In 2022, inflation has been sweeping across the world like wildfire, and it has impacted the world’s impoverished the most severely. Here is some information about inflation in Egypt.
Inflation on the Rise
Inflation in Egypt rose to 13% in June 2022 from 11% in April 2022, after only seeing an inflation rate of 4.8% at the end of 2021. The Ukrainian war caused an increase in costs of goods which also caused the interest rates in the country to rise. These interest rates were already some of the highest in the world before the increase. These increases in the costs of imported and exported goods have made it much more challenging for the working class of the country to make a living.
There has been an increase in the prices of simple goods like bread, rice and sugar, making it hard for families to sustain themselves, and even things like nuts have moved into the category of luxury for most families. Inflation has affected individual families and Egypt’s economy as a whole as Egypt’s purchasing index contracted for the 18th consecutive month in May which is what caused the country to raise the interest rates for the first time since 2017. This has put a strain on small business owners who sell goods to survive because they no longer can afford to buy the product that they sell.
Humanitarian Impact
The U.S. has donated $30 billion in economic aid to Egypt since 1978 in order to provide stability to the region. USAID’s current plan to help the economy is to reduce the rising cost of food in Egypt. U.S. aid to Egypt reduced by 85% from 1998-2020 from $833 million to $125 million in 2020, however, the Biden Administration has requested $1.43 billion in aid for Egypt in 2022 amid the pandemic and the Ukrainian war.
The world cannot control what goes on in terms of the Russian and Ukrainian war, so the Goal of USAID is to impact the country in as many ways as possible from within. As of April 2022, the Biden Administrations’ funds are to go toward creating more and better jobs and enhancing the role of government officials to help the institutions of Egypt meet the economic needs of their people. Inflation in Egypt has been the cause of many people losing their jobs and so plans created to foster the economy are very relevant and should prove useful. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have emerged since 1978 in Egypt due to U.S. involvement, and that growth could be beneficial to combating inflation in Egypt.
Looking Ahead
The inflation crisis in Egypt is far from over, but the world is taking the proper steps in order to attempt to turn the tides. It may take months or years for one to be able to see the impact of the funds that Egypt received, however, the people of Egypt know that their struggle is not going unnoticed and that can be the spark someone needs to keep pushing for a little bit longer.
Founded in 2018, Living With Hope is an organization that is devoted to providing resources and training for people with disabilities in Africa. South Sudan native Michael Panther was left in a wheelchair due to illness and war in his country. After receiving care himself, Panther built Living With Hope to offer support for this often marginalized demographic.
People living with disabilities anywhere in the world face challenges, but these challenges are especially tough for those living in Africa. Approximately 80 million people in Africa are living with mental or physical disabilities and the barriers that they face every day have fundamental impacts. Some families in Africa feel ashamed of members who have disabilities and will sometimes hide them from the community to avoid social stigmas, discrimination and even death. There is a substantial lack of medical care or services to help people with disabilities in Africa and the widespread poverty in the country means that the needs of able-bodied people are put before those of disabled people.
The Treatment of People with Disabilities in Africa
The treatment of people with disabilities is not only lacking in comparison to the rest of the population, but also in comparison to each other. A study published in the 2016 African Disability Rights yearbook found that parents of girls in Africa with disabilities are more likely to abandon or kill their daughters at birth and the girls who survive are more likely to be victims of abuse as they grow up. Women with disabilities are three times more likely to have unmet needs for health care and two times less likely to find jobs.
Mental and physical disabilities disproportionately affect African people living in poverty as this population has little to no access to medical care. Around 20% of people with disabilities are living in the poorer regions of Africa. Additionally, 35 million people who require a wheelchair do not have access to one and are not granted the mobility to attend school or work, surrendering them to a life in poverty.
Mobility Device Distribution from Living with Hope
Living With Hope is helping people with disabilities in Africa by teaching them skills that will help them achieve their potential and live independently. It collaborates with other international disability ministries to change the conversation surrounding people with disabilities by reaching out to families, schools, churches and local organizations to strengthen awareness and action. Living With Hope mainly focuses on mobility device distribution, such as manual wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and canes, as well as wheelchair cushions and trays. It allows donors in various locations to drop off any mobility device they are willing to donate or make a payment to the organization so that they can purchase one. Living With Hope is also helping people with disabilities in Africa by working to raise funds to send affected children to school, so that they may grow up to participate in society as adults.
A Look Ahead
Africans facing the challenges that come with having a mental or physical disability are severely under-acknowledged and underserved. Very little research has been done on this population, which is necessary to design effective intervention plans. Organizations similar to Living With Hope are trying to help people with disabilities in Africa by raising awareness for and expanding the discussion surrounding this community.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-19 01:30:482024-06-04 01:08:53How Living With Hope is Helping People with Disabilities in Africa
In 2017, NASA, in partnership with the University of Maryland, established its official agriculture and food security program known as Harvest. Using resources like Earth observation (EO) data, artificial intelligence and the knowledge of experts worldwide, Harvest works to enable informed agricultural decision-making in the U.S. and around the world, all while doing so in a “cost-effective and transparent” manner. As part of this broader Harvest framework, however, there is also Harvest Africa— the more targeted initiative working to advance agriculture and food security in Africa specifically.
Harvest Africa’s Objectives
The program also works to advocate for the wider use and implementation of these advanced agricultural tools by both “public and private organizations” in an effort to “benefit food security, agriculture and human and environmental resiliency,” per Harvest’s mission statement. There are several key aspects to know about this program and its work on the African continent.
With an emphasis on Eastern and Southern Africa— two regions in which the World Bank projects an estimated 66.4 million people will experience food-related crises in July 2022. Harvest Africa intends to find innovative, partnership-driven solutions to address Africa’s most difficult food and agricultural issues.
Using data gathered from advanced satellite and machine technology, the program works to identify the root causes of problems like crop failure or production shortfall in Africa, all in an effort to get out in front of those problems early.
Several crucial objectives of Harvest Africa, according to its website, include:
Using “world-class technical expertise,” artificial intelligence and “EO-based data and tools” in order to advance agricultural land use, sustainability and productivity.
Promoting the implementation and use of satellite-based data and technology for crucial agricultural monitoring and assessment.
Working with agencies and organizations on both the national and local levels in developing and implementing these advanced agricultural tools.
Making this agricultural data as widely available to the public as possible in order to “promote the operational uptake and sustainability of these new methods.”
The Impact So Far
Harvest Africa is currently carrying out numerous projects; many of which are seeing extremely promising results. In Kenya, for example, an estimated 3.5 million people in the country’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) region are currently facing acute food insecurity. Harvest is running a program that is playing a massive role in helping government officials and local farmers diagnose and find solutions to widespread crop failure.
By using satellite data to track elements such as rainfall, soil moisture and land use, NASA teams funded by Harvest and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are helping to make more accurate and detailed assessments to track where crops are growing, according to NASA Applied Sciences.
As described on NASA’s website detailing the program, “Agriculture officials in Kenya now have help pinpointing exactly where farms are thriving or struggling. They’re using views from above provided by NASA satellites to help direct support where it is needed most,” NASA Applied Sciences reports.
Another Harvest project making great strides is the Crop Monitor. In close collaboration with several other global organizations, this project is working to implement the wider use of EO satellite data and agricultural monitoring systems in various African countries, according to EOS.
Having been “adapted and adopted for full operational use by national ministries in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda,” and “currently in development for use in Mali and Rwanda,” the Crop Monitor project is an exciting possibility for other African countries.
In countries like Mali, where over 29% of the population is battling malnourishment and Rwanda, where one-fifth of the population is food insecure, the development of such a project is certainly good news, as it has the potential to bring much-needed relief in the face of harsh struggle.
A Fighting Chance
As threats to African crop production prove more and more numerous— such as increased drought, frequent flooding and growing pest infestation — the need for innovative solutions and increased cooperation is higher than ever.
However, with the work of Harvest Africa, African countries and their farmers have a real chance of getting ahead of such disasters; a chance which leads to the potential for greater crop success and, as a result, increased food security.
With the help of these early warning systems, Earth observation data, artificial intelligence and some of the world’s brightest minds, Africa is becoming better equipped than ever before to thrive in the face of crisis.
Sri Lanka is experiencing an economic crisis of massive proportions. The U.N. has dubbed it a “food, fuel and finance crisis” that is endangering millions of people. This economic crisis has been building since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it has recently culminated in a massive fuel shortage that has paralyzed the economy. The food, fuel and finance crisis in Sri Lanka is an indicator of a worldwide trend of rising prices, resource shortages and civil unrest.
Desperation and Unrest in Sri Lanka
Countries all over the world, both developed and developing have experienced the economic and social shocks of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Many nations are fearing a looming recession, poor health care resources amidst the pandemic and a slowing job market. For developing countries, this means a nearly complete depletion of food, energy, economic stability and COVID-19 response.
The U.N. found that three months of consistent heightened inflation have caused around 71 million people to fall into poverty. The citizens of many developing countries, including Sri Lanka are turning to public political turmoil out of desperation.
Since the end of June, Sri Lanka has been experiencing one of the worst fuel shortages in history. The demand for fuel is so high and the supply is so low that people often have to wait in line for over two days to fill their tanks. One woman said that she spends more than half of her income on fuel.
The Sri Lankan government has demanded that anyone who can must work remotely, schools have been shut down and public transportation services are almost completely stopped, according to The Business Standard. The country has essentially come to a complete standstill.
This fuel crisis comes alongside a prolonged economic catastrophe in Sri Lanka, in which citizens have been facing severe shortages of medicine and inflation that has skyrocketed to 55%. Sri Lankans are also experiencing governmental uncertainty, as their president resigned after a series of protests. The food, fuel and finance crisis in Sri Lanka also comes from a history of debt defaulting and account deficits. Sri Lanka’s economy and exports have been unstable since the 1980s and they are now crumbling as a result of the war in Ukraine, The Business Standard reports.
The Crisis in Sri Lanka is Apart from a Larger Trend
The crisis in Sri Lanka is an indicator of a more widespread food, fuel, and financial crisis that is seriously harming many low-income countries. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is claiming that the war in Ukraine is causing a wave of rising prices for essential commodities – food, fuel, medicine and energy – that are plunging millions into a standard of living crisis. The crisis put in danger about 1.6 billion people in 94 countries.
In the Middle East and North Africa, the livelihoods of 2.8 million people are threatened by this crisis and over 500 million people in Asia are exposed to the food and finance crisis, according to the U.N.
International Organizations Attempt to Break the Cycle of Crisis
International organizations like the U.N. and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are not ignoring the crisis in Sri Lanka and other countries, but they are not doing enough to help either. In order to avoid further civil unrest and slow the growing numbers of people experiencing extreme poverty, international organizations could focus on multilateral investments that pay more in capital and are focused specifically on targeted lending and crisis response measures, the U.N. reports.
The U.N. has employed its Global Crisis Response Group to administer targeted cash transfers directly to the affected countries as a form of direct aid.
Going Forward Amidst a Global Crisis
There has been widespread suffering globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, low-income and developing countries are experiencing record-breaking levels of hunger and lack of resources. The Secretary General of the U.N. believes that solving the global crisis is not possible without first paying attention to the economic crisis in developing countries.
People in low-income countries are in desperate need of food, economic support, fuel and adequate health care. Hopefully, international organizations and high-income countries can step in and help.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-19 01:30:032022-08-18 01:27:52Food, Fuel and Finance Crisis in Sri Lanka
For some, poverty in Mexico is their reality. Juana, a 17-year-old girl living in Maneadero, Mexico, was born into a family with no access to education, clean water, electricity or housing. This is becoming the norm in Mexico. Juana only managed to escape these conditions through the help of foundations that built her family home and provided her with a scholarship. Extreme poverty increased by 2.1 million from 2018 to 2020, with 43.9% of the population below the national poverty line. The current government welfare system is failing to deal with increasing poverty in Mexico. Many Mexicans are not as lucky as Juana. Here is everything you need to know about poverty in Mexico that is causing the lack of opportunities and high inequality.
Corruption, Security and Justice
Mexico is not a poor country. As of 2020, it has the 15th largest economy in the world and until recently had the largest economy in Latin America. However, 15 individuals hold 13% of Mexico’s wealth and corruption is rampant across all sectors. As a result, Mexico invests less money into public services due to bribes and misallocation of resources into unproductive activities and inefficient policies. This has led to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
In fact, Transparency International outlines that “corruption is the most regressive tax in the country and a direct obstacle to the access to the most basic services for development,” Huff Post reports. This plays a key role in the rising levels of poverty in Mexico.
On top of this, in Mexico wealth is not distributed evenly, with those living in rural areas receiving less. They have little access to infrastructure or social support. The most extreme examples of this are Chiapas and Oaxaca, with poverty rates over 60%.
In addition to rising levels of poverty, people’s quality of life is also impacted by the fact that 93% of all crimes go unreported in Mexico. Crime has multiplied due to Mexican law enforcement agencies failing to hold people accountable.
The growth of drug cartels and petty crime has led to greater political instability and affected economic growth. As a result of this, 12 million Mexicans now work through the black market without the protection of social security. These individuals are often exploited. The number in this situation is only increasing.
To help support the poor, The Hunger Project has set up a scheme that advocates and creates partnerships between municipalities in Mexico. The aim is to create self-reliant communities.
Since 2020, this has already seen success in Oaxaca. Some examples of this are The Hunger Project setting up backyard orchards in seven municipalities, introducing rainwater harvesting systems and installing ecological toilets. This has helped to deal with the issues of health care and education outlined below. The more awareness and opportunities that are introduced like this, the more people could get chances like Juana’s.
Health Care and COVID-19
As a result of corruption and instability, public institutions in Mexico fail to live up to the standards necessary to ensure people’s health and well-being. From 2012 to 2014, those with access to health care decreased by 3.5 million.
Consequently, families are likely to have more children, leading to less investment in each child. This means children develop fewer skills. As a result, families are more likely to stay in poverty. The added pressures of COVID-19 have made the situation worse, explaining the increased rates of poverty in recent years.
Moreover, 30% of the population experience nutritional problems as they cannot afford basic food items. This leads to underdevelopment in children and a higher mortality rate. As a result, human capital in Mexico is lacking.
While unemployment is high, where people do secure work, they are often weak and uneducated, leading to lower productivity. This has reduced economic growth, resulting in higher levels of poverty in Mexico.
Education
COVID-19 has also decreased access to education. Education was already limited, with only 62% of Mexican children reaching high school. This limits the opportunities for those in poverty, amplifying the divide between the rich and poor.
Furthermore, those living in rural areas have even less access to education meaning the uneven distribution of wealth in these areas is only increasing. Lack of skills and qualifications also means that many poor people cannot find jobs, resulting in extreme poverty levels of up to nearly 20% across the country.
Juana was lucky. From everything you need to know about poverty in Mexico, there is hope for a better future through schemes such as The Hunger Project. A self-reliant population could reduce the issues of elitism and corruption. Economic growth could prosper and poverty could decrease if this campaign continues. This could give Mexico the opportunity to renovate its infrastructure and institutions.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-18 07:30:472024-05-30 22:29:55All You Need to Know About Poverty in Mexico
Protected parks offer much in the way of land conservation and the protection of wildlife. However, many conservation projects have displaced and therefore harmed Indigenous communities across the globe. Throughout Africa, the displacement of African tribes is an ongoing concern as conservation efforts threaten Indigenous livelihoods.
Conservation Exiles Tribes from their Homes
As global efforts are underway to protect and conserve nearly 30% of the world’s land by 2030, experts are raising concerns, suggesting that the expansive and unethical “land grab” would not only be the largest in history but also would lead to the estimated displacement of nearly 300 million people–most of whom are Indigenous.
For example, the Baka forest pygmy tribe of southeast Cameroon, Africa, near Nki National Park lost the right to hunt or fish on lands the tribe has used for generations. Without legal access to their forest, the tribe suffers a loss of livelihood, even though their hunting reportedly does not negatively impact the environment.
And the Baka is not alone. Many other African tribes are suffering at the expense of conservation. These include the Sengwer tribe of Kenya. Its 5,000 hunters suffer from a 1964 ban that stops them from returning to their ancestral forests. The San Bushmen in Kalahari Desert, Botswana, lost their lands to mining and tourism. The Ogiek of Kenya lost rights to the Mau forest.
Also, while wildlife reserves offer employment and opportunity to local communities, their benefit may be exaggerated. There are many documented cases of abuse against the Indigenous people who live there.
Indigenous Tribes Benefit the Land
Not only does the displacement of African tribes hurt Indigenous communities, but it also may not help and may even hurt the land itself. For example, the Rainforest Foundation – United Kingdom (RFUK) documented that while conservation efforts in the Congo Basin totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over ten years, there is little to no evidence that protected areas are actually protecting biodiversity. Elephant and gorilla populations have declined drastically despite substantial funding for patrolling, anti-poaching and ecotourism.
On the other hand, there is evidence that Indigenous tribes do benefit the land. A 2022 study by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact found that Indigenous Peoples offered strategies and traditions benefiting the fight against extreme weather patterns and supporting the overall improvement and sustained health of the lands they inhabit. Additionally, Indigenous lands offer critical biodiversity and sustainability practices, which experts emphasize should be at the forefront of decision-making when governments create conservation and climate change policies, laws and strategies.
Strategies for Harmony of Land and People
For this reason, as conservation efforts move forward throughout the world, many look to strategies that allow Indigenous peoples to remain and have access to and foster their land. Such strategies include ways to reverse the damages of the displacement of African tribes.
As Dr. Grace Lara Souza, a political ecology activist from Kings College in London, emphasizes, “any conservation initiative that does not include Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in its design, implementation and management, should be called into question.” She and other like-minded advocates suggest a community-based conservation model that empowers Indigenous people to oversee the protected lands rather than removing them from their ancestral grounds. When protected land is left without community monitors, miners, loggers and hunters often invade and destroy the ecosystem.
Since the year 1968, the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) has committed to “protecting, promoting and defending the rights of Indigenous peoples” across several regions, including Africa. To achieve this, the IWGIA partners with Indigenous peoples’ organizations across Africa. For example, the IWGIA partners with the Rwanda association for Indigenous people (CAURWA) to combat economic, social and political discrimination toward the Batwa people, hunter-gatherers who are the smallest Rwandan ethnic group. Together CAURWA and IWGIA advocate to apply existing land rights legislation to the Batwa.
Looking Forward
Organizations including IWGIA and activists including Dr. Souza offer hope to Indigenous people and their ancestral grounds. In Africa, their campaigns simultaneously improve conservation efforts and reverse the displacement of Indigenous African tribes.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Kim Thelwellhttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgKim Thelwell2022-08-18 07:30:042024-05-30 22:29:53Land Conservation and the Displacement of African Tribes
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a severe setback in consumer spending in Africa, data shows that historically, sub-Saharan Africa has been in a much better economic standing than before COVID-19. Consumer spending in 1981 was $145.64 billion, whereas in 2021 it was over $1.2 trillion. This is a stark difference. Overall, there has been a 3.9% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in consumer expenditure in Africa since 2010 and this momentum shows no signs of stopping. An industry that is exploiting the enormous market potential of 1.7 billion people is Africa’s beauty industry. The market growth in the industry is estimated to be $1.26 billion between 2020 and 2025, with a CAGR of 2%.
Africa’s Burgeoning Youth and Urbanization
High fertility rates coupled with lower mortality rates have led to Africa having the world’s youngest population. About 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is less than 30 years old. Beauty and personal care products are favored by a younger demographic, who want to invest in fashion trends and their looks. This gives Africa the perfect leverage to boost its beauty and cosmetics industry.
It is estimated that by 2025, 45% of Africa’s population will be living in urban areas. According to McKinsey & Company, “per capita consumption spending in large cities in Africa is on average 79% higher at the city level than at the national level.”
Furthermore, as the country continues to develop, there is a shift from spending in informal markets (e.g., roadside stalls) to spending in more formal sectors, such as department stores, supermarkets, etc, according to Brookings. This is boosting beauty product sales.
Higher Purchasing Power
Over the last three decades, Africa’s middle class has tripled in size. By 2025, roughly 65% of African households will be earning more than $5,000, according to McKinsey & Company.
The increase in the number of people in the “discretionary spending income bracket” is likely to result in consumers increasing their spending on luxury items. This shift may also be due to a growing sense of personal hygiene among people and realizing the significant role that products such as soap, shampoo, etc. play in it. Africa’s beauty industry may help customers to realize and fulfill their body care goals.
It is no surprise that Africa’s beauty industry mainly caters to and is dominated by women. Greater access to education and high-paying jobs have increased the disposable income of African women. According to Beauty Africa, “…a significant chunk of [their] spending goes to the beauty and personal care products.”
Growth of E-Commerce
The GSM Association projects that by 2025, 615 million sub-Saharan Africans will subscribe to mobile services, 28% will have a 4G connection and 3% will have a 5G connection.
This will allow consumers to make electronic payments. In fact, mobile money “is growing five times faster in Africa than in any other region,” according to McKinsey & Company.
The evolution of e-commerce and fintech has made purchasing beauty products faster and easier. Additionally, technological advancements allow companies to better track market trends and profile customers, according to The Exchange.
Key Market Players
Nigeria’s beauty industry is attracting foreign direct investment because of its growing modern, fashion-conscious, female population. Her Imports, a U.S.-based hair-extension company, opened an outlet in Lagos, Nigeria in 2014. Patrick Terry, the CEO, said that their products were “performing sensationally in Africa,” according to Africa Business Pages.
According to The Guardian, the projected income for Her Imports from Africa “topped $100 million.”
South Africa is also a key market player. Between 2020-2025, it is expected that 53% of the market growth in Africa’s beauty industry will come from South Africa.
Many international companies are only now realizing Africa’s untapped potential. On May 27, 2022, global pop star Rihanna launched her beauty line, Fenty, in “South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.” The launch of this premium brand comes as great news for African women who wanted a better representation of their skin tones.
Infrastructure and Poverty Alleviation Projects Helping
Infrastructure helps connect supply-demand chains, allows goods and services to move easily across borders and enhances overall efficiency in the production and consumption system. Improved infrastructure in the beauty and personal care industry not only generates more employment but also hikes up the sector’s growth rate, according to The Exchange. This increase in growth in turn attracts more investments for additional upgrades in infrastructure. This forms a continuous cycle that ultimately boosts the economic growth of Africa’s beauty industry.
Poverty alleviation projects could help people climb to the middle-income group and have greater purchasing power. Also, closing the gender gap and providing more women with education and equal opportunities could help them to earn income and spend it on the beauty and cosmetics market.
More private investment, advanced technology, improved infrastructure and greater contributions to poverty alleviation projects could help expand Africa’s beauty industry while keeping in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-18 01:30:262024-06-11 23:16:53Africa’s Beauty Industry is Booming with Potential
Renewable energy currently amounts to around 18.9% of Canada’s energy supply and more than half of its electricity generation. Nonrenewable sources of energy like natural gas and petroleum make up a majority, at 35.7% and 38.7% respectively, but private and public organizations are working to shrink the disparity. Renewable energy in Canada primarily comes from hydropower plants the country has established on its vast system of rivers. Quebec generates the most renewable energy of any province — 40,000 MW on hydropower alone, according to the Government of Canada.
Now, the expanding renewable energy industry is poised to make energy more affordable, fight unemployment, and strengthen diplomatic relationships between Canada and other countries.
How Renewable Energy in Canada Can Make Energy More Affordable
Renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy available. It is cheaper to build infrastructure for and generate power than nonrenewable sources. This remains true even without the government-provided subsidies that companies which businesses in the nonrenewable energy industry typically receive.
In recent years, Canada has committed to subsidizing renewables after signing the Paris Agreement, which set a goal for countries around the world to eventually become carbon neutral.
Currently, energy in Canada is the most expensive in the provinces and territories that are the most impoverished. Nunavut has the second priciest electricity — costing $0,37.5 per kilowatt in 2021. No official reports on poverty exist for Nunavut, but the Canadian government concluded that the residents of Nunavut live in some of the poorest conditions and 37% of households there struggled with food insecurity.
Nunavut is largely made up of scattered, remote and scarcely populated communities. This combined with difficult geography makes it challenging to build centralized energy infrastructure. Thus, most people living in Nunavut rely on expensive diesel power generators and burning fuel oil to power and heat their homes.
Renewable energy has shown some promise in Nunavut. Hydropower provides a third of the energy available in the territory. On average, hydropower costs around $0.80 per kilowatt, which is nearly five times less expensive than the average energy bill.
Currently, most people in Nunavut are not able to take advantage of cheaper renewable options because there are no regional or territorial energy grids in the territory. Still, indigenous groups are fighting to bring renewable energy to their communities and make energy more affordable.
Recently, the Canadian government approved grants to provide $1.6 million to indigenous-led projects that will build solar panels, geothermal heating technology and energy storage infrastructures in remote Nunavut villages.
The Economic Advantages of Expanding Renewable Energy in Canada
The focus on renewable energy in Canada also opens new opportunities for Canadian businesses to grow and expand in international trade.
Due to historical success and $200 million from the government, businesses are constantly emerging in the Canadian renewable energy sector. One such company is the Ontario-based NRStor Inc., which builds energy storage devices for renewables. The company has most notably worked on the Oneida Energy Storage Project, alongside the Six Nations of the Grand River. The project could save Canadians $760 million and be the largest battery energy storage facility in Canada.
The Canadian government reports that Indigenous Canadians are more likely to live in poverty than other groups in the country. This project will create internship, training and employment opportunities for Canada’s indigenous community, according to Six Nations Future.
The exporting of renewable energy internationally is an important source of profit for many of these companies. In 2014, renewable energy companies made $13 billion. Currently, clean fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are the most profitable products. However, there is variety among the hundreds of companies within the Canadian renewable energy industry. As these businesses succeed, they create new jobs and those in poverty can find work.
The Political Advantages of Expanding Renewable Energy in Canada
The expanding renewable energy sector strengthens international relationships between Canada and other countries through the importing and exporting of resources and devices needed to build renewable energy plants.
Recently, the Canadian Government announced hopes to export hydrogen to Germany to help replace Russian oil considering tensions caused by the conflict in Ukraine. The government wants to decrease Russia’s influence on Western Europe and push the international community to further embrace renewables.
The U.S. sees Canada as a major export opportunity for its machining industry because renewable energy plants require many different pieces of machinery to work. Trade between the U.S. and Canada within the renewable energy sector has already led to a memorandum of understanding that removed tariffs on solar technology, establishing the groundwork for future trade deals and partnerships.
Ultimately, renewable energy in Canada could be a key component in the country’s fight against poverty going forward, providing a new avenue for safety, opportunity and security to the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-18 01:30:142022-08-18 00:49:30Renewable Energy in Canada
The World Food Programme (WFP) Somalia developed the WFP e-Shop to combat food insecurity in Somalia where 4.1 million people were in need of food assistance in 2021. The online food-ordering e-Shop fights food insecurity using a delivery system that helps those facing hunger in Somalia access nutritious, affordable food.
Food Insecurity in Somalia
The food insecurity crisis in Somalia has only worsened in recent years, with COVID-19 threatening to double the number of people suffering from acute hunger in just one year alone. Some of the causes of this troubling trend include:
Conflict.Armed conflict in 2021 led to the displacement of women and girls in Somalia, making it difficult to access basic necessities including food.
Climatic shocks. Extreme weather patterns such as drought and flooding have resulted in widespread crop damage. In addition, Somalia endured a desert locust infestation that depleted the remaining crops and pasture in 2019 and significantly reduced food availability.
COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic reduced remittances due to global lockdowns, ultimately slowing food production and increasing rates of food insecurity.
Russia-Ukraine war. “Nearly all the wheat sold in Somalia comes from Ukraine and Russia, which have halted exports through the Black Sea since Moscow waged war on its neighbor on Feb. 24,” AP reports.
WFP Intervention
The WFP estimated that if the rainy season fails, Somalia could suffer from famine by the middle of 2022. A quarter of a million lives were lost when the last famine hit Somalia in 2011. To prevent another crisis, the WFP scaled up its emergency food and nutrition response to reach 3 million people. However, there is a large relief funding gap of $192 million, which means the organization has less than a third of the funding it needs to save lives.
A Technical Response
Trying out a new approach, the WFP in Somalia decided to go technical and launch the WFP e-Shop in 2018, a digital food assistance system. First, users can download the WFP e-Shop on a mobile device. Then, the app enables users to receive food vouchers to shop online from local grocery stores. In 2020, the WFP added a feature that delivers food purchases on the e-Shop to users’ homes. The e-Shop fights food insecurity in five major Somalian cities– Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Kismayo, Baidoa and Galkayo.
The e-Shop app is especially useful in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. During social distancing, online ordering and delivery helped Somalians obtain food while still following protocols. That way, Somalians facing food insecurity can be safe and remain well-fed at the same time. Speaking on the benefits of the e-Shop app during COVID-19, one WFP beneficiary remarked, “It has changed many things in my life such as bringing the food into our houses due to precautions taken for coronavirus, so I am very grateful.” Thus, the e-Shop fights food insecurity in a way that is amenable to changing conditions.
Two years after the launch of the e-Shop, the app completed more than 43,000 successful deliveries with more than 90,000 registered users and 1,100 retailers, according to CTG. More importantly, though, the e-Shop app has greatly empowered local communities and economies. With 100% of the proceeds from the platform going to local businesses, the local economy benefits and bolsters up in the fight against food insecurity. Ultimately, as the innovative WFP e-Shop fights food insecurity, the flexibility and profitability of the app are crucial to changing the tide of the food crisis in Somalia.
Electric vehicles are quickly gaining traction all across the globe. Consumers are recognizing that battery-powered engines are not only good for the environment but can also save them money in the long run. Major automobile producers are taking note, with corporations like General Motors saying they will produce only electric vehicles by the 2030s. This emerging market seems to be a win-win for both consumers and producers. However, the largest benefactor of the shift to electric vehicles may not be producers or consumers, but instead Latin America. Here is how electric vehicles are driving growth in Latin America.
Foreign Direct Investment
Every major recipient country in Latin America saw foreign direct investment (FDI) rise in 2021, with the majority of this growth being tied to the mining and energy sectors. This is because Latin America contains some of the world’s largest deposits of cobalt and lithium, two mandatory ingredients of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. In fact, Latin America contains the “lithium triangle” of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile where the highest lithium concentrations in the world are found.
The Problem
Despite these vast stores of valuable minerals, many Latin American countries have been unable to capitalize on them thus far. Cobalt and lithium can be difficult to mine and store. Lithium, for example, takes 12-18 months of filtration after bringing the mineral to the surface before extraction can occur, according to Lithium Congress. While this process isn’t very capital intensive, researchers estimate it could take nearly 500,000 gallons of water per ton of lithium extracted. In one Chilean region, lithium mining resulted in the region losing 65% of its water.
For some rural communities, this simply isn’t feasible without outside investment in infrastructure. Additionally, mining these materials poses serious health and safety risks to miners, civilians and the environment. In the United States, chemical leakage from lithium mining affects fish 150 miles downstream from a lithium mining operation, according to Lithium Congress. In order to extract these resources in a safe manner, this industry needs long-term infrastructural investment and new technology. Fortunately, due to the increase in popularity of electric vehicles, this investment is starting to flow into the region, developing new technologies to make the process safer.
Chile
Chile, one of the countries in the “lithium triangle” received a 32% increase in its FDI from 2020, bringing its total investment to $13 billion, according to UNCATD. However, not everyone celebrates this investment. Lithium mining in Chile has already placed a heavy burden on its fragile ecosystem. Many citizens are wary of investments that could increase this burden. Entire rivers are beginning to dry up in Chile due to excessive water waste from lithium mining. Without proper intervention, lithium mining is posing a direct threat to the indigenous communities across Chile that rely on natural water sources for agriculture.
Clearly, Chile needs a new mining method. Fortunately, KMX Technologies and CleanTech are teaming up to bring their proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction technology to the country’s mines. This technology could be able to minimize a mining operation’s environmental footprint, address water and other resource scarcity and make mining operations more efficient.
Argentina
Argentina contains the second largest lithium reserves in the world, but like Chile, it has had trouble capitalizing on these reserves. However, this is likely to change soon. Chinese corporation Ganfeng Lithium agreed to construct a $600 million lithium plant that solar panels power entirely. This project could create 100,000 jobs in the country.
Job creation is critical for Argentina. In 2021, the country posted an unemployment rate of 10.9%, a figure well below the OECD average of 5.7% in the same year. Construction on the mine started in June 2022 and while no expected completion date has been announced, the expected production from this mine is an astounding 20,000 tons of lithium chloride per year.
Brazil
In Brazil, relaxed rules on lithium exporting could draw $2.76 billion in FDI by 2030. The majority of this expected investment is predicted to go to one of Brazil’s poorest regions, the state of Minas Gerais. Approximately 1.21 million people in Minas Gerais are multidimensionally poor. The largest concentration of the multidimensionally poor in the state of Minas Gerais lives in the more rural northern regions of the state. This same area is where the largest lithium deposits in Brazil are found, along the Jequitinhonha Rivervalley. Large-scale investment into lithium mining has the potential to completely transform this region and Brazil’s emphasis on sustainable development for Lithium projects adds a layer of protection for civilians in that area.
Lithium and cobalt mining has the potential to transform Latin American economies. While the two minerals can and have created problems for mining countries in the past, an increase in electric vehicle demand is driving corporations to solve these problems. In doing so, electric vehicles are also driving growth in Latin America, making mining cheaper, more effective, and safer. The FDI rushing into Latin America due to lithium and cobalt demand could not only transform the mining sector but most of the economy. This level of investment necessitates infrastructural investment, creates long-term jobs and could foster a competitive business environment.
https://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svg00Jennifer Philipphttps://borgenproject.org/wp-content/uploads/borgen-project-logo.svgJennifer Philipp2022-08-17 07:30:542024-06-04 01:18:03Driving Growth: Electric Vehicles in Latin America
Inflation in Egypt
Inflation on the Rise
Inflation in Egypt rose to 13% in June 2022 from 11% in April 2022, after only seeing an inflation rate of 4.8% at the end of 2021. The Ukrainian war caused an increase in costs of goods which also caused the interest rates in the country to rise. These interest rates were already some of the highest in the world before the increase. These increases in the costs of imported and exported goods have made it much more challenging for the working class of the country to make a living.
There has been an increase in the prices of simple goods like bread, rice and sugar, making it hard for families to sustain themselves, and even things like nuts have moved into the category of luxury for most families. Inflation has affected individual families and Egypt’s economy as a whole as Egypt’s purchasing index contracted for the 18th consecutive month in May which is what caused the country to raise the interest rates for the first time since 2017. This has put a strain on small business owners who sell goods to survive because they no longer can afford to buy the product that they sell.
Humanitarian Impact
The U.S. has donated $30 billion in economic aid to Egypt since 1978 in order to provide stability to the region. USAID’s current plan to help the economy is to reduce the rising cost of food in Egypt. U.S. aid to Egypt reduced by 85% from 1998-2020 from $833 million to $125 million in 2020, however, the Biden Administration has requested $1.43 billion in aid for Egypt in 2022 amid the pandemic and the Ukrainian war.
The world cannot control what goes on in terms of the Russian and Ukrainian war, so the Goal of USAID is to impact the country in as many ways as possible from within. As of April 2022, the Biden Administrations’ funds are to go toward creating more and better jobs and enhancing the role of government officials to help the institutions of Egypt meet the economic needs of their people. Inflation in Egypt has been the cause of many people losing their jobs and so plans created to foster the economy are very relevant and should prove useful. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have emerged since 1978 in Egypt due to U.S. involvement, and that growth could be beneficial to combating inflation in Egypt.
Looking Ahead
The inflation crisis in Egypt is far from over, but the world is taking the proper steps in order to attempt to turn the tides. It may take months or years for one to be able to see the impact of the funds that Egypt received, however, the people of Egypt know that their struggle is not going unnoticed and that can be the spark someone needs to keep pushing for a little bit longer.
– Alex Peterson
Photo: Flickr
How Living With Hope is Helping People with Disabilities in Africa
People living with disabilities anywhere in the world face challenges, but these challenges are especially tough for those living in Africa. Approximately 80 million people in Africa are living with mental or physical disabilities and the barriers that they face every day have fundamental impacts. Some families in Africa feel ashamed of members who have disabilities and will sometimes hide them from the community to avoid social stigmas, discrimination and even death. There is a substantial lack of medical care or services to help people with disabilities in Africa and the widespread poverty in the country means that the needs of able-bodied people are put before those of disabled people.
The Treatment of People with Disabilities in Africa
The treatment of people with disabilities is not only lacking in comparison to the rest of the population, but also in comparison to each other. A study published in the 2016 African Disability Rights yearbook found that parents of girls in Africa with disabilities are more likely to abandon or kill their daughters at birth and the girls who survive are more likely to be victims of abuse as they grow up. Women with disabilities are three times more likely to have unmet needs for health care and two times less likely to find jobs.
Mental and physical disabilities disproportionately affect African people living in poverty as this population has little to no access to medical care. Around 20% of people with disabilities are living in the poorer regions of Africa. Additionally, 35 million people who require a wheelchair do not have access to one and are not granted the mobility to attend school or work, surrendering them to a life in poverty.
Mobility Device Distribution from Living with Hope
Living With Hope is helping people with disabilities in Africa by teaching them skills that will help them achieve their potential and live independently. It collaborates with other international disability ministries to change the conversation surrounding people with disabilities by reaching out to families, schools, churches and local organizations to strengthen awareness and action. Living With Hope mainly focuses on mobility device distribution, such as manual wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and canes, as well as wheelchair cushions and trays. It allows donors in various locations to drop off any mobility device they are willing to donate or make a payment to the organization so that they can purchase one. Living With Hope is also helping people with disabilities in Africa by working to raise funds to send affected children to school, so that they may grow up to participate in society as adults.
A Look Ahead
Africans facing the challenges that come with having a mental or physical disability are severely under-acknowledged and underserved. Very little research has been done on this population, which is necessary to design effective intervention plans. Organizations similar to Living With Hope are trying to help people with disabilities in Africa by raising awareness for and expanding the discussion surrounding this community.
– Ava Lombardi
Photo: Unsplash
Harvest Africa Improving Agriculture and Food Security
Harvest Africa’s Objectives
The program also works to advocate for the wider use and implementation of these advanced agricultural tools by both “public and private organizations” in an effort to “benefit food security, agriculture and human and environmental resiliency,” per Harvest’s mission statement
With an emphasis on Eastern and Southern Africa— two regions in which the World Bank projects an estimated 66.4 million people will experience food-related crises in July 2022. Harvest Africa intends to find innovative, partnership-driven solutions to address Africa’s most difficult food and agricultural issues.
Using data gathered from advanced satellite and machine technology, the program works to identify the root causes of problems like crop failure or production shortfall in Africa, all in an effort to get out in front of those problems early.
Several crucial objectives of Harvest Africa, according to its website, include:
The Impact So Far
Harvest Africa is currently carrying out numerous projects; many of which are seeing extremely promising results. In Kenya, for example, an estimated 3.5 million people in the country’s Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) region are currently facing acute food insecurity. Harvest is running a program that is playing a massive role in helping government officials and local farmers diagnose and find solutions to widespread crop failure.
By using satellite data to track elements such as rainfall, soil moisture and land use, NASA teams funded by Harvest and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) are helping to make more accurate and detailed assessments to track where crops are growing, according to NASA Applied Sciences.
As described on NASA’s website detailing the program, “Agriculture officials in Kenya now have help pinpointing exactly where farms are thriving or struggling. They’re using views from above provided by NASA satellites to help direct support where it is needed most,” NASA Applied Sciences reports.
Having been “adapted and adopted for full operational use by national ministries in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda,” and “currently in development for use in Mali and Rwanda,” the Crop Monitor project is an exciting possibility for other African countries.
A Fighting Chance
As threats to African crop production prove more and more numerous— such as increased drought, frequent flooding and growing pest infestation — the need for innovative solutions and increased cooperation is higher than ever.
However, with the work of Harvest Africa, African countries and their farmers have a real chance of getting ahead of such disasters; a chance which leads to the potential for greater crop success and, as a result, increased food security.
With the help of these early warning systems, Earth observation data, artificial intelligence and some of the world’s brightest minds, Africa is becoming better equipped than ever before to thrive in the face of crisis.
– Riley Wooldridge
Food, Fuel and Finance Crisis in Sri Lanka
Desperation and Unrest in Sri Lanka
Countries all over the world, both developed and developing have experienced the economic and social shocks of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Many nations are fearing a looming recession, poor health care resources amidst the pandemic and a slowing job market. For developing countries, this means a nearly complete depletion of food, energy, economic stability and COVID-19 response.
The U.N. found that three months of consistent heightened inflation have caused around 71 million people to fall into poverty. The citizens of many developing countries, including Sri Lanka are turning to public political turmoil out of desperation.
Since the end of June, Sri Lanka has been experiencing one of the worst fuel shortages in history. The demand for fuel is so high and the supply is so low that people often have to wait in line for over two days to fill their tanks. One woman said that she spends more than half of her income on fuel.
The Sri Lankan government has demanded that anyone who can must work remotely, schools have been shut down and public transportation services are almost completely stopped, according to The Business Standard. The country has essentially come to a complete standstill.
This fuel crisis comes alongside a prolonged economic catastrophe in Sri Lanka, in which citizens have been facing severe shortages of medicine and inflation that has skyrocketed to 55%. Sri Lankans are also experiencing governmental uncertainty, as their president resigned after a series of protests. The food, fuel and finance crisis in Sri Lanka also comes from a history of debt defaulting and account deficits. Sri Lanka’s economy and exports have been unstable since the 1980s and they are now crumbling as a result of the war in Ukraine, The Business Standard reports.
The Crisis in Sri Lanka is Apart from a Larger Trend
The crisis in Sri Lanka is an indicator of a more widespread food, fuel, and financial crisis that is seriously harming many low-income countries. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is claiming that the war in Ukraine is causing a wave of rising prices for essential commodities – food, fuel, medicine and energy – that are plunging millions into a standard of living crisis. The crisis put in danger about 1.6 billion people in 94 countries.
In the Middle East and North Africa, the livelihoods of 2.8 million people are threatened by this crisis and over 500 million people in Asia are exposed to the food and finance crisis, according to the U.N.
International Organizations Attempt to Break the Cycle of Crisis
International organizations like the U.N. and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are not ignoring the crisis in Sri Lanka and other countries, but they are not doing enough to help either. In order to avoid further civil unrest and slow the growing numbers of people experiencing extreme poverty, international organizations could focus on multilateral investments that pay more in capital and are focused specifically on targeted lending and crisis response measures, the U.N. reports.
The U.N. has employed its Global Crisis Response Group to administer targeted cash transfers directly to the affected countries as a form of direct aid.
Going Forward Amidst a Global Crisis
There has been widespread suffering globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, low-income and developing countries are experiencing record-breaking levels of hunger and lack of resources. The Secretary General of the U.N. believes that solving the global crisis is not possible without first paying attention to the economic crisis in developing countries.
People in low-income countries are in desperate need of food, economic support, fuel and adequate health care. Hopefully, international organizations and high-income countries can step in and help.
– Ella DeVries
Photo: Flickr
All You Need to Know About Poverty in Mexico
Corruption, Security and Justice
Mexico is not a poor country. As of 2020, it has the 15th largest economy in the world and until recently had the largest economy in Latin America. However, 15 individuals hold 13% of Mexico’s wealth and corruption is rampant across all sectors. As a result, Mexico invests less money into public services due to bribes and misallocation of resources into unproductive activities and inefficient policies. This has led to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.
In fact, Transparency International outlines that “corruption is the most regressive tax in the country and a direct obstacle to the access to the most basic services for development,” Huff Post reports. This plays a key role in the rising levels of poverty in Mexico.
On top of this, in Mexico wealth is not distributed evenly, with those living in rural areas receiving less. They have little access to infrastructure or social support. The most extreme examples of this are Chiapas and Oaxaca, with poverty rates over 60%.
In addition to rising levels of poverty, people’s quality of life is also impacted by the fact that 93% of all crimes go unreported in Mexico. Crime has multiplied due to Mexican law enforcement agencies failing to hold people accountable.
The growth of drug cartels and petty crime has led to greater political instability and affected economic growth. As a result of this, 12 million Mexicans now work through the black market without the protection of social security. These individuals are often exploited. The number in this situation is only increasing.
To help support the poor, The Hunger Project has set up a scheme that advocates and creates partnerships between municipalities in Mexico. The aim is to create self-reliant communities.
Since 2020, this has already seen success in Oaxaca. Some examples of this are The Hunger Project setting up backyard orchards in seven municipalities, introducing rainwater harvesting systems and installing ecological toilets. This has helped to deal with the issues of health care and education outlined below. The more awareness and opportunities that are introduced like this, the more people could get chances like Juana’s.
Health Care and COVID-19
As a result of corruption and instability, public institutions in Mexico fail to live up to the standards necessary to ensure people’s health and well-being. From 2012 to 2014, those with access to health care decreased by 3.5 million.
Consequently, families are likely to have more children, leading to less investment in each child. This means children develop fewer skills. As a result, families are more likely to stay in poverty. The added pressures of COVID-19 have made the situation worse, explaining the increased rates of poverty in recent years.
Moreover, 30% of the population experience nutritional problems as they cannot afford basic food items. This leads to underdevelopment in children and a higher mortality rate. As a result, human capital in Mexico is lacking.
While unemployment is high, where people do secure work, they are often weak and uneducated, leading to lower productivity. This has reduced economic growth, resulting in higher levels of poverty in Mexico.
Education
COVID-19 has also decreased access to education. Education was already limited, with only 62% of Mexican children reaching high school. This limits the opportunities for those in poverty, amplifying the divide between the rich and poor.
Furthermore, those living in rural areas have even less access to education meaning the uneven distribution of wealth in these areas is only increasing. Lack of skills and qualifications also means that many poor people cannot find jobs, resulting in extreme poverty levels of up to nearly 20% across the country.
Juana was lucky. From everything you need to know about poverty in Mexico, there is hope for a better future through schemes such as The Hunger Project. A self-reliant population could reduce the issues of elitism and corruption. Economic growth could prosper and poverty could decrease if this campaign continues. This could give Mexico the opportunity to renovate its infrastructure and institutions.
– Reuben Cochrane
Photo: Flickr
Land Conservation and the Displacement of African Tribes
Conservation Exiles Tribes from their Homes
As global efforts are underway to protect and conserve nearly 30% of the world’s land by 2030, experts are raising concerns, suggesting that the expansive and unethical “land grab” would not only be the largest in history but also would lead to the estimated displacement of nearly 300 million people–most of whom are Indigenous.
For example, the Baka forest pygmy tribe of southeast Cameroon, Africa, near Nki National Park lost the right to hunt or fish on lands the tribe has used for generations. Without legal access to their forest, the tribe suffers a loss of livelihood, even though their hunting reportedly does not negatively impact the environment.
And the Baka is not alone. Many other African tribes are suffering at the expense of conservation. These include the Sengwer tribe of Kenya. Its 5,000 hunters suffer from a 1964 ban that stops them from returning to their ancestral forests. The San Bushmen in Kalahari Desert, Botswana, lost their lands to mining and tourism. The Ogiek of Kenya lost rights to the Mau forest.
Also, while wildlife reserves offer employment and opportunity to local communities, their benefit may be exaggerated. There are many documented cases of abuse against the Indigenous people who live there.
Indigenous Tribes Benefit the Land
Not only does the displacement of African tribes hurt Indigenous communities, but it also may not help and may even hurt the land itself. For example, the Rainforest Foundation – United Kingdom (RFUK) documented that while conservation efforts in the Congo Basin totaled hundreds of millions of dollars over ten years, there is little to no evidence that protected areas are actually protecting biodiversity. Elephant and gorilla populations have declined drastically despite substantial funding for patrolling, anti-poaching and ecotourism.
On the other hand, there is evidence that Indigenous tribes do benefit the land. A 2022 study by the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact found that Indigenous Peoples offered strategies and traditions benefiting the fight against extreme weather patterns and supporting the overall improvement and sustained health of the lands they inhabit. Additionally, Indigenous lands offer critical biodiversity and sustainability practices, which experts emphasize should be at the forefront of decision-making when governments create conservation and climate change policies, laws and strategies.
Strategies for Harmony of Land and People
For this reason, as conservation efforts move forward throughout the world, many look to strategies that allow Indigenous peoples to remain and have access to and foster their land. Such strategies include ways to reverse the damages of the displacement of African tribes.
As Dr. Grace Lara Souza, a political ecology activist from Kings College in London, emphasizes, “any conservation initiative that does not include Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in its design, implementation and management, should be called into question.” She and other like-minded advocates suggest a community-based conservation model that empowers Indigenous people to oversee the protected lands rather than removing them from their ancestral grounds. When protected land is left without community monitors, miners, loggers and hunters often invade and destroy the ecosystem.
Since the year 1968, the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) has committed to “protecting, promoting and defending the rights of Indigenous peoples” across several regions, including Africa. To achieve this, the IWGIA partners with Indigenous peoples’ organizations across Africa. For example, the IWGIA partners with the Rwanda association for Indigenous people (CAURWA) to combat economic, social and political discrimination toward the Batwa people, hunter-gatherers who are the smallest Rwandan ethnic group. Together CAURWA and IWGIA advocate to apply existing land rights legislation to the Batwa.
Looking Forward
Organizations including IWGIA and activists including Dr. Souza offer hope to Indigenous people and their ancestral grounds. In Africa, their campaigns simultaneously improve conservation efforts and reverse the displacement of Indigenous African tribes.
– Michelle Collingridge
Photo: Flickr
Africa’s Beauty Industry is Booming with Potential
Africa’s Burgeoning Youth and Urbanization
High fertility rates coupled with lower mortality rates have led to Africa having the world’s youngest population. About 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is less than 30 years old. Beauty and personal care products are favored by a younger demographic, who want to invest in fashion trends and their looks. This gives Africa the perfect leverage to boost its beauty and cosmetics industry.
It is estimated that by 2025, 45% of Africa’s population will be living in urban areas. According to McKinsey & Company, “per capita consumption spending in large cities in Africa is on average 79% higher at the city level than at the national level.”
Furthermore, as the country continues to develop, there is a shift from spending in informal markets (e.g., roadside stalls) to spending in more formal sectors, such as department stores, supermarkets, etc, according to Brookings. This is boosting beauty product sales.
Higher Purchasing Power
Over the last three decades, Africa’s middle class has tripled in size. By 2025, roughly 65% of African households will be earning more than $5,000, according to McKinsey & Company.
The increase in the number of people in the “discretionary spending income bracket” is likely to result in consumers increasing their spending on luxury items. This shift may also be due to a growing sense of personal hygiene among people and realizing the significant role that products such as soap, shampoo, etc. play in it. Africa’s beauty industry may help customers to realize and fulfill their body care goals.
It is no surprise that Africa’s beauty industry mainly caters to and is dominated by women. Greater access to education and high-paying jobs have increased the disposable income of African women. According to Beauty Africa, “…a significant chunk of [their] spending goes to the beauty and personal care products.”
Growth of E-Commerce
The GSM Association projects that by 2025, 615 million sub-Saharan Africans will subscribe to mobile services, 28% will have a 4G connection and 3% will have a 5G connection.
This will allow consumers to make electronic payments. In fact, mobile money “is growing five times faster in Africa than in any other region,” according to McKinsey & Company.
The evolution of e-commerce and fintech has made purchasing beauty products faster and easier. Additionally, technological advancements allow companies to better track market trends and profile customers, according to The Exchange.
Key Market Players
Nigeria’s beauty industry is attracting foreign direct investment because of its growing modern, fashion-conscious, female population. Her Imports, a U.S.-based hair-extension company, opened an outlet in Lagos, Nigeria in 2014. Patrick Terry, the CEO, said that their products were “performing sensationally in Africa,” according to Africa Business Pages.
According to The Guardian, the projected income for Her Imports from Africa “topped $100 million.”
South Africa is also a key market player. Between 2020-2025, it is expected that 53% of the market growth in Africa’s beauty industry will come from South Africa.
Many international companies are only now realizing Africa’s untapped potential. On May 27, 2022, global pop star Rihanna launched her beauty line, Fenty, in “South Africa, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Zambia and Zimbabwe.” The launch of this premium brand comes as great news for African women who wanted a better representation of their skin tones.
Infrastructure and Poverty Alleviation Projects Helping
Infrastructure helps connect supply-demand chains, allows goods and services to move easily across borders and enhances overall efficiency in the production and consumption system. Improved infrastructure in the beauty and personal care industry not only generates more employment but also hikes up the sector’s growth rate, according to The Exchange. This increase in growth in turn attracts more investments for additional upgrades in infrastructure. This forms a continuous cycle that ultimately boosts the economic growth of Africa’s beauty industry.
Poverty alleviation projects could help people climb to the middle-income group and have greater purchasing power. Also, closing the gender gap and providing more women with education and equal opportunities could help them to earn income and spend it on the beauty and cosmetics market.
More private investment, advanced technology, improved infrastructure and greater contributions to poverty alleviation projects could help expand Africa’s beauty industry while keeping in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
– Anushka Raychaudhuri
Photo: Flickr
Renewable Energy in Canada
Now, the expanding renewable energy industry is poised to make energy more affordable, fight unemployment, and strengthen diplomatic relationships between Canada and other countries.
How Renewable Energy in Canada Can Make Energy More Affordable
Renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy available. It is cheaper to build infrastructure for and generate power than nonrenewable sources. This remains true even without the government-provided subsidies that companies which businesses in the nonrenewable energy industry typically receive.
In recent years, Canada has committed to subsidizing renewables after signing the Paris Agreement, which set a goal for countries around the world to eventually become carbon neutral.
Currently, energy in Canada is the most expensive in the provinces and territories that are the most impoverished. Nunavut has the second priciest electricity — costing $0,37.5 per kilowatt in 2021. No official reports on poverty exist for Nunavut, but the Canadian government concluded that the residents of Nunavut live in some of the poorest conditions and 37% of households there struggled with food insecurity.
Nunavut is largely made up of scattered, remote and scarcely populated communities. This combined with difficult geography makes it challenging to build centralized energy infrastructure. Thus, most people living in Nunavut rely on expensive diesel power generators and burning fuel oil to power and heat their homes.
Renewable energy has shown some promise in Nunavut. Hydropower provides a third of the energy available in the territory. On average, hydropower costs around $0.80 per kilowatt, which is nearly five times less expensive than the average energy bill.
Currently, most people in Nunavut are not able to take advantage of cheaper renewable options because there are no regional or territorial energy grids in the territory. Still, indigenous groups are fighting to bring renewable energy to their communities and make energy more affordable.
Recently, the Canadian government approved grants to provide $1.6 million to indigenous-led projects that will build solar panels, geothermal heating technology and energy storage infrastructures in remote Nunavut villages.
The Economic Advantages of Expanding Renewable Energy in Canada
The focus on renewable energy in Canada also opens new opportunities for Canadian businesses to grow and expand in international trade.
Due to historical success and $200 million from the government, businesses are constantly emerging in the Canadian renewable energy sector. One such company is the Ontario-based NRStor Inc., which builds energy storage devices for renewables. The company has most notably worked on the Oneida Energy Storage Project, alongside the Six Nations of the Grand River. The project could save Canadians $760 million and be the largest battery energy storage facility in Canada.
The Canadian government reports that Indigenous Canadians are more likely to live in poverty than other groups in the country. This project will create internship, training and employment opportunities for Canada’s indigenous community, according to Six Nations Future.
The exporting of renewable energy internationally is an important source of profit for many of these companies. In 2014, renewable energy companies made $13 billion. Currently, clean fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are the most profitable products. However, there is variety among the hundreds of companies within the Canadian renewable energy industry. As these businesses succeed, they create new jobs and those in poverty can find work.
The Political Advantages of Expanding Renewable Energy in Canada
The expanding renewable energy sector strengthens international relationships between Canada and other countries through the importing and exporting of resources and devices needed to build renewable energy plants.
Recently, the Canadian Government announced hopes to export hydrogen to Germany to help replace Russian oil considering tensions caused by the conflict in Ukraine. The government wants to decrease Russia’s influence on Western Europe and push the international community to further embrace renewables.
The U.S. sees Canada as a major export opportunity for its machining industry because renewable energy plants require many different pieces of machinery to work. Trade between the U.S. and Canada within the renewable energy sector has already led to a memorandum of understanding that removed tariffs on solar technology, establishing the groundwork for future trade deals and partnerships.
Ultimately, renewable energy in Canada could be a key component in the country’s fight against poverty going forward, providing a new avenue for safety, opportunity and security to the country’s most vulnerable citizens.
– Ryan Morton
Photo: Flickr
WFP E-Shop Fights Food Insecurity in Somalia
Food Insecurity in Somalia
The food insecurity crisis in Somalia has only worsened in recent years, with COVID-19 threatening to double the number of people suffering from acute hunger in just one year alone. Some of the causes of this troubling trend include:
WFP Intervention
The WFP estimated that if the rainy season fails, Somalia could suffer from famine by the middle of 2022. A quarter of a million lives were lost when the last famine hit Somalia in 2011. To prevent another crisis, the WFP scaled up its emergency food and nutrition response to reach 3 million people. However, there is a large relief funding gap of $192 million, which means the organization has less than a third of the funding it needs to save lives.
A Technical Response
Trying out a new approach, the WFP in Somalia decided to go technical and launch the WFP e-Shop in 2018, a digital food assistance system. First, users can download the WFP e-Shop on a mobile device. Then, the app enables users to receive food vouchers to shop online from local grocery stores. In 2020, the WFP added a feature that delivers food purchases on the e-Shop to users’ homes. The e-Shop fights food insecurity in five major Somalian cities– Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Kismayo, Baidoa and Galkayo.
The e-Shop app is especially useful in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. During social distancing, online ordering and delivery helped Somalians obtain food while still following protocols. That way, Somalians facing food insecurity can be safe and remain well-fed at the same time. Speaking on the benefits of the e-Shop app during COVID-19, one WFP beneficiary remarked, “It has changed many things in my life such as bringing the food into our houses due to precautions taken for coronavirus, so I am very grateful.” Thus, the e-Shop fights food insecurity in a way that is amenable to changing conditions.
Two years after the launch of the e-Shop, the app completed more than 43,000 successful deliveries with more than 90,000 registered users and 1,100 retailers, according to CTG. More importantly, though, the e-Shop app has greatly empowered local communities and economies. With 100% of the proceeds from the platform going to local businesses, the local economy benefits and bolsters up in the fight against food insecurity. Ultimately, as the innovative WFP e-Shop fights food insecurity, the flexibility and profitability of the app are crucial to changing the tide of the food crisis in Somalia.
– Sarah DiLuzio
Photo: Flickr
Driving Growth: Electric Vehicles in Latin America
Foreign Direct Investment
Every major recipient country in Latin America saw foreign direct investment (FDI) rise in 2021, with the majority of this growth being tied to the mining and energy sectors. This is because Latin America contains some of the world’s largest deposits of cobalt and lithium, two mandatory ingredients of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. In fact, Latin America contains the “lithium triangle” of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile where the highest lithium concentrations in the world are found.
The Problem
Despite these vast stores of valuable minerals, many Latin American countries have been unable to capitalize on them thus far. Cobalt and lithium can be difficult to mine and store. Lithium, for example, takes 12-18 months of filtration after bringing the mineral to the surface before extraction can occur, according to Lithium Congress. While this process isn’t very capital intensive, researchers estimate it could take nearly 500,000 gallons of water per ton of lithium extracted. In one Chilean region, lithium mining resulted in the region losing 65% of its water.
For some rural communities, this simply isn’t feasible without outside investment in infrastructure. Additionally, mining these materials poses serious health and safety risks to miners, civilians and the environment. In the United States, chemical leakage from lithium mining affects fish 150 miles downstream from a lithium mining operation, according to Lithium Congress. In order to extract these resources in a safe manner, this industry needs long-term infrastructural investment and new technology. Fortunately, due to the increase in popularity of electric vehicles, this investment is starting to flow into the region, developing new technologies to make the process safer.
Chile
Chile, one of the countries in the “lithium triangle” received a 32% increase in its FDI from 2020, bringing its total investment to $13 billion, according to UNCATD. However, not everyone celebrates this investment. Lithium mining in Chile has already placed a heavy burden on its fragile ecosystem. Many citizens are wary of investments that could increase this burden. Entire rivers are beginning to dry up in Chile due to excessive water waste from lithium mining. Without proper intervention, lithium mining is posing a direct threat to the indigenous communities across Chile that rely on natural water sources for agriculture.
Clearly, Chile needs a new mining method. Fortunately, KMX Technologies and CleanTech are teaming up to bring their proprietary Direct Lithium Extraction technology to the country’s mines. This technology could be able to minimize a mining operation’s environmental footprint, address water and other resource scarcity and make mining operations more efficient.
Argentina
Argentina contains the second largest lithium reserves in the world, but like Chile, it has had trouble capitalizing on these reserves. However, this is likely to change soon. Chinese corporation Ganfeng Lithium agreed to construct a $600 million lithium plant that solar panels power entirely. This project could create 100,000 jobs in the country.
Job creation is critical for Argentina. In 2021, the country posted an unemployment rate of 10.9%, a figure well below the OECD average of 5.7% in the same year. Construction on the mine started in June 2022 and while no expected completion date has been announced, the expected production from this mine is an astounding 20,000 tons of lithium chloride per year.
Brazil
In Brazil, relaxed rules on lithium exporting could draw $2.76 billion in FDI by 2030. The majority of this expected investment is predicted to go to one of Brazil’s poorest regions, the state of Minas Gerais. Approximately 1.21 million people in Minas Gerais are multidimensionally poor. The largest concentration of the multidimensionally poor in the state of Minas Gerais lives in the more rural northern regions of the state. This same area is where the largest lithium deposits in Brazil are found, along the Jequitinhonha River valley. Large-scale investment into lithium mining has the potential to completely transform this region and Brazil’s emphasis on sustainable development for Lithium projects adds a layer of protection for civilians in that area.
Lithium and cobalt mining has the potential to transform Latin American economies. While the two minerals can and have created problems for mining countries in the past, an increase in electric vehicle demand is driving corporations to solve these problems. In doing so, electric vehicles are also driving growth in Latin America, making mining cheaper, more effective, and safer. The FDI rushing into Latin America due to lithium and cobalt demand could not only transform the mining sector but most of the economy. This level of investment necessitates infrastructural investment, creates long-term jobs and could foster a competitive business environment.
–Benjamin Brown
Photo: Flickr
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