Sustainability is on the rise and spreading across the globe. If you’ve been keeping up with us, you’ve seen the sustainability steps taken in Europe and Asia. Now, you can learn about the steps taken in Africa, to address some of their specific needs, such as sustainable farming and water conservation.
Maintaining the water supply in Africa is a constant problem. In order to handle this issue, new tools, like treadle pumps and tensiometers, have been brought to the country. Treadle pumps transport water from the source to crops, or an irrigation system, without any unnecessary steps in between. They are powered by body weight and physical strength. This tool is cheap, efficient, and conserves water, because it minimizes water loss between the water source and the crops. The tensiometer tests the moisture already present in a soil sample, so that no excess water is used on the crops. Tensiometers are also very affordable and can aid in conserving water resources.
A research organization, Worldwatch Institute, analyzed current environmental practices in Africa and found some promising results. Over a half million farmers already use green practices such as, crop rotation and composting. The research found other farmers relied on different sustainable techniques, including, recycling water and protecting the local area’s biodiversity.
While we, in Rochester, may not be dealing with the exact same environmental problems as in Africa , many of the same sustainable techniques can be taught and shared across the world, like composting, growing organic food, conserving water, and several others. It really is a small, green world after all.
One Reply to “Sustainability in Africa”
Comments are closed.