Alongside offering numerous benefits, the bamboo plant can thrive in almost any type of soil and weather condition. This ability to thrive in less-than-ideal conditions works out favorably for Uganda, an East-African country with an active agricultural sector despite its poor soil quality.
Bamboo farming in Uganda has become a valuable source of income for many individuals. As a result, the Ugandan government responded with training programs to develop citizens’ skills in producing baskets, furniture and other crafts using the versatile plant.
A Reliable Source of Employment
Bamboo farming in Uganda provides a dependable and recurring source of income for the unemployed due to several agricultural factors unique to the plant. The bamboo plant is a perennial crop with a rapid maturation cycle. The entire plant matures within four to eight years and is ready for harvest in just five years. Furthermore, the plant has the unique ability to produce new shoots every year, which helps to stabilize the soil.
In Uganda, where the unemployment rate is 9.2% and 13.3% among youths aged between 18-30 years, the Ministry of Water and Environment has developed a strategy to produce 140 million bamboo poles yearly. By planting 230,000 ha of bamboo on farmland, the initiative will create 150,000 full-time jobs and 700,000 long-term job opportunities, providing a crucial boost to the country’s economy.
Market Expansion
The global market for bamboo production is expanding in response to the growing demand for sustainable products. According to the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), a United Nations intergovernmental organization, the bamboo economy is estimated to be worth around $60 billion, serving as a significant source of income for rural households.
To capitalize on this trend, the Ugandan government has developed a 10-year National Bamboo Strategy and Action Plan (2019-2029) with support from INBAR, the Uganda Forest Sector Support Division, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) and the National Foresting Authority. This plan aims to unleash the untapped potential of the bamboo plant, not only to develop a green economy but also to produce high-quality products for international, regional and domestic markets.
Alleviating Deforestation
Bamboo farming in Uganda is ideal for reforestation efforts due to the plant’s fast regrowth after cutting. In 2010, Uganda had almost 7 million hectares of tree cover, but by 2021, the number had dwindled by 49,000 hectares. This was mainly due to illegal logging and population growth. Planting bamboo could help restore some of the lost forest cover quickly.
Projections suggest that bamboo planting could contribute 15% toward the restoration of 2.5 million hectares of forest by 2030, with much of the planting occurring on private land.
Bamboo as a Food Source
Food insecurity in Uganda remains a significant concern, with 48% of the population experiencing moderate food insecurity and 11% experiencing severe food insecurity. Malnutrition is also a problem, with an estimated 2.4 million children suffering from stunted growth per UNICEF’s report.
Bamboo farming in Uganda offers a promising solution to this issue, as bamboo shoots are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and protein, making them ideal for addressing the nutritional deficiencies of stunted children.
To promote bamboo as a food source, the Dutch-Sino-East Africa Bamboo Development Program organized a training initiative for Ugandan government officials and community members. The aim was to raise awareness of the plant’s benefits, alongside its potential to improve food security.
In Uganda, the young shoots of the bamboo plant are a delicacy known as Malewa and the leaves are a valuable source of nutrition for livestock, such as cows and horses.
Providing Shelter
Bamboo is a versatile plant with variable applications in building construction. It can be utilized for roofs, fences, ceilings, floors and other building materials. Additionally, the stem can serve as a source of bioenergy for cooking, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional firewood.
Bamboo is also a valuable resource in the paper and textile industries. It is also a useful resource for manufacturing cardboard and fabric. In addition, it can be fashioned into canoes, baskets, pencils and school desks, providing an additional source of income.
In Uganda, bamboo is effective in dealing with floods. When grown, it acts as a barrier to limit the effects of overflowing rivers. Its widespread, firm root structure allows water to pass through while preventing the collapse of river banks.
Looking Ahead
Bamboo is an economically significant plant, as its leaves, stem and root are all valuable. Bamboo farming in Uganda continues to play a crucial role in boosting foreign trade, promoting food security, creating job opportunities and mitigating the impact of deforestation. Ultimately, it is contributing to creating a better country for all Ugandans.
– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: flickr
The Fight Against Human Trafficking in Papua New Guinea
Sex Trafficking and Servitude
In Papua New Guinea, young girls are frequently subjected to forced marriage or sex trafficking by their family members. Often, this happens in a bid to settle disputes between communities, repay debts or make profits. Additionally, some young women in Papua New Guinea are coerced into domestic servitude to support their families. Human traffickers lure girls and women with false promises of legal employment and exploit them in sex trafficking or servitude. Furthermore, traffickers bring foreign women into Papua New Guinea with fraudulent visas and force them into servitude and sex trafficking, particularly in mining and logging operations.
Human traffickers force both local citizens and foreign nationals into forced labor. Traffickers force men to work as miners and loggers. The fishing industry also relies on human trafficking. To gain work on fishing ships, foreign and local men are charged recruitment fees, which can escalate into a debt they are unable to pay off, leading to indefinite work in inhumane conditions. Human trafficking affects all members of the population, regardless of age or nationality, in Papua New Guinea.
Corruption and Human Trafficking
Logging and mining are two of Papua New Guinea’s primary industries. Unfortunately, many of the officials in these industries are corrupt. According to the State Department’s 2022 assessment of the nation, the rampant corruption amongst officials within the logging industry allows for human traffickers to maintain sex trafficking and forced labor at logging locations. This corruption is not limited to those in the foresting industry, as officials throughout the government permit human trafficking in Papua New Guinea. The government allows companies to push workers into forced labor in the fishing and logging industries. Also, some members of the government take bribes to allow trafficking victims into the country, and others exploit victims in order to gain political support.
Lack of Awareness
Apart from corruption, another hindrance to preventing human trafficking in Papua New Guinea is the lack of awareness and resources. Papua New Guinea’s government has engaged in no awareness campaigns to inform the public of the dangers of human trafficking and how to combat it. It has also not dedicated resources to the fight against human trafficking. There are more than 20 provinces in Papua New Guinea, and each one has only two labor inspectors. This is not enough to implement the required inspections across industries and prevent incidents of forced labor or sex trafficking. No members of the government, including diplomats, received anti-trafficking training. This lack of awareness and resources, alongside government corruption, makes fighting human trafficking in Papua New Guinea a challenging endeavor.
Efforts Against Trafficking
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations entity, is working to stop human trafficking in Papua New Guinea. The organization has worked with local law enforcement, government agencies, NGOs and private sector partners in the country. Together, these agencies have followed the “4Ps” framework: Partnership, Prevention, Prosecution and Protection. The IOM provides direct assistance to both international and domestic victims of sex trafficking or forced labor.
Looking Ahead
>While human trafficking is an issue in Papua New Guinea, primarily due to a lack of resources and awareness, there have been ongoing efforts to combat it. With the work of organizations such as IOM, trafficking survivors are able to reunite with their families. As organizations such as IOM continue the fight, hopefully, the tide will continue to shift against human trafficking in Papua New Guinea.
– Madison Tomaso
Photo URL: https://flic.kr/p/oNeMbr
Being Poor in Sudan
The second civil war lasted from 1983 to 2005 and despite leading to the subsequent independence of South Sudan in 2011, It resulted in the death of an estimated two million civilians, with disease and famine being the biggest killer.
Meanwhile, since 2003, in the Western Sudanese province of Darfur, conflict continues to rage over the genocide of non-Arab Sudanese citizens. These conflicts, along with unstable and dictatorial leaders, have only perpetuated intense poverty for the majority of the Sudanese population.
Here is what it’s like being poor in Sudan:
Hunger and food insecurity
In Sudan, an estimated 15 million people are currently facing acute hunger, making food insecurity a major concern. Political instability and high rates of inflation are the primary drivers of this crisis, with 95% of Sudanese households spending more than half their income on food. In the last year alone, prices have surged by 137%.
Sudan’s already critical food conditions have further deteriorated due to the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. More than 60% of Sudan’s population lives in rural areas, resulting in an economy heavily reliant on agriculture. However, due to climate insecurity, including droughts and land degradation, as well as inadequate infrastructure, harvest yields have been alarmingly low.
Access to Water and Sanitation
In Sudan, 17.3 million people lack access to basic clean water, putting them at risk of disease. Additionally, only half the schools in Sudan have access to water supply. An estimated 24 million people face limited access to sanitation facilities and nearly half of them have no choice but to defecate in the open, exposing children and others to the risk of disease and death. With water becoming an increasingly hard-to-reach resource, women and children are consistently risking their lives to gather water from remote sources.
Unemployment
Sudan’s unemployment rate has been on the rise over the past few years. Between 2019 and 2020, the rate increased from 17.65% to 19.65% and continued to climb, albeit at a slower pace, in 2021. Meanwhile, the youth unemployment rate over the past decade has remained between 80% to 90%. According to economist Hafiz Ismail, the reason for this is the lack of economic growth in the country, with various federal policies behind this.
Kids for Kids: the Charity Using Goats for Empowerment
In 2001, while visiting her son, who was working at the British Embassy in Sudan, Patricia Parker was moved by the sight of a young boy trekking across the arid desert in Darfur to fetch water for his family. After meeting Ibrahim and his family, Patricia felt moved to fund the installation of a hand pump near their home.
From there, Patricia launched a goat-focused initiative that provides families with goats for nutritious milk. And upon maturing, the goats birth offspring that go to other families. Her charity, Kids for Kids, based in the United Kingdom, also lends donkeys, chickens and agricultural tools while training health professionals to strengthen communities.
After 19 years, when Patricia returned to the village, she was delighted to find Ibrahim healthy and with a family of his own. In 2021, Patricia was awarded the Order of the British Empire for her diligent work in Darfur, Sudan.
Looking Ahead
The hot climate in Sudan contributes to exacerbating poverty in the country. It presents problems involving water scarcity and agricultural growth, resulting in conflict and wars that impact everyday civilians. Nevertheless, with more charities, like Kids for Kids, turning to Sudan, there is hope for children like Ibrahim to experience better living conditions.
– Genevieve Lewis
Photo: Flickr
The Spark Minda Foundation: Empowering Disabled People in India
The Challenges of Being Disabled
Individuals with disabilities encounter numerous challenges in their daily lives, ranging from inaccessible transportation and buildings to inadequate access to mobility and adaptive aids. They also face social stigma and discrimination, which is widespread. The Covid-19 pandemic has also caused lasting repercussions for many disabled individuals, impacting their health and access to transportation and education.
Disabled people in India also face challenges that are a result of the country’s infrastructural weaknesses. And socially, some perceive disabled Indians as a burden to their families if they cannot contribute to their household income or medical expenses. Unfortunately, this kind of outlook further perpetuates discrimination.
On the bright side, the Spark Minda Foundation continues working to alleviate the challenges and issues of discrimination that affect people living with disabilities in India. The following is a brief look into the organization’s efforts.
SAKSHAM and the Spark Minda Foundation
The Spark Minda Foundation’s SAKSHAM program is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities in India. It provides employment training and develops and fits mobility aids to help create a harmonious and inclusive society where disabled individuals can realize their potential. The program aligns with the Indian government’s Accessible India Campaign, which kicked off in 2015. It employs the following key strategies to improve the lives of disabled individuals.
The Spark Minda Foundation employs more than 300 disabled individuals throughout India and has aided disabled Indians in securing employment elsewhere. In December 2019, the SAKSHAM program held a week-long camp in Chimbali Phata, Pune, which included a job fair for local disabled individuals to connect with potential employers. Companies such as Aegis Global, Sodexo, and Accenture participated in the job fair, resulting in 265 disabled individuals finding employment in Pune alone thanks to the program’s efforts.
The SAKSHAM program has also distributed almost 8,000 assistive devices in India. In addition, the program has helped over 500 disabled individuals in Indonesia and Vietnam, granting them life-changing disability aids. The fitting of 1,335 assistive aids took place at the Pune camp in Maharashtra.
Looking Ahead
The United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development asserts that disability should not hinder access to development programs or fundamental human rights. Seven of the agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals directly reference the rights of disabled individuals, which are often under threat, particularly in developing countries. The Spark Minda Foundation is working to help realize these goals in India and beyond by creating more employment opportunities and providing vital assistive aid to those in need.
– Martha Probert
Photo: Flickr
Tackling Child Labor And Early Marriage In Yemen
The Government’s Unfulfilled Commitment
In 2021, Yemen achieved little progress in fighting child labor despite a training initiative by the International Labor Organization. The government struggled to enforce regulations, with state forces recruiting child soldiers and marginalized children facing increased vulnerability due to school discrimination.
The divided Yemeni government, with Northern Yemen resisting child protection and gender-based violence projects, poses challenges to combating gender-based violence in schools and fully realizing the Global Program’s objectives. In July 2014, the Yemeni government signed a charter at the London Girl Summit, committing to end child marriage by 2020. Despite this commitment, there is still no minimum age requirement for marriage in the country. And with the government’s focus on other humanitarian crises and the ongoing war, child marriage remains a pressing concern.
Impacts on Children
Poverty-stricken families struggle to survive in a country where necessities like food, water and health care are scarce. In the face of such adversity, many parents feel they have no choice but to send their children to work, often in dangerous and exploitative conditions. The Bureau of International Labor Affairs released a report indicating that approximately 13.6% of the working population are children from the ages 5 to 13.
Additionally, child marriage serves as a coping strategy for parents seeking relief from caregiving costs or better protection for their daughters. Amid the conflict, women and girls face worsening conditions, with broken social institutions and 1.83 million children, including 830,000 girls, losing school access. Lacking education and support, child brides suffer increased vulnerability.
UNICEF’s Initiatives to Address Child Labor and Early Marriage in Yemen
UNICEF strengthens child protection systems by supporting community-based committees and case management systems for addressing child protection in Yemen. It contributes to data collection and analysis to guide policy decisions and employs communication strategies to encourage positive social norms and behavior change regarding child marriage.
UNICEF regularly publishes monthly reports to track its humanitarian response in Yemen. The latest report, released on Dec. 31, 2022, shows that UNICEF’s Yemen Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) aligned with the 2021 Yemen Humanitarian Response Plan (YHRP). The organization reported that it requires $484.4 million to deliver aid in Yemen in 2023. Factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic instability, rising oil prices and global logistical costs have contributed to increased operational expenses in the country.
UNICEF persistently educates 5.5 million children and community members about the dangers of mines, unexploded ordnances and explosive remnants of war. Furthermore, it has provided psychosocial support to over 410,000 children and caregivers in conflict-affected regions and has helped 4.1 million children and women benefit from gender-based violence risk reduction, prevention or response measures. UNICEF and UNFPA jointly tackle child marriage in Yemen through the Global Program, focusing on key drivers and empowering girls with education and life skills.
The Global Program has provided education support to vulnerable girls in conflict-affected regions. Through the Global Partnership for Education, 1,220 vulnerable girls benefitted from enrollment or reintegration into formal education systems. UNICEF also advocates for legal frameworks and policies to protect children from early marriage.
Funding Challenges and International Support
According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), most international donations to Yemen are directed towards food security. In fact, the Financial Tracking Service report revealed that 43.7% of the $2.77 billion from other countries to Yemen was allocated for food security. However, child protection receives only $5.55 million and education gets $44.31 million, leaving issues like child labor and early marriage underfunded.
Nonetheless, UNICEF actively promotes support from other countries to aid Yemen. Kuwait, for example, recently signed a $2 million agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support internally displaced people in Yemen.
Additionally, 53 international organizations (IOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are working to help the country. Among these organizations are Save the Children, Islamic Relief and the Yemeni League for Development Foundation (YLDF).
Looking Ahead
In the face of immense challenges, UNICEF is actively working to address child labor and early marriage in Yemen. Its initiatives include strengthening child protection systems, providing education and psychosocial support to children and caregivers and advocating for legal frameworks to protect children. While funding for child protection remains a challenge, UNICEF continues to advocate for international support and collaboration with other organizations to improve the situation in Yemen. Despite the obstacles, ongoing efforts offer hope for a future that is free of child labor and early marriage in Yemen.
– Tanya Hamad
Photo: Flickr
A Look at World Bank Education Programs in Mozambique
The project aims to enhance employability and skill development, particularly among young people. Nearly three years after the program’s launch, the following is an evaluation of its impacts, successes, failures and the way forward for improving skills development in Mozambique.
Successes
According to recent data, there has been a significant rise in student enrollment in Higher Education since December 2018. At that time, the baseline value was 20.00, but as of March 2022, it had increased to 33.62. According to projections, the baseline value will reach 45.00 by December 2024.
The project also increased the number of students enrolled in TVET qualifications endorsed by the private sector. This had a baseline value of 35.00 in December 2018 and increased to 43.00 as of March 2022, with plans to reach 75.00 by 2025. As a result of these trends, young people are able to acquire skills in high demand in the job market.
The initiative has also created a more gender-inclusive TVET and Higher Education environment. In higher education, female students make up 45% of total enrollment, marking a notable increase from 38% in 2001. Although they tend to concentrate mostly on social areas, their presence in other fields is also growing. Additionally, the number of female students in TVET also increased from 36.2% in 2015 to 45% in 2017.
Additionally, the partnerships between the private sector, the government and civil organizations helped adjust and align the skills development programs with the current labor market needs. The Mozambique Improvement of Skills Development Project of the World Bank also supported advancing entrepreneurial skills and self-employment opportunities for young people in Mozambique.
The World Bank also aims “support the African Union’s Digital Moonshot for Africa, an initiative that seeks digital breakthroughs for every African individual, business and government by 2030. It is underpinned by five pillars: digital infrastructure, digital platforms, digital financial services, digital entrepreneurship and digital skills.”
Failures
The Mozambique Improvement of Skills Development Project had a primary focus on urban areas, resulting in rural areas missing out despite having high needs for TVET. The World Bank provided $4 million for small and medium-sized enterprises, targeted training courses for underserved groups in rural areas and grants for public and private TVET institutions in priority sectors.
Another challenge is the lack of coordination between stakeholders in skill development and training. Primarily focused on technical and vocational education and training (TVET), the project did not consider the informal sector, where most jobs emerge and exist in Mozambique. This has resulted in a mismatch between the skills acquired by the graduates and the needs of the labor market. According to the International Labor Organization, in 2016, 86% of the labor force worked in the informal economy.
The Way Forward
Fortunately, on March 31, 2023, according to the World Bank, “the Board of Directors approved a $300 million credit for the Mozambique Access to Finance and Economic Opportunities Project or Mais Oportunidades project, spanning six years (2023-2029), financed by the International Development Association (IDA).”
This project aligns with the World Bank Group’s Partnership Framework (CPF) for Mozambique, which is a strategic plan that outlines the goals and the work for the next five years (2023-2027). After the Mozambique Improvement of Skills Development Project of the World Bank was implemented, another project was also established later in 2021. The project, Improving Learning and Empowering Girls in Mozambique, received $299 million in funding from the World Bank. Its aim is to increase girls’ access to basic education in underserved areas of Mozambique.
Although World Bank education programs in Mozambique have achieved some positive results, the impact has been limited, particularly in rural areas. Moving forward, the World Bank is implementing new trends and initiatives that focus on having more widespread effects in the country over the next five years. This approach will focus on the informal sector and aim to increase resources to facilitate future success.
– Lorraine Lin
Photo: Flickr
Building a Brighter Future: Renewable Energy in Iraq
The State of Energy in Iraq
While most households in Iraq get access to electricity, daily power outages occur in most parts of the country. This, in part, is due to underfunded distribution systems and damaged infrastructure, as well as power demand that exceeds the current supply capacity. Acts of mismanagement and corruption by government officials also factor into power supply problems.
High-income citizens often pay 125,000 dinars ($100) a month on average to receive a steady, reliable power supply. But the quarter of the population living in poverty, alongside many among the working class, don’t have the means to afford a steady power supply. The lack of reliable power leaves people in a constant state of worry. Also, they are unable to run cooling units in extremely high temperatures. Issues such as general inequality, lack of job opportunities and inadequate services contribute to worsening the situation.
Most of the country’s energy comes from its vast oil reserves. Meanwhile, renewable energy accounts for only 2% of the country’s output. And despite its vast amounts of oil, which account for roughly 8% of the world’s total reserves, the country continues to rely on neighboring Iran to keep up with growing power demands.
Future Outlook
Iraq’s climate and geography have strong potential for renewable energy development. The country receives a significant amount of sunlight, making it ideal for photovoltaic power. There are also some regions that receive viable wind speed and others that could utilize geothermal development.
On the other hand, reports suggest that to facilitate the building of renewable energy in Iraq, significant changes need to take place. These changes include the development and implementation of a government action plan for developing renewable energy in conjunction with reforms that make business opportunities more lucrative for foreign and private investors.
On the bright side, the Iraqi government is already making efforts toward the development of renewable energy. These efforts involve several business deals with foreign contractors, including an agreement in 2021 to create 2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy with UAE clean energy firm Masdar. While finalizing the agreement with Masdar, Iraq’s oil minister stated the country hopes to build 7.5 GW of renewable energy. More recently, in August of 2022, the government hosted a two-day workshop in Baghdad to teach Iraqi stakeholders how to “procure affordable energy solutions.”
Hope for a Better Future
Despite the progress made since the devastation of the war, Iraq still faces numerous challenges. Its energy grid is underfunded and unstable, leaving millions of its most vulnerable citizens without access to a reliable power supply. However, the development of renewable energy in Iraq could provide a solution to the country’s electricity crisis. This shift to renewable energy would make the grid more affordable and reliable, ensuring that those living below the poverty line do not have to worry about losing power. Furthermore, this shift would create new job opportunities and help raise the standard of living for the Iraqi people. Recent initiatives by the Iraqi government suggest a hopeful future where the country has a fully developed renewable energy supply and a more robust and stable economy.
– Jonathon Crecelius
Photo: Flickr
Reducing Child Poverty in Lesotho
According to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), more than 2 in 5 children in Lesotho are poor, as classified by the Multiple Overlapping Deprivation Analysis (MODA) tools. The tool evaluates each child’s poverty level based on their life experience rather than household income.
Evaluating Child Poverty in Lesotho
MODA uses eight criteria, which include housing, water, nutrition, healthcare, sanitation, education, access to information and protection from violence, for children aged 0-17 years. According to the MODA results, more than 45% of children in Lesotho are multi-dimensionally poor, and many of them are infants between 0-23 months.
In terms of health care, complications from pregnancy are the primary cause of sickness and death among children. Despite education being free, one in five children in rural areas of Lesotho is not attending school. The reasons for this typically involve children becoming heads of families due to HIV/AIDS, early child marriage and child labor. According to a UNICEF report, child poverty is higher in rural areas of Lesotho, with a rate of 72.6%, compared to urban areas, which is 61.2%.
Another area of concern is malnutrition among children. The high rate of malnutrition in Lesotho results in stunting in nearly 35% of children. Those most affected tend to be children whose mothers have little or no education. This occurs as a result of poor feeding practices, lack of care and poor environmental conditions.
Initiatives to Help Reduce Child Poverty in Lesotho
Looking Ahead
Despite the widespread poverty among children in Lesotho, the government, UNICEF and the World Bank continue working to address the issue. The government and these organizations have implemented programs and initiatives to improve access to education, health care and basic needs. These efforts seek to provide children in Lesotho with a brighter future free from the constraints of poverty.
– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: Flickr
How Bamboo Farming in Uganda Reduces Poverty
Bamboo farming in Uganda has become a valuable source of income for many individuals. As a result, the Ugandan government responded with training programs to develop citizens’ skills in producing baskets, furniture and other crafts using the versatile plant.
A Reliable Source of Employment
Bamboo farming in Uganda provides a dependable and recurring source of income for the unemployed due to several agricultural factors unique to the plant. The bamboo plant is a perennial crop with a rapid maturation cycle. The entire plant matures within four to eight years and is ready for harvest in just five years. Furthermore, the plant has the unique ability to produce new shoots every year, which helps to stabilize the soil.
In Uganda, where the unemployment rate is 9.2% and 13.3% among youths aged between 18-30 years, the Ministry of Water and Environment has developed a strategy to produce 140 million bamboo poles yearly. By planting 230,000 ha of bamboo on farmland, the initiative will create 150,000 full-time jobs and 700,000 long-term job opportunities, providing a crucial boost to the country’s economy.
Market Expansion
The global market for bamboo production is expanding in response to the growing demand for sustainable products. According to the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), a United Nations intergovernmental organization, the bamboo economy is estimated to be worth around $60 billion, serving as a significant source of income for rural households.
To capitalize on this trend, the Ugandan government has developed a 10-year National Bamboo Strategy and Action Plan (2019-2029) with support from INBAR, the Uganda Forest Sector Support Division, the Ministry of Water and Environment (MoWE) and the National Foresting Authority. This plan aims to unleash the untapped potential of the bamboo plant, not only to develop a green economy but also to produce high-quality products for international, regional and domestic markets.
Alleviating Deforestation
Bamboo farming in Uganda is ideal for reforestation efforts due to the plant’s fast regrowth after cutting. In 2010, Uganda had almost 7 million hectares of tree cover, but by 2021, the number had dwindled by 49,000 hectares. This was mainly due to illegal logging and population growth. Planting bamboo could help restore some of the lost forest cover quickly.
Projections suggest that bamboo planting could contribute 15% toward the restoration of 2.5 million hectares of forest by 2030, with much of the planting occurring on private land.
Bamboo as a Food Source
Food insecurity in Uganda remains a significant concern, with 48% of the population experiencing moderate food insecurity and 11% experiencing severe food insecurity. Malnutrition is also a problem, with an estimated 2.4 million children suffering from stunted growth per UNICEF’s report.
Bamboo farming in Uganda offers a promising solution to this issue, as bamboo shoots are a rich source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and protein, making them ideal for addressing the nutritional deficiencies of stunted children.
To promote bamboo as a food source, the Dutch-Sino-East Africa Bamboo Development Program organized a training initiative for Ugandan government officials and community members. The aim was to raise awareness of the plant’s benefits, alongside its potential to improve food security.
In Uganda, the young shoots of the bamboo plant are a delicacy known as Malewa and the leaves are a valuable source of nutrition for livestock, such as cows and horses.
Providing Shelter
Bamboo is a versatile plant with variable applications in building construction. It can be utilized for roofs, fences, ceilings, floors and other building materials. Additionally, the stem can serve as a source of bioenergy for cooking, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional firewood.
Bamboo is also a valuable resource in the paper and textile industries. It is also a useful resource for manufacturing cardboard and fabric. In addition, it can be fashioned into canoes, baskets, pencils and school desks, providing an additional source of income.
In Uganda, bamboo is effective in dealing with floods. When grown, it acts as a barrier to limit the effects of overflowing rivers. Its widespread, firm root structure allows water to pass through while preventing the collapse of river banks.
Looking Ahead
Bamboo is an economically significant plant, as its leaves, stem and root are all valuable. Bamboo farming in Uganda continues to play a crucial role in boosting foreign trade, promoting food security, creating job opportunities and mitigating the impact of deforestation. Ultimately, it is contributing to creating a better country for all Ugandans.
– Chidinma Nwoha
Photo: flickr
The Impact of COVID-19 on Poverty in Senegal
Impact on Business
The transportation and hospitality sectors recorded the highest monthly income loss. According to records, the entire transport sector, including air, land and water recorded an estimated $11 million loss monthly. This was a result of decreasing tourism levels caused by restrictions. After the lifting of restrictions, these rates started rising. The World Bank is projecting GDP growth of 10.5% in 2024, the highest yearly growth in the history of Senegal.
Impact on Employment
From March to May 2020 and again after the second wave of COVID-19 in early 2021, employment in Senegal suffered greatly, causing the unemployment rate to reach an all-time high. Studies on the gender impacts of the pandemic showed that Senegalese women suffered more than men. As many as 72% of domestic workers were unemployed during and after the pandemic, with 80% of them being female. Moreover, 81.7% of the working population in the heavily female-dominated informal sector, which comprises below-minimum wage employment such as farming and industry work, was affected severely by the closure of foreign trading.
According to the BTI project, the unemployment rate was 6.68% during the pandemic. The data revealed that those already living in poverty suffered more than those that were not. Reports suggested that the national unemployment rate during COVID-19 in 2020 was around 3.5%, while studies in 2019 reported an unemployment rate of 2.9% nationwide.
Recovery Process
Lifting all restrictions on business mobility marked the beginning of progress in the recovery of Senegal’s economy. On June 19, 2020, the World Bank pledged $100 million to support the economic impacts, with the aim of protecting the lives of the most vulnerable groups.
Even after the pandemic, foreign investment in Senegal is at an all-time high. The government has set targets to achieve by 2035, including a GDP growth rate of 8%, a GDP per capita of $1,500 and the creation of 600,000 new formal jobs.
The United Nations (U.N.) has supported the country’s socioeconomic recovery as well as the government’s emergency program for youth employment and development. It also has other ongoing programs such as the campaign for equal access to vaccines and the “United Nations Framework for the Immediate Socioeconomic Response to COVID-19” that aim to support the population.
Looking Ahead
Foreign aid initiatives and government interventions have played vital roles in lessening the impact of COVID-19 on poverty in Senegal. Although high poverty and unemployment rates remain issues in the country, the results from ongoing efforts indicate that there’s hope for more progress and positive change.
– Joshua Rogers
Photo: Flickr
Everything To Know About Hunger in the Philippines
History of Hunger in the Philippines
Food scarcity in the Philippines is not a new phenomenon. In recent history, repeated disasters and famines have had detrimental effects both regionally, on specific Philippine islands and regions, and nationally. For example, in 1972, successive typhoons led to mass starvation, social upheaval and disease across the main island of Luzon, with Pampanga and surrounding provinces in Central Luzon being particularly affected. The 1972 disaster was also detrimental to the nearby Pangasinan province, in Luzon’s Ilocos Region, that it resulted in the homelessness of some 250,000 people and the near starvation of over 50,000 families.
In early 1994, another series of typhoons devastated Southern Luzon’s Bicol Region along with the Visayas and the northeastern portion of Mindanao. The disasters drove an estimated 600,000 Filipinos into homelessness and an estimated 100,000 into starvation, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity in the country.
How the Hunger Problem Disproportionately Affects the Philippines’ Poorest
While many in the Philippines face hunger, hunger inordinately afflicts the country’s poorest people. One reason for this is that the country’s poorest rely upon agriculture for income and sustenance, making them particularly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and the destruction caused by natural disasters. The WFP estimates that 25% of agricultural households in the Philippines suffer from food insecurity, a percentage substantially higher than the 9% of non-agricultural Philippine households.
Uneven wealth distribution also contributes to the nation’s poorest suffering worse from hunger. According to the World Bank, 1% of the population earns 17% of the Philippines’ national income, while the bottom 50% of earners share just 14% of the national income. Consistent with this disparity, globally rising food and energy costs have been especially devastating in the Philippines’ poorest regions, where access to food and other resources is becoming increasingly limited. Not surprisingly, the three most food-insecure regions in the Philippines are among the seven poorest in the country.
Hunger in the Philippines Has Worsened in Recent Years
Statistics published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations show that the hunger problem in the Philippines has worsened in recent years. The 2020 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report indicated that more people in the Philippines suffered from food insecurity than in any other Southeast Asian nation between 2017 and 2019. During that period, a recorded 59 million Philippine people suffered from food insecurity, a substantial increase from the recorded 44.9 million Filipinos who experienced food insecurity from 2014 to 2016. The FAO cited an “increasing population, limited resources and natural disasters” as contributing to the country’s worsening hunger problem, which has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Impact of the Hunger Crisis on Filipino Children
In light of these factors, Filipino children increasingly face serious undernutrition. In 2019, 29% of Filipino children between the ages of 0 and 5 experienced stunting due to undernutrition. The Philippines has one of the ten highest rates of stunting among children globally, with over 40% of children suffering from stunting in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Southwestern Tagalong Region.
Many Filipino children also suffer from micronutrient undernutrition, which is the insufficient intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Micronutrient undernutrition afflicts around 38% of infants 11 months old and younger and 26% of 12-to-23-month-old children. As of 2018, almost 17% of children between 6 months and 5 years old were vitamin A deficient. In addition to posing major physical health risks, undernutrition severely hinders children’s cognitive development and is detrimental to the country’s human and economic development as a whole.
Relief Efforts and International Aid To Feed Those Most in Need
On-the-ground work by organizations like the WFP has helped feed many people facing food insecurity in the Philippines. Notably, the WFP has been partnering with local governments and communities to provide nutritious school meals to undernourished children while supporting the country’s poorest and most vulnerable communities. As a result of the initiative, all 100 children who attend Bisang Elementary, in BARMM, now receive nutritious meals daily. The initiative complements WFP’s ongoing work to provide nutritious meals and improved health care for 6-month-old to 5-year-old Filipino children, mitigate poverty and food insecurity in the Philippines and alleviate the devastation caused by national disasters and conflict.
Furthermore, Action Against Hunger helped nearly 200,000 people in the Philippines in 2022. Initiated in 2000, the organization’s branch in the Philippines has emphasized diversifying livelihoods, building “resiliency to disaster” and improving sanitation and nutrition.
In 2022, the U.S. also provided over $192 million in aid to the Philippines. Out of this sum, $29 million went toward emergency responses and another $28 million was invested in basic health needs.
Looking Ahead
The Philippines currently faces a pressing hunger problem. While factors including the pandemic, frequent natural disasters and social inequity have exacerbated hunger in the Philippines in recent years, international and local efforts to reverse the trend are making an impact. With continued aid and collaboration, there is hope for the eradication of hunger in the Philippines.
– Max Steventon
Photo: Flickr