat Al-Moumin a few years ago. Dr. Al-Moumin is the former Minister of Environment in the interim Iraqi government of 2004-2005, where she set up the entire structure for this new ministry. In this position she led campaigns to support Iraqi people living in environmentally dangerous areas, and initiated awareness and cleaning projects which addressed rehabilitation issues of the Iraqi Marshlands. While in Iraq, she began an NGO: Women and the Environment (WATEO). She now lives in the United States.

“WATEO seeks to raise awareness of environmental and social issues with a special emphasis on women’s interests. We recognize the need to educate women about their role in managing environmental resources to achieve sustainable development. WATEO pledges to empower women to achieve positive environmental change in their families and societies.”

You can see that there is much work to be done and there are plenty of opportunities throughout the developing world whether with a specialty NGO or the United Nations.

There is little doubt that it will take a global effort to make a global impact on global sustainability!

Shaping Asia’s Future / Part 1

I was reading through a recent USAID Asia Bureau funded report. It is a long report – 74 pages – that was prepared by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, The Environmental Change & Security Program and The China Environment Forum. The title is: Asia’s Future/Critical Thinking for a Changing Environment (09/2009).

The details are dramatic.

I thought the best way to move through the report would be in several parts. Part 1 will be an introduction to the content of the report. Part 2 will provide excerpts that I found to be particularly dramatic that substantiate the challenges that face global sustainability.

The content is especially relevant is because of the global demands placed on Asia as it has become “the producer for the world.”

The impact of this report can be felt from its opening pages.

In Section 1.1 Long-Term Effects of Short-Term Thinking, the issues are laid out in plain view:

“This behavior (necessary expenditures are too often deferred, and capital is drawn down at unsustainable rates until suddenly disaster emerges, sending everything into crisis mode and further curtailing wise, long-term planning) may be one of the many factors at the root of the global economic crisis of 2009, but it also has parallels in biodiversity and the environment – [especially in Asia].’

‘Here too, natural capital is being expended faster than it can be replenished, and the mounds of waste pile ever higher, leaving future generations more environmentally impoverished.’

‘While Europe and the U.S. accomplished their own levels of environmental degradation over centuries, already densely populated Asia, with its lightning-speed economic development, natural resource-dependent economies, and globalization of trade, is currently playing out this environmental version of unsustainable growth in fast forward, and its rich biodiversity is paying the price.”

A panel of over 90 experts agreed that there are six primary trends and drivers that will most affect Asia’s future environment and biodiversity:

1. Rapid Economic Development and Rising Living Standards in Asia
2. Globalization of Trade and Demand for Asian Natural Resources
3. Rise of Asian Science and Technology
4. Exploding Energy Demand in Asia and Globally
5. Projected Effects of Climate Change and Post-Kyoto Mitigation Approaches
6. Continued Population Growth and Urbanization

“THE MOST IMPORTANT conclusion reached by the Wilson Center’s analysis on these trends is the urgent need for environmental sustainability—for sustainable use, sustainable consumption, sustainable development— in ways that do not enrich current generations at the expense of future ones.’

‘At least five of these six drivers and many of the related trends reflect unsustainable demand and use of Asia’s natural resources and environment, some of it originating from within the region and much from outside.

‘Most of the drivers are related to economics, as human economic activity, especially the pursuit of financial gain, is what is most significantly affecting Asia’s environment, both directly and indirectly.’

Most of these trends also demand ever increasing amounts of freshwater, a recurring theme.

Can Smart Water Make a Critical Difference for the Eel and Mussel?

Years ago, I had my professional career beginnings at IBM. I was in sales. It was at IBM that I met Joe Mastromatteo. Joe spent part of his career at headquarters where the BIG iron was created. Joe has provided me with several ideas for posts. As a retired IBM employee, Joe remains faithful to Big Blue’s evolution from a preeminent computer hardware manufacturer to a global service provider.

Inspiration for this current post again has been provided by Joe who continues to see alignment between the purpose of my company and IBM’s continued evolution of its environmental business model.

I wonder if IBM sees a similar synergy?

In a couple of recent posts, I discussed the fate of the European eel and a few species of native American (from Oklahoma, actually) freshwater mussels! Both are endangered because of declining water quality. Both can be characterized as Biological Dominos.

Building A Smarter Planet is a blog that is part of IBM’s A Smarter Planet campaign. If you have been even partially focused on corporate promotions, you would notice that IBM continues to move deeper into the application of smart technology as an important component of solving environmental problems.

So, what’s the connection between IBM, the European eel and an Oklahoma mussel?

Perhaps another way of asking that question to understand the connection might be: Would smart water have made a difference in the longevity of the eel and mussel?

From the Smarter Planet blog, its author, Tim Washer takes us on a trip to Lake Champlain. When you look at the video: Mad Science - Making Water Smarter the connection will become perfectly clear.

The irony (and benefits) of the evolution of IBM – besides the obvious business potential and Green association – is that when I worked at IBM, Big Blue was all about BIG computers. Today, Big Blue might have a lot more to do with BLUE water than CPUs!

There is even one more ominous stretch in this comparison. IBM moved aggressively into global services because the mainframe computer WAS BECOMING ENDANGERED. For the opposite reason, it is now moving aggressively into the environment because it IS BECOMING ENDANGERED!

Move Over European Eel for An Endangered Species in Oklahoma Rivers

In an earlier post, I spoke about the reduced eel population in European rivers. The author referred to this as “A Biodiversity Domino”. It looks as though there is an opportunity to add another domino to the issue of species extinction.

This time, it is occurring in the rivers of the State of Oklahoma.

The article from today’s Science Daily: Environmental Change Impacts Oklahoma Rivers (02/2010) suggests that we need to be concerned about the decline in freshwater species because they “provide many goods and services for humans." There are common "factors [which] underlie these declines [to] include water pollution, habitat destruction and degradation, and environmental changes.”

It seems that “freshwater biodiversity is also threatened by climate change which is predicted to alter species ranges and abundance."

The species in question are freshwater mussels - yep, mussels!

Apparently, Oklahoma’s rivers contain 55 of the 300 species of freshwater mussels found in the United States! Over 50 percent of these 300 species are declining.

Like the European eel, mussels provide an important benefit to freshwater river systems. “Mussels feed by filtering material from the water with their gills, thus mussels act as a bio- filtration system in freshwater ecosystems.”

The researcher summarizes the issue very simply: "Water is our most precious resource. Sustainable water quantity and quality is a fundamental need of both wildlife and humans and is a critical component for economic growth."