Hunger and food insecurity are major issues in India; the nation is home to 15 percent of the world’s undernourished people. The United Nations’ FAO estimates that every single day, more than 195 million people in India suffer from hunger.
The nation seriously lags behind other major nations like Brazil and China when it comes to crop yield for cereal and rice, which are India’s two key crops. India’s slow and inefficient agricultural sector is the result of limited access to modern technology, inefficient systems for transporting goods and urbanization. And on top of that, 63 percent of agricultural land is dependent on rainfall, so years with low rain devastate crop production. Despite all of this, farmers in India have started movements to utilize more sustainable farming methods and practices that work to make the agricultural system more efficient in order to increase outputs and improves people’s lives.
Sustainable Farming Methods
Sustainable farming practices are used to improve agricultural output and efficiency, which means that more food is produced, less resources are used and more profits are made by farmers. Examples of sustainable farming methods include using a biodegradable mulch film instead of one made from Polyethylene. While Polyethylene films require intense labor to remove, and can affect soil quality and crop growth if done improperly, biodegradable films are naturally absorbed by microorganisms in the soil, and help maintain the quality of soil while reducing costs of labor. Farmers will also use fungicides and insecticides on their seeds in order to improve the health of their crops and enhance their productivity. In addition, due to the fact that agriculture relies so heavily on rainfall, effective sustainable water management is crucial for a successful harvest.
Along with how crops are grown, how they are stored and distributed is a crucial aspect of agriculture. An estimated up to 67 million tons of food are wasted every year in India. Perishable goods end up often rotting as a result of a lack of modern technology, pests, or weather. Sustainable initiatives like using more efficient insulation and special tarpaulins that keep fruits and vegetables at proper temperatures during transportation work to reduce the number of perishables that rot. Reducing the amount of food that rots means that there is more food available to eat, which combats food insecurity and ensure that more food items are available without even increasing crop yield. And of course, combining these efforts with initiatives to produce food more sustainably and efficiently does even more to fight food insecurity.
The Natural Farming Movement
India’s Natural Farming movement plays a massive role in promoting sustainable farming practices that improve health, create jobs, cut labor costs and improve peoples’ overall quality of life. The use of pesticides has devastated farmers across India which has led to the loss of crops, debt, illness and even death. In 2000, villagers from the village of Punukula, Andrha Pradesh, launched a grassroots movement against the use of pesticides, focusing on non-pesticide management techniques that employ natural alternatives like chili pepper and planting trap crops like castor.
Within a year of the start of the movement, farmers saw pesticide-related health issues vanish, expenses drop, and profits increase. In addition, new jobs were created as a result of the need to create repellents from natural products. Villagers reported that the movement improved their quality of life — improving their financial situations, their health and their overall happiness. More villagers began to reject the use of pesticides, and the village declared itself as pesticide-free in 2004.
Zero Budget Natural Farming
A similar natural farming movement is Zero Budget Natural Farming, which began as a grassroots effort led by people in the state of Karnataka. Zero Budget entails that farmers do not spend money on inputs for their crops and that they would rather use resources from nature to grow and tend to their crops instead of chemicals, thus Zero Budget Natural Farming. Using natural products instead of taking out loans to spend on chemicals allows for farmers to save money, which improves their financial stability and allows them to focus more on tending to their crops.
A key aspect of Zero Budget Natural Farming is the use of the fermented microbial culture Jeevamrutha (a mixture of water, cow urine, cow dung, flour, soil, and brown sugar) on soil. Jeevanmrutha acts as a catalyst in promoting earthworm and microorganism activity within the soil, while also providing the soil with additional nutrients. Using natural products instead of taking out loans to spend on chemicals allows for farmers to save money, providing them with more financial stability and thus improving their quality of life.
The Zero Budget Natural Farming movement actually runs training camps that receive support by the state government. These camps last five days, with eight hours of classes per day. Attendance ranges from 300 to 5000 farmers, and topics covered include philosophy, ecology, successful farming practices, and of course, Zero Budget Natural Farming methods.
A Promising Future
The people of India suffer enormously from hunger and food insecurity. India’s weak and inefficient agricultural and food storage and distribution systems, coupled with devastating years of low rain often leads Indian farmers into bad health, hunger, and poverty. However, farmers in India have started a movement towards a more efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly farming techniques that fight against poverty and hunger. Using these sustainable techniques means that farmers have fewer costs upfront, ensuring that they are able to make higher profits and worry less about having to take loans or to pay off debts. Sustainable farming in India reduces poverty, fights hunger, and changes lives.
– Nicholas Bykov
Photo: Flickr
Water Access in Angola: The Value of Investment
Almost half the population in Angola does not have proper access to clean water according to a report by UNICEF.
A country endowed with some of Africa’s most precious natural resources, Angola is frequently victim to external shocks to the market. Oil accounts for roughly one-third of GDP and more than 95 percent of exports. Reliance on a market like oil, which is particularly prone to shocks, means that Angola’s economy is directly affected by external fluctuations. In fact, growth in GDP continues to fall years after a drop in oil prices in 2014. According to the World Bank, annual GDP growth in 2018 was -2.1 percent.
At-Risk Populations
Water access in Angola is an important metric in understanding the distortionary economic effects felt by low-income individuals, women and children. Without clean water and sanitation, too many Angolans are more prone to water-borne diseases like cholera which can kill someone within hours if left untreated.
Outbreaks are more common in rainy seasons when it is easy for the cholera bacteria to survive. Between February and August of 2018, there were 1,046 cases of cholera in Angola, including 21 deaths.
Programs and Initiatives that Increase Water Access in Angola
Luanda, Angola’s capital city, has a population of 7 million, 37 percent of whom rely on connected water service. Private tanker truck services account for 25 percent, public standpipes for 22 percent and illegal water connections or untreated river sources for 16 percent. Increased water access in Angola will contribute directly to labor productivity, economic growth, reduced vulnerability and an overall reduction in poverty.
The valuation of water is incredibly unique—at high quantities, it is an elastic good, but at low quantities it is inelastic. Simply put, it is a basic resource, so when water is unavailable it also becomes invaluable. Investment in water projects can help Angolans reduce time and money spent on acquiring water—especially from tanker truck services which tend to take advantage of the inelasticity of water during a shortage. A number of global organizations are working to increase water access in Angola in order to help provide people with this basic human right.
USAID Development Grants Program
From 2016-2017, the Development Grants Program focused specifically on water and sanitation in Angola. It strived to create affordable water options for consumers, and increase the maintenance of infrastructure. Initiatives such as this help local people reliably manage public resources.
The Institutional and Sustainability Support program began in 2015 to support urban water supply and sanitation services. It proposed infrastructure and development goals with the intention of helping 4.5 million people in seven provinces. This program is ongoing and specifically focuses on those provinces with the highest need for water services: Cabinda, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Kuanza Sul, Bengo, Namib and Cunene.
The World Bank Projects
The most recent World Bank project supports inclusive growth, social protection and water services in Angola. One of its 2019 programs, called the Luanda Bita Water Supply Project, invested $500 million to mobilize government financing for clean water access. Another $500 million was given specifically to protect the poor and vulnerable.
This project comes after a 2017 loan of $200 million to provide 950,000 individuals with piped water services and a 2018 investment of $150 million for the 1.2 million people living in regional cities of Angola.
Women and girls are the focus of many of these investments since reducing their time spent collecting water will allow them to give back to the economy in more productive and impactful ways.
Support from these and other global organizations will help Angola to lower the risk of contracting water-borne illnesses, decrease time spent by women and children collecting water and positively impact the overall economy as a result. A basic resource such as water is often taken for granted by people living in countries with reliable water infrastructure. For those living in Angola who spend a disproportionate amount of time and money on safe water, investments in infrastructure and water supply programs are incredibly impactful. Providing the appropriate resources to aid in water access will help Angolans protect themselves from economic shocks, and give back to the global economy.
– Tera Hofmann
Photo: Wikimedia
The International Development Association and Global Poverty
The International Development Association (IDA) is one of five institutions that work together to form the World Bank. The IDA’s main goal is to reduce global poverty by working alongside the world’s poorest countries. To accomplish this goal, the IDA issues grants and loans to development programs in impoverished countries. These development programs try to spur economic growth and improve living standards. Currently, the IDA involves itself in a plethora of projects around the world. In the fiscal year 2018, the IDA began 206 new operations.
How the IDA Works
The IDA has managed to raise $369 billion since 1960 to aid underdeveloped regions and it invested all of the money into various development projects. The IDA was able to accomplish this through communication with partner countries and contributions from wealthier nations.
Donor governments meet with receiving countries to discuss funding and a repayment plan and ensure that the development project is feasible and will be successful. The IDA releases reports from these meetings, which publicly allows anyone to learn about the organization’s future projects. The IDA also frequently consults think tanks and civil society organizations to receive feedback on their work. On top of all of this, the IDA reviews a country’s economy and recent history to determine whether it is eligible for a development project. After completing each of these steps, the IDA can determine how to allocate resources appropriately and effectively.
The International Development Association’s Work in Action
The International Development Association continues to change the lives of millions every year. In 2019, farmers in Ethiopia reaped the benefits of the Second Agricultural Growth Project (AGPII). The AGPII aims to improve agricultural efficiency and productivity in Ethiopia by teaching farmers about agriculture, improving irrigation systems and providing fertilizer. The AGPII also helps farmers access new markets which help raise their incomes. Thanks to the AGPII, one farmer increased her potato production by 400 percent and another was successful enough that they could start a family.
Improvements like the ones in Ethiopia are the norm for IDA projects and not rare. For example, in Madagascar, the IDA funded a program titled the productive cash-for-work program (ACTP) in 2015. Since then, many economically vulnerable communities have been able to improve their lives and take advantage of new economic opportunities. The ACTP provides money and training to impoverished people in exchange for work. The program has helped 31,250 households so far and has aided in the creation of small businesses.
IDA funding has had similar effects in other countries. From 2013-2018 new roads in Afghanistan helped create over two million new jobs. In the Gambia, an agricultural project doubled rice yields between 2014 and 2018. Meanwhile, in Kenya, three million people benefited from infrastructure improvements. Overall, between the fiscal year 2011 and 2018, IDA projects led to the building and repairing of more than 140,000 kilometers of roads, the gaining of clean water access for 86 million people and the immunization of 274 million children.
The International Development Association is crucial to global poverty reduction. The IDA has created a system to ensure that the world’s poorest countries receive an appropriate amount of funding and support for future social and economic development. The results speak for themselves as the IDA has changed many people’s lives for the better.
– Nick Umlauf
Photo: Flickr
How Dental Care in the Philippines is Combating Tooth Decay
Dental care in the Philippines is crucial as statistics show that at least 80 percent of Filipinos suffer from dental problems. The current dental system has not been effective in reducing the number of people suffering from tooth decay or cavities. Today, the country is shifting towards adopting prevention methods. Here are three examples of how the Philippines is preventing tooth decay.
Education Programs
Statistics show that 95 percent of 12-year-olds suffer from tooth decay or cavities. Poor oral hygiene is the main reason for children with oral health problems. Building healthy habits is the key to preventing oral disease. To promote prevention measures, the Philippines is integrating oral health as part of the education curriculum in public schools.
The country’s Department of Education released the program, Fit for School as a way to address tooth decay in school-aged children. Every day, students go out to the school courtyard to brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. Fit for School not only promotes healthy habits, but it also provides the students with access to clean water and appropriate washing facilities. Today, the Fit for School Approach has become the Essential Health Care Program, which targets about 2 million children in 40 provinces in the Philippines.
Tax on Sugar
Sugar is one of the many causes of oral health issues in the Philippines. There is an abundance of sweet treats and sugary drinks throughout the country. Coca-Cola alone is predicted to spend $5.5 to $12 billion in marketing in Asian and African countries. Obesity and diabetes are diseases have links to high sugar diets. Now, tooth decay is also associated with sugar.
To make matters worse, foods high in fat and sugar are more accessible than a toothbrush. Filipinos living in poverty-stricken regions are the most vulnerable to make poor dietary choices and suffer from oral health issues. Several countries, like Mexico, have seen a drop in sugar consumption after implementing a tax on sugary drinks.
In 2018, the Philippines implemented a sugar tax. The tax raises the cost of sugary drinks by 13 percent. As a result, the Philippines expects to lower soda sales as well as a drop in the number of people suffering from tooth decay. The money collected from the sugar tax will be used to fund health care initiatives and infrastructure.
International Impact
From the United States to Australia, foreigners are flocking to the Philippines for dental care. The affordability of treatments has made dental care in the Philippines one of the most popular dental tourism destinations in the world. Dental tourism refers to the practice of traveling to another country to undergo dental treatment such as implants or teeth whitening.
Due to its popularity, dental tourism is fostering economic growth for the Philippines. However, it has not improved access to oral care for Filipinos. A 2016 report found that Filipinos rarely visit the dentist office and over 7 percent had never been. The report also found that 98 percent of Filipinos experience tooth decay.
Some argue that dental tourism has made dental care even more limited to Filipinos. The price of visiting the dentist is low for foreigners but very costly for Filipinos. Additionally, dentist offices are prone to schedule prioritize foreign patients rather than local ones. However, foreign travelers are also bringing free dental care to the Philippines. For instance, access to quality dental care is limited in Cebu and other underserved regions in the Philippines.
Aid for Dental Care
The University of the Pacific (UOP) is one of many organizations working to increase the accessibility of dental care. Each summer, UOP sends a group of dental students to Canjula Elementary School in Cebu to provide the students with free dental care. Students unable to afford yearly trips to the dentist for cleanings, fillings or extractions now have access to get the care they need. In addition to treatment, UOP also provides oral health information sessions to promote the building of good hygiene habits.
As a whole, dental care in the Philippines has been improving with time. While it is a common critique that treatment is valued over prevention, there have been efforts aiming towards children. Additionally, tourism and higher institutions are working to increase access to dental care in the Phillippines.
– Paola Nuñez
Photo: Flickr
Why Ethical Impact Investing Is Beneficial
According to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), impact investing consists of “investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a finical return.” Examples of ways that companies can qualify for impacting investing include: reducing their carbon footprint, installing green energy and creating a more diversified board of directors and executive suit. In terms of viability, the GIIN reports that impact investing portfolios “overwhelmingly meet or exceed investors expectations for both social and environmental impact and financial return.” Ethical impact investing portfolios do not sacrifice profits for impact or the other way around, they are the best of both worlds.
Who Does Impact Investing?
Many firms including the biggest in the world operate some form of impact investing. Blackrock calls their form of impact investing, “sustainable investing” and focuses on “investing in progress and pioneering.” Blackrock runs funds which are made up of multiple companies which meet a certain criterion. For example, Blackrock’s “02 SDG [sustainable development goals] fund” is made up of companies which help to “advance the U.N.’s sustainable development goals.”
Companies in this fund include: Tesla INC, Procter and Gamble Vesta Wind Systems and New Oriental Education and Technology. Blackrock’s funds are incredibly diverse with the highest percentage weight in the 02 SDG Fund making up only 4.72 percent of the weight. Having a diverse fund helps the fund stay stable in case any of the companies or markets crash. And the proof is in the numbers — with the Blackrock fund outperforming the market. According to Investopedia, the average return of the U.S. market on average is 8 percent while the average return of Blackrock’s 02 SDG Fund is 9.3 percent.
Goldman Sachs also works towards ethical impact investing, but through a geographical lens which seeks to relive certain communities of specific ills. For instance, Goldman Sachs reports that it “invested over $300 million in the City of New Orleans [with an] integrated, place-based approach [which] has provided more than 1,450 units of…housing [and] over 1,300 new jobs.”
Goldman Sachs post-2008 has helped to create housing and jobs for an area ravaged by natural disaster. One of the projects that Goldman Sachs operated in New Orleans was the Harmony Oaks Apartments which Goldman Sachs poured “$61.2 million in financing to support the rebuilding effort [post Katrina].” Rather than having citizens invest in a fund, Goldman has corporations and projects apply for a grant which they can then be approved or denied for.
The Bottom Line
In terms of accessibility to the average investor, Goldman Sachs falls behind Blackrock’s fund management. Blackrock also includes companies from around the globe in their sustainable investing funds, while Goldman Sachs only offers impact investing related grants in the U.S. Blackrock also runs two other sustainable investment funds with one centered on low-cost sustainability, “01 ESGU” fund and one focused on reducing carbon footprint, “03 CRBN” fund. For investors who want to see a direct correlation with their profits and their impact, investing in Blackrock sustainability funds offers an effective, profitable alternative to traditional investing strategies.
– Spencer Julian
Photo: Flickr
10 Facts About Life Expectancy in Germany
Germany is a developed country that offers decent living conditions for its citizens. The average life expectancy is 81 years, which aligns with Europe’s average life expectancy. While there are numerous factors that play a role in determining life expectancy, Germany makes a tremendous effort to manipulate these factors and extend the average. Here are 10 facts about life expectancy in Germany.
10 Facts About Life Expectancy in Germany
These 10 facts about life expectancy in Germany go well beyond a person’s living conditions, health, happiness or education. In fact, the German government has demonstrated its role in ensuring that people are living their lives to the fullest.
– Haarika Gurivireddygari
Photo: Flickr
Why Fair Trade Products are Great Alternatives
The Morning Pick-Me-Up
Starbucks, one of the most popular coffee companies in the world, has been promoting fairtrade globally since 2000. The company is attempting to improve the lives of more than 1 million people who live in communities that revolve around the coffee industry. Toward that end, Starbucks now purchases 99 percent ethically grown coffee through Conservation International and has committed to 100 percent by 2020. The company has also launched a Global Farmer Fund Program which is committing $50 million to finance the renovation of coffee farms.
The goal is to develop more sustainable farming practices with improved employment conditions. More than 29,000 Starbucks stores around the world are having a substantial impact.
The Fashion Industry
The fashion industry is often guilty of using problematic and unethical labor practices, particularly child labor. This is because the industry embeds children in the supply chain to handle low-skilled tasks such as cotton-picking for extremely low wages. For this reason, it is very difficult to pay fair wages and still compete in the industry. Nevertheless, some fair trade products are starting to become competitive.
Athleta and Aventura are two companies that are offering sustainable fair trade clothing. Athleta is an activewear brand that has created more than 40 fair trade styles. They have committed to creating up to 230 by the end of the year.
Aventura sells fashionable, everyday clothing items for women and men that are made using fair trade practices. They use low-impact, sustainable materials for over 75 percent of their styles. The company also partners with Fair Trade USA to give back to the workers who produce their clothing. These fair trade companies provide good alternatives to clothing from brands like Urban Outfitters or Free People.
Scrubs and Suds
Lush is making the acquisition of ethically produced cosmetic products easier. Organizations like Fairtrade International have fair trade certified many Lush products. In some cases where ingredients have not been fair trade certified, Lush forms a direct relationship with the supplier to ensure that workers are treated and paid fairly. Lush also supports sustainable practices by its suppliers. Consumers are supporting improved working conditions in the cosmetics industry by purchasing products from Lush.
For the Occasional Sweet Tooth
Small family farms, the majority of which are located in West Africa, produce 90 percent of the world’s cocoa. Tony’s Chocolonely buys fair-trade chocolate to ensure that farmworkers are treated well and paid fairly. Tony’s is fair trade certified, producing 100 percent slave-free chocolate.
Tony’s works with 5,021 farmers and is committed to providing all of them with a living wage. The company pays its farmers a Fairtrade premium as well as their own premium. With this structure, the farmers get more than 9.6 percent of the retail price. Grocery stores throughout West Africa are making Tony’s chocolate bars easily accessible.
And So Much More…
Fairtrade shopping is one of the simplest yet most impactful ways to benefit the world’s poor. Fortunately, quality fair trade products are becoming easier to find than people might assume. Organizations like Fairtrade America and Fair Trade Certified have validated many ethical companies. It is important to seek out and support companies that sell fair trade products because purchasing fair trade products is a great alternative that facilitates poverty reduction.
– Ryley Bright
Photo: Flickr
The Cycle of Poaching and Poverty in Botswana
Botswana is home to roughly one-third of all of Africa’s wild elephant population, largely thanks to governmental bans on big game hunting. While other African countries kept more lenient laws in place, many elephants fled to Botswana seeking refuge, leading to the large concentration of elephants in Botswana. However, on May 22, 2019, the Ministry of Environment released a report stating that sport hunters would once again be allowed to hunt elephants after the five-year ban. This means that the cycle of poaching and poverty in Botswana will continue until action occurs.
Poaching by the Numbers
According to National Geographic, elephant populations across Africa dropped by 30% between 2007 and 2014. In the years since 2014, Botswana has only suffered more losses to its elephant population. A study that the scientific journal Current Biology published found that elephant carcasses in the years between 2014 and 2018 increased by around 600%. Considering that Botswana only listed the hunting ban in May 2019, the significant increase in elephant deaths may only be partially due to illegal poaching.
Why Illegal Poaching?
Illegal poaching, especially of elephants, has become a relatively lucrative industry in Africa as demand for ivory in Asian countries remains high. Illegal poaching creates jobs for people living in rural areas where other opportunities may be scarce. The lax enforcement of poaching bans and environmental regulations contributes to the cycle of poaching, but the larger issue is the lack of opportunities for people in rural areas to participate in legal, sustainable ventures.
Ecotourism, for example, is one way in which African countries can profit off of protecting their natural resources. Poaching threatens the very animals and environment that attract so many tourists. While a successful ecotourism industry requires investment in protecting and preserving land, it is a more sustainable (and legal) way to create sustainable jobs in more rural areas. According to the journal Nature Communications, elephant poaching causes African nations to lose the equivalent of $25 million each year in revenue that could have been brought in via tourism and conservation efforts.
The Link Between Poverty and Poaching
Poaching and poverty in Botswana is a cycle that hurts the environment, the citizens of Botswana and the economy as a whole. Creating and enforcing stricter poaching laws will not stop illegal poaching as long as there are no other job opportunities for people. A study that the Nature Communications journal published has suggested that enforcement of anti-poaching laws will only be successful if measures to reduce poverty and corruption match it.
While poverty in Botswana decreased from 30.6% to 19.4% between the years 2002 and 2010, rural areas are still struggling to implement sustainable economic practices. The connection between impoverished communities and poaching levels demonstrates that poaching is driven by economic necessity; investment in rural and impoverished areas could serve to break the cycle of poaching and poverty in Botswana.
Looking Ahead
As poaching in Botswana threatens both elephants and the economy, several conservation groups have been conducting research and collecting data to make the government more aware of the issues associated with poaching. Elephants Without Borders (EWB) is a nonprofit group based in Kazungula, Botswana that has provided recent data regarding elephant carcasses in Botswana and surrounding nations. By tracking migratory patterns and identifying elephant populations, EWB seeks to protect elephant habitats and educate the public about this important species. So far, EWB has implemented tracking collars on 170 elephants that travel across five African nations. This data can help scientists understand how why and how elephants migrate and choose habitats. Groups such as EWB are key components in the effort to eliminate illegal poaching in Africa.
– Erin Grant
Photo: Flickr
Sustainable Farming in India
The nation seriously lags behind other major nations like Brazil and China when it comes to crop yield for cereal and rice, which are India’s two key crops. India’s slow and inefficient agricultural sector is the result of limited access to modern technology, inefficient systems for transporting goods and urbanization. And on top of that, 63 percent of agricultural land is dependent on rainfall, so years with low rain devastate crop production. Despite all of this, farmers in India have started movements to utilize more sustainable farming methods and practices that work to make the agricultural system more efficient in order to increase outputs and improves people’s lives.
Sustainable Farming Methods
Sustainable farming practices are used to improve agricultural output and efficiency, which means that more food is produced, less resources are used and more profits are made by farmers. Examples of sustainable farming methods include using a biodegradable mulch film instead of one made from Polyethylene. While Polyethylene films require intense labor to remove, and can affect soil quality and crop growth if done improperly, biodegradable films are naturally absorbed by microorganisms in the soil, and help maintain the quality of soil while reducing costs of labor. Farmers will also use fungicides and insecticides on their seeds in order to improve the health of their crops and enhance their productivity. In addition, due to the fact that agriculture relies so heavily on rainfall, effective sustainable water management is crucial for a successful harvest.
Along with how crops are grown, how they are stored and distributed is a crucial aspect of agriculture. An estimated up to 67 million tons of food are wasted every year in India. Perishable goods end up often rotting as a result of a lack of modern technology, pests, or weather. Sustainable initiatives like using more efficient insulation and special tarpaulins that keep fruits and vegetables at proper temperatures during transportation work to reduce the number of perishables that rot. Reducing the amount of food that rots means that there is more food available to eat, which combats food insecurity and ensure that more food items are available without even increasing crop yield. And of course, combining these efforts with initiatives to produce food more sustainably and efficiently does even more to fight food insecurity.
The Natural Farming Movement
India’s Natural Farming movement plays a massive role in promoting sustainable farming practices that improve health, create jobs, cut labor costs and improve peoples’ overall quality of life. The use of pesticides has devastated farmers across India which has led to the loss of crops, debt, illness and even death. In 2000, villagers from the village of Punukula, Andrha Pradesh, launched a grassroots movement against the use of pesticides, focusing on non-pesticide management techniques that employ natural alternatives like chili pepper and planting trap crops like castor.
Within a year of the start of the movement, farmers saw pesticide-related health issues vanish, expenses drop, and profits increase. In addition, new jobs were created as a result of the need to create repellents from natural products. Villagers reported that the movement improved their quality of life — improving their financial situations, their health and their overall happiness. More villagers began to reject the use of pesticides, and the village declared itself as pesticide-free in 2004.
Zero Budget Natural Farming
A similar natural farming movement is Zero Budget Natural Farming, which began as a grassroots effort led by people in the state of Karnataka. Zero Budget entails that farmers do not spend money on inputs for their crops and that they would rather use resources from nature to grow and tend to their crops instead of chemicals, thus Zero Budget Natural Farming. Using natural products instead of taking out loans to spend on chemicals allows for farmers to save money, which improves their financial stability and allows them to focus more on tending to their crops.
A key aspect of Zero Budget Natural Farming is the use of the fermented microbial culture Jeevamrutha (a mixture of water, cow urine, cow dung, flour, soil, and brown sugar) on soil. Jeevanmrutha acts as a catalyst in promoting earthworm and microorganism activity within the soil, while also providing the soil with additional nutrients. Using natural products instead of taking out loans to spend on chemicals allows for farmers to save money, providing them with more financial stability and thus improving their quality of life.
The Zero Budget Natural Farming movement actually runs training camps that receive support by the state government. These camps last five days, with eight hours of classes per day. Attendance ranges from 300 to 5000 farmers, and topics covered include philosophy, ecology, successful farming practices, and of course, Zero Budget Natural Farming methods.
A Promising Future
The people of India suffer enormously from hunger and food insecurity. India’s weak and inefficient agricultural and food storage and distribution systems, coupled with devastating years of low rain often leads Indian farmers into bad health, hunger, and poverty. However, farmers in India have started a movement towards a more efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly farming techniques that fight against poverty and hunger. Using these sustainable techniques means that farmers have fewer costs upfront, ensuring that they are able to make higher profits and worry less about having to take loans or to pay off debts. Sustainable farming in India reduces poverty, fights hunger, and changes lives.
– Nicholas Bykov
Photo: Flickr
Poverty and Health in Argentina
Though Argentina does not suffer from the same issues of illiteracy and income inequality that other countries do, the South American nation has other problems to focus on, namely national health issues and their intersection with poverty. According to 2017 estimates, about one in every four Argentinians lives below the poverty line.
This means that many in Argentina do not have access to proper medical personnel or equipment, as well as medicine. Though this number may seem fairly standard compared to other South American countries, Argentina’s largely agrarian communities suffer from extremely limited access to sufficient education or medical facilities. As a result, even those not considered impoverished may not have the proper means to receive medical treatment, thus creating a vicious cycle of poverty’s effect on health in Argentina.
An Unstable System
Argentina’s health system is in part to blame for this issue. Argentina created a system comprised of a public and a private sector, the former of which is meant to provide all Argentinians with universal healthcare and free coverage. In theory, this seems like an advantageous idea as it is meant to directly address everyday health issues for every citizen. However, it actually perfectly exemplifies poverty’s effect on health in Argentina. The reality is that problems like regional socioeconomic disparities have caused the system to work inefficiently, meaning that those in less educated, more rural areas do not usually receive the same quality of care and coverage as those in wealthier urban communities. This unfortunate issue is quite cyclical since poorer communities simply do not have a viable way to resolve it.
Local Perspectives
Zack Tenner, a Pre-Med university student who spent a month earlier this summer working in Argentina with Child Family Health International, commented on Argentina’s health and poverty issues in an interview with The Borgen Project. “Argentina prides itself on a universal healthcare system which guarantees the ability for all citizens and tourists to see a doctor without cost. Despite its attempts to create a working and efficient system, Argentina’s emergency departments are overburdened,” said Tenner.
“The homeless and impoverished populations do not have enough access to education on how to properly use the system to their benefit, meaning that they end up being stuck with the same limited healthcare and access to medicine as before. This is definitely a timely issue that should be one of Argentina’s top priorities, as national health is a huge factor in so many different facets of everyday life.”
Rural Challenges
The flawed healthcare system is not helping poverty’s effect on health in Argentina. In more rural and agrarian communities, Argentinians are exposed to more risks of disease and injury as well. Aside from the constant risk of minor injuries from agriculture and operating machinery, diseases and viruses like Typhoid and even Zika occur in Argentina.
In other words, the Argentinians with probably the highest risk of injury or disease and subsequent healthcare and medicine are also the citizens with the least sufficient access to viable sources of healthcare. Argentina is on the right track in terms of creating a universal healthcare system.
That said, the South American nation needs to implement a more complete system that truly affords people from all walks of life with adequate medicine and treatment. Otherwise, poverty’s effect on health in Argentina will continue and, with it, a seemingly inescapable cycle.
NGO Involvement
All that in mind, there are still several NGOs focused on improving the healthcare and treatment situations in Argentina. Child Family Health International, for example, aims to increase awareness of primary care and treatment issues in Argentina by bringing in students and doctors from other countries to work with Argentinian physicians and patients. Aside from that, other larger entities such as the World Health Organization are also working to increase awareness of health issues in Argentina. This organization provides pertinent data and information regarding Argentina’s healthcare and coverage system to incite activism and aid for the South American nation.
As for organizations focused on more specific health-related issues, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has worked since its creation in 2013 to provide support for testing and treatment of HIV/AIDS in Argentina. In fact, the organization supports seven Argentinian clinics and their nearly 12,000 patients and has performed more than 120,000 HIV tests for citizens in the last six years.
As long as organizations like these continue to create awareness and provide assistance, the healthcare and treatment situations will continue to improve, thus lessening poverty’s effect on health in Argentina.
– Ethan Marchetti
Photo: Flickr
Combating Vaccine Hesitancy in Developing Countries
This year, the World Health Organization named vaccine hesitancy one of the top 10 threats to global health. Vaccines remain the safest and most cost-effective ways of preventing diseases. Currently, vaccines save between two and three million lives a year.
Furthermore, if coverage improves, vaccines can save an additional 1.5 million lives per year. The reasons for vaccine hesitancy are complex, but a vaccine advisory group identified complacency, inconvenience in accessing vaccines and a lack of confidence as some of the root causes. With these factors identified, if now becomes a question of how to fight these causes of vaccine hesitancy in developing countries.
Complacency
Some health experts have theorized that vaccine skepticism stems from the fact that vaccines are so effective that parents no longer remember or fear vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and polio. Instead, they may focus their anxieties on the safety of vaccines, effects or the number and timing of injections.
Without a proper understanding of the devastating effects of these diseases, parents have less of a motivation to vaccinate. EU Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukatis said at an international health conference, “We have become victims of our own success.”
Convenience
Vaccine hesitancy in developing countries is often bolstered by the need for medical infrastructure. Inadequacy and the inequities in health systems like poverty, the disparity in infant mortality and life expectancy and a need for trained providers damages community trust.
To combat this, many countries have implemented mandatory vaccinations in schools, with mixed results. In India, for example, during their measles and rubella vaccination campaign, parents objected to their children being vaccinated without their consent, stalling the campaign in court.
Rwanda, on the other hand, was successful in its HPV vaccination campaign by coupling it with an information campaign. The campaign targeted parents and explained the need for this vaccine.
Confidence
Much of the anti-vaxxer movement is built in misinformation. Vaccine hesitancy in developing countries often stems from rumors about vaccines. For instance, that the polio and HPV vaccines caused infertility and impotency. The movement stems from general concerns about the safety of vaccines.
Health workers, especially those operating in the communities, are the parents’ most trusted health advisors and act as the biggest influencer of vaccination decisions. Because of their position, they must be supported so that they may provide parents with credible information. The most effective campaigns to fight vaccine hesitancy in developing countries are the ones that tailor to the community. Healthcare workers in the community are vital for implementing these campaigns.
In Rwanda, for example, healthcare workers went door to door to explain the benefits of the HPV vaccine. They focused on the fact that the vaccination is meant to prevent cancer. The workers brought diagrams of the female reproductive system. They also dispelled rumors by explaining that cervical cancer is far more likely to cause infertility than vaccines. Because the campaigned was tailored to the community, it was met with a lot of success.
Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy
While there is an increase in vaccine hesitancy in developing countries and around the world, immunization campaigns are experiencing successes. Transmission of wild poliovirus, for example, may stop in Afghanistan and Pakistan this year. Additionally, cervical cancer may be eliminated in 181 countries by the end of the century.
To keep this up, health officials have to be proactive in fighting vaccine hesitancy in developing countries by fighting complacency, making access to healthcare more convenient and building confidence by creating programs tailored to the community.
– Katharine Hanifen
Photo: Flickr