Bboxx Addresses Nigeria’s Electricity Crisis

Nigeria’s Electricity Crisis
In October 2021, Bboxx, a U.K.- based company created to tackle energy poverty, expanded its market to Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria. As more than 85 million people live without electricity in the country, Bboxx aims to address Nigeria’s electricity crisis by providing electricity to 20 million Nigerians over 10 years. With Nigeria being its largest market to date, this could yield major results for both Bboxx and the Nigerian economy.

Nigeria’s Electricity Crisis

Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa with a gross domestic product (GDP) of $432 billion in 2020. However, problems with access to strong, reliable electricity hinder Nigeria’s development. Despite being “Africa’s largest market for diesel generators,” close to 50% of Nigerians lack access to electricity with rural Nigerians accounting for the majority of those without access. Moreso, the majority of Nigerians with access to electricity struggle with “an extremely unreliable grid,” Bboxx CEO Mansoor Hamayun told The Africa Report.

This “lack of reliable power costs Nigeria $26 billion” annually, which equates to 2% of GDP, according to the World Bank. In light of this, in February of 2021, the World Bank “approved $500 million to support improvements in electricity distribution, including investment in on- and off-grid renewable energy.” Through this commitment, Bboxx was able to launch into the electricity market.

How Will Bboxx Operate in Nigeria?

Bboxx Nigeria plans to provide a solution to Nigeria’s electricity crisis by “expanding access to clean, affordable and reliable Solar Home Systems (SHS).” Bboxx uses a long-term pay-as-you-go system whereby “customers only pay for what they use” in “monthly installments from [one] to [three] years.”

Bboxx will especially target individual households in the rural areas of Ogun, Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo and Ondo, alongside “small business owners and market traders.” Bboxx’s strategy is to strive to electrify 100,000 Nigerian households per year for three years in order to meet its goal of 20 million people over 10 years. Bboxx also plans to release other products and services in Nigeria such as “LPG clean cooking solutions, solar-powered water pumps for farmers and smartphones.” The first Bboxx shop in Nigeria opened in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State in October 2021. The company hopes to roll out its services to the rest of the target areas, eventually spreading nationwide.

The Impact of Solar Power

Because solar energy is more affordable than both diesel and kerosene, adopting solar sources means saving money. Such savings would be useful in curbing Nigeria’s high inflation rates while allowing investment into other areas. This would not only result in a better living standard for Nigerians in terms of electricity access but will also create vast improvements in other services like health care and education. Moreover, the solar home systems provider estimates that its expansion into Nigeria will create 10,000 new green employment prospects in a span of 10 years. Overall, the Bboxx expansion into Nigeria would help create new employment opportunities for Nigerians, thus enabling a booming economy and an upward trend in Nigeria’s development.

Unfortunately, while Bboxx is currently able to operate without cost constraints, the risk that the Nigerian naira may continue to devalue poses a threat to Bboxx’s operations. Nevertheless, as Hamayun told The Africa Report that it was likely “a short-term issue.” Looking at the long-term, the “fundamentals are super-strong,” he said.

The Bottom Line

While the project is still in its early stages, the prospects are clear: Nigeria’s off-grid clean market has significant potential. With the assistance of Bboxx, these transitions will revolutionize Nigeria’s electricity crisis, system and economy while reducing carbon emissions.

– Divine Adeniyi
Photo: Flickr

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Child Marriage in Yemen

Child Marriage in Yemen
Child marriage in Yemen is a centuries-old human rights violation. Adults, especially those living in poverty, force young teenage girls to marry men decades older than them due to reasons such as the relief of costs in caring for a child and for the heightened protection of a husband’s family. Perhaps worse than the basic psychological harm of having to enter into marriage, child brides endure abuse and face life-threatening risks. According to a 2019 report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), more than 4 million Yemeni girls are child brides and 1.4 million of these brides are younger than 15 years old. This practice needs to end to protect young girls physically and emotionally. Banning child marriage in Yemen would ensure young women the human rights they deserve.

The Impacts of Child Marriage

Because they are so young, when child brides experience intercourse or pregnancy, it often leads to physical complications. As Sarah Ferguson from UNICEF USA states in an article, “Child marriage increases a girl’s risk of violence and abuse and jeopardizes her health. Sometimes, it’s fatal.”

Yemeni child brides also lose their education rights. Young girls with dreams and aspirations should be able to endure a life of growth and opportunities. Further, husbands and family members expect young girls who marry to know how to handle managing a household. This factor influences parents in pulling daughters out of school to learn how to do so.

In a 2018 CNN interview, a 12-year-old girl named Halima spoke out about how her father forced her sisters to enter marriages and then pressured her to do the same. She spoke about how all of her friends’ families took their daughters out of school to get married. Unfortunately, Halima’s father also pushed her to ignore her desire and passion to become a physician.

The Government’s Failure to Protect Young Women

The government of Yemen has not been able to pass an effective civil agreement to curb child marriage. On February 11, 2009, the Parliament agreed to set the minimum age of marriage at 17. However, the Sharia Legislative Committee overruled that effort. In March 2010, the Parliament redrafted the bill, however, the Sharia Legislative Committee rejected it once again. When asked about why there is no minimum age limit for marriage, the Sharia Legislative Committee stated that having a minimum age for marriage is “un-Islamic.”  Twelve years later, in 2022, there is still no minimum age for marriage in Yemen.

Financial Desperation Leads to Child Marriage

In addition to Sharia law, financial hardship also pushes families to resort to marrying off their daughters. Whether it is because they cannot afford to take care of their daughter or because the family will receive a sum of money, many parents turn to child marriage as a way to ease their financial situations. To this degree, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesperson Charlie Yaxley said at a virtual briefing in May 2020, “We are seeing a growing number of families resorting to harmful coping mechanisms such as begging, child labor and marrying off children to survive.”

The Solution to Child Marriage

Child marriage in Yemen has been an issue for centuries, but currently, there are human rights advocates who are taking strong stances against it. For example, UNICEF delivers life-saving services and supplies to Yemeni child brides. UNICEF also promotes awareness. For example, it does this by sharing stories of young girls who have had to fight for their lives in violent marriages, and how they have been able to survive, and eventually thrive, due to programs promoting their independence.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) are urging governments, including Yemen, to immediately take steps to eradicate the practice. Among other rights violations, the committees specifically argue that child marriage is a setback to women’s rights and the ability to receive an education.

There are also individual human rights advocates who are taking up the issue. Nada al-Ahdal is a young Yemeni woman who escaped child marriage. She created an online video about her story that went viral. After that, she founded the Nada Foundation with the prime minister of Yemen to support young women in child marriages.

She also wrote a book published in several languages that advocates against the practice. Now based in London, she speaks around the world to encourage everyone to fight against the practice. In a 2021 IMIX story about her, she says, “I have met so many brave girls from across the world; Serbia, Pakistan, India, Morocco, Egypt. They are working so hard to change their communities. It’s not just their duty, it’s all of us, all of our duty.”

Looking Ahead: Advocacy for Policy Change

As child brides, young girls in Yemen are having their hopes, dreams and rights dissolved. Child marriage increases the risk of physical and emotional abuse as well as maternal mortality. However, with the help of advocacy within and beyond Yemen, the Yemeni government should eventually glean the power to establish effective change.

– Hayat Nagi
Photo: Flickr

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Reducing Child Poverty in Indonesia

Child Poverty in Indonesia
Young children between the ages of 0 and 14 made up almost 26% of the population in Indonesia in 2020. Moreover, according to UNICEF, about 2.1 million children endure child poverty in Indonesia in 2021. Taking a closer at the country’s circumstances of child poverty provides insight into the severity of the situation.

5 Facts About Child Poverty in Indonesia

  1. Secondary Education Completion Lags Behind. In Indonesia, the net primary school enrollment rate stood at 93% in 2018, however, in that same year, the net secondary school enrollment rate stood at 78%. The reason for this disparity stems from the fact that Indonesia offers free education only up until grade 9, meaning, the next three years of secondary education that follow are not free. This serves as a barrier to secondary school completion as many impoverished families cannot afford the costs. Additionally, some families suffer from such severe poverty that they require their children to work to add to the household income instead of going to school. Many parents also pull their daughters out of school to shoulder the burden of household responsibilities because they do not see girls’ education as valuable in comparison to boys’ education. In addition, in impoverished communities, child marriage is prevalent. Many families resort to taking their daughters out of school and pushing them into a child marriage to ease the economic burden on the family.
  2. Child Labor is Rife in Indonesia. In 2020, the number of child laborers in Indonesia equated to 1.17 million, with many working in agriculture. The prevalence of child labor stems from circumstances of poverty as well as a lack of access to education. Indonesia pledged to eradicate child labor by 2022, and although it has not fully achieved this goal, it has made significant progress. Between 2009 and 2018, Indonesia reduced the number of child laborers from 4 million to 2.9 million by improving access to quality education to prevent children from dropping out of school and engaging in labor. The nation also has a commitment to informing parents about the importance of children’s education.
  3. Child Marriage is Prevalent. Child marriage is more common in impoverished/rural communities. According to UNICEF, Indonesian girls from families “with the lowest levels of expenditure” are nearly “five times more likely” to enter a marriage or union before the age of 18. In addition, girls from rural Indonesia “are three times more likely to marry before age 18” in comparison to urban Indonesian girls. Over a span of 10 years, child marriage rates in Indonesia reduced by 3.5%, although this rate is still far from the goal of 8.74% for 2024. UNICEF also states that one in nine Indonesian girls enter into marriage before the age of 18, which equates to 375 girls marrying each day.
  4. Poverty Impacts Future Earnings. According to a study that the Asian Development Bank Institute published in September 2019, Indonesian children who grow up in circumstances of poverty are likely to earn less in their adulthood. The study says, “Our instrumental variables estimation shows that a child who lived in [an impoverished] family when aged between 8 and 17 years old suffers an 87% earnings penalty relative to a child who did not grow up in [an impoverished] family.”
  5. Save the Children Addresses Child Poverty in Indonesia. The global children’s organization has provided assistance to Indonesia’s impoverished children for more than 30 years. Save the Children has also provided emergency assistance for almost all of Indonesia’s natural disasters. When a severe earthquake and tsunami hit Sulawesi Island in Indonesia, Save the Children supplied water, shelter, hygiene supplies and healthcare to children and families. Emergency responders provided assistance to more than 70,000 affected children. Child sponsorship programs beginning in 2014 ensure children learn the knowledge and skills necessary for success and ensure the overall health and nutrition of children. All in all, Save the Children has provided more than 23,000 “[Indonesian] children with a healthy start in life” and “protected 45,079 children from harm” while supporting more than 11,000 families in meeting their children’s basic needs.

Looking Ahead

Although the situation of child poverty in Indonesia is improving, disparities remain. Geographical differences lead to inequalities between different regions, which directly affects the country’s children. The fact that the nation comprises 17,000 islands spanning about 3,200 miles makes it very difficult to assist all population groups. Regarding the nation’s economic development, since 2016, Indonesia maintained annual GDP growth of around 5% until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With ongoing efforts to reduce child poverty in Indonesia, impoverished Indonesian children can look to a brighter future.

– Ander Moreno
Photo: Flickr

5 Ways Drones Could Lift Farmers out of Poverty

Drones Could Lift Farmers Out of Poverty
With drone operation prices dropping significantly in the past few years, agricultural drone technology is becoming more attainable to small-scale farmers in developing countries. While farmers can use satellites to monitor crops, this technology is more suitable for large-scale farms and expansive areas of land. Satellites also come with disadvantages. For instance, these systems cannot operate optimally under unfavorable weather conditions. However, the upsides to drone usage have many industry experts expressing optimism. In particular, there are several ways drones could lift farmers out of poverty.

5 Ways Drones Could Lift Farmers Out of Poverty

  1. Drones Revolutionize Crop Health Maintenance. In the agricultural arena, farmers face many challenges when tending to crops, including infestations of fungi, bacteria and other pests. Drones equipped with imaging devices let farmers track the spread of such threats and can provide precise analysis on just how much pesticide is necessary to address the problem. This stops infections from ruining a whole crop and also helps farmers minimize pesticide-induced damage to surrounding areas. Furthermore, farmers can use the detailed datasets that drones collect as proof of crop illness to insurance companies or governments. This ensures that even in an event of significant crop loss, farmers and their families are not destitute. Drones with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) abilities utilize “detailed color information” to analyze the health conditions of plants.
  2. Drones Allow for Early Detection of Crop Issues and Prompt Intervention. Small-scale farmers in developing countries have two options when weeds or other pests threaten their crops: they can spend significant time dealing with it themselves or spend a share of their precious income on hired help. Drones can fly below cloud cover and collect imagery that could warn farmers of impending problems, allowing for speedy intervention before the issues threaten the whole crop. In this way, drones could lift farmers out of poverty by preventing crop losses and saving farmers both time and money.
  3. In Drought-Prone Regions, Drones Could Improve Crop Stability. Drones equipped with thermal sensors can detect which areas of a field require more moisture. Farmers experiencing drought could use this technology to specifically target the parts of their fields that require water, reducing water wastage. This information could also be helpful in curbing drought-induced crop loss, preventing debilitating impacts on farmers and their families.
  4. Even Before Planting, Drones Help to Optimize Farming. Soil and field analysis before crop plantation is key to a successful harvest. Drones, in particular, are more adept at providing such information in comparison to satellite imagery due to the small scope that drones operate under, which allows for an increased level of detail. Making this technology widely available could result in higher crop yields for farmers in developing countries, which would help lift farmers out of poverty.
  5. Drones Could Improve Outcomes for Livestock Farmers. Farmers can rely on drones to supervise grazing, freeing up time for other agricultural activities. Thermal sensing technology could “find lost cattle,” help track down injured or ill animals and calculate exact herd totals. These tasks can be very time-consuming for livestock farmers and drones could play a vital role in streamlining these tasks.

Looking Ahead

Drones could lift farmers out of poverty by providing invaluable data to make informed and prompt decisions while saving both time and money. This wide range of data allows small-scale farmers to increase their productivity and yields, enabling them to compete with larger farms. These advantages bring economic benefits that positively impact farming households and the economy overall.

– Riddhi Bhattacharya
Photo: Pixabay

COVID-19’s Impact on Chile

COVID-19's Impact on Chile
COVID-19’s impact on Chile has been particularly negative. The pandemic triggered a recession that caused significant increases in unemployment and poverty. Unemployment reached 14%, the highest rate since the 2008 global financial crisis. Additionally, poverty levels have risen from 9.8% to 15.5% since the start of the pandemic, according to the U.N. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

As a result, the pandemic has hit lower and middle-class Chileans the hardest. The World Bank estimates that the country’s middle class decreased by 2 million people in the opening months of the pandemic alone. Despite these grim numbers, though, there are governments, NGOs and individuals doing meaningful work that gives cause for optimism. Here are five sources of assistance that have reduced COVID-19’s impact on Chile.

5 Sources of COVID-19 Aid to Chile

  1. Grassroots Aid. The first type of aid begins at the individual level. Many local communities have taken it upon themselves to create volunteer soup kitchens, which have proliferated in at-risk areas across the country. Chileans call these kitchens “ollas comunes,” or “collective pots” that help to combat food insecurity in light of the recent economic downturn. Most of the kitchens started out small, but many now serve hundreds of meals every day of the week. For many Chileans with little or no income during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the kitchens stood as a stable source of food that likely saved many lives and slowed the spread of malnutrition in rural communities.
  2. Chile Solidario. Translating to “Solidarity Chile,” Chile Solidario is a federal program established in 2002 that focuses on cash transfers and social assistance for low-income households. This program helped create Chile’s welfare infrastructure, which the federal government used to provide direct assistance throughout the pandemic. The transfers offer truly impactful aid by concentrating funds on Chile’s most vulnerable households.
  3. U.S. Aid. By September 2021, the U.S. had provided approximately $1.8 million in COVID-19 assistance for Chile. This assistance went toward the purchase of two field hospitals, eight ventilators and miscellaneous personal protection equipment (PPE). The U.S. dedicated further funds to local organizations, most of which provide basic health and hygiene products, including hand sanitizer, plastic gowns and personal hygiene kits. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research provided $500,000 to a team of Chilean scientists to research the spread of COVID-19 and study the evolution of new variants, which can help improve local responses to future outbreaks.
  4. Private Aid. Many U.S. companies have created their own private initiatives to provide assistance to Chileans. Most notably, the UnitedHealth Group donated $1 million to Desafío Levantemos Chile, a public foundation that has raised emergency funds for Chilean communities in need since 2010. The foundation has helped around 1.9 million people through more than 2,200 service projects across the country and has used this donation to purchase medical equipment for public hospitals and retirement homes. The Pfizer Foundation also donated $100,000 to the Chilean Red Cross to help those who the virus affects. Over the course of the pandemic, the Chilean Red Cross has donated 6,000 liters of disinfectant while leading multiple vaccination campaigns and delivering 37,500 PPE items to affected communities. Many U.S. brands stepped in to offer direct assistance to vulnerable populations. Walmart donated food directly to hungry Chileans, and other brands, including McDonald’s, Starbucks and Domino’s Pizza, have delivered free food to frontline health care workers.
  5. Nonprofit Aid. Two notable U.S. nonprofit organizations are doing meaningful work in the region. By September 2021, Project HOPE had sent more than $140,000 worth of medical supplies to Chile, which included blood pressure monitors, face shields, disposable gloves and KN95 masks. Another U.S. nonprofit called World Hope International made a similar donation of medical supplies, which they delivered directly to first responders in Chile. The U.S. Air Force helped transport both donations and has cooperated with the Chilean Air Force throughout the pandemic to facilitate the transfer of aid into the country.

Looking Ahead

COVID-19’s impact on Chile is certainly difficult for many Chileans, however, community service, foreign aid and nonprofit donations stand as major sources of hope throughout the pandemic. Due to these efforts, Chile is on its way to recovery. The OECD Economic Survey concluded that the national economy will resume gradual growth over the next two years with output reaching pre-pandemic levels by late 2022.

– Jack Leist
Photo: Flickr

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The COVID-19 Pandemic Sparks 5 African Inventions

African Inventions
The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the way the world operates, forcing the globe to turn to virtual settings and create physical distance in the presence of others. Five African inventions prove useful during the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening health care responses and offering protection against COVID-19 infections.

5 African Inventions Helping During the COVID-19 Pandemic

  1. Tiba Vent. Kenyan student Daniel Kabugi and a team of 15 others developed the Tiba Vent in 2020, a portable, low-cost “mechanical ventilator” that aids the respiration of patients who have contracted COVID-19 and “other acute respiratory illnesses.” With the Tiba Vent, Kenya is expected to increase its resources from 500 ventilator units to more than 30,000. This low-cost machine comrpises 90% locally sourced materials and was in the process of clinical trials in July 2020. The Tiba Vent has the potential to save millions of lives in Kenya and beyond.
  2. Wellvis COVID-19 Triage Tool. Nigerian Dr. Wale Adeosun is a co-founder of Wellvis, an app that launched in 2019 to facilitate the online sharing of health information and services. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the creators of the Wellvis app decided to integrate into the platform a tool called the Wellvis COVID-19 Triage Tool. The tool uses responses to clinical questions to determine an individual’s COVID-19 risk level. The tool then directs the individual to the “appropriate next steps.” The Wellvis app, in general, allows for the online scheduling of remote appointments. In this way, the app can aid medical professionals by alleviating crowds in doctor offices and hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The app also provides health information and a “question and answer platform” to combat misinformation and increase access to reliable health information.
  3. Handwashing Machine. Sanitation is important to practice during the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid infection. In 2020, Stephen Wamukota, a 9-year-old boy from Kenya developed a handwashing machine that has become a complete game-changer in his community. Standing as one of the simplest yet innovative African inventions, this basic machine utilizes foot pedals to dispense water and soap so that people do not have to touch any surfaces with their hands during the handwashing process. This process significantly reduces the risk of infection and provides a community with the opportunity to safeguard their health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Dr. Car Robot. Originally a project from Dakar Polytechnic School students in Senegal, this robot allows for the delivery of medications, takes body temperatures and measures the blood pressure of COVID-19 patients at the hospital without the need for human interaction. Controlled remotely from an app and equipped with cameras, the Dr. Car (or Docteur Car) robot “speaks four languages,” which makes it accessible to a large audience in African hospitals and reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19.
  5. 3D-Printed Masks. With the huge demand for protective face masks across the world, South African innovator Natalie Raphil is using a 3D printer to produce 100 3D-printed face masks per day. Raphil’s idea for 3D-printed masks came about during South Africa’s most intense level of lockdown “when imports and exports were at a standstill and PPE was in demand” for health workers in the country. Raphil’s invention allowed for an inexpensive, efficient way to supply masks to health professionals at the forefront of the pandemic.

A Look Ahead

Amid a global health crisis, African innovators and changemakers of all ages have developed creative solutions to help address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These recent African inventions are proof that when humanity faces a new hardship, innovation prevails.

– Kler Teran
Photo: Flickr

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5 Facts About Being Poor in Argentina

Being Poor in Argentina
Argentina is the third-largest country in South America with a population of 45.4 million people. A melting pot of ethnicities and a perfect blend between Latin-American and South European customs and traditions. Nevertheless, Argentina has a high poverty rate, rising year after year. Here are five facts about being poor in Argentina.

5 Facts About Being Poor in Argentina

  1. A 3 Year-Long Recession: Argentina’s economic development is following a troubled path risking a new default two years since the last one. This inevitably translated into a rise in the country’s poverty rate that in the second half of last year passed 42%, according to Al Jazeera. Such a rate in Argentina represents an omen to the risk of a new crisis of similar proportions to the ones of 1989 and 2001.
  2. Increase in Unemployment During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic had serious repercussions on developing economies like Argentina. As a result, the country counted a loss of 3.5 million jobs in the past two years of the pandemic, leaving many single-income families without a way to get by. This has led to many disorders and protests in the capital city of Buenos Aires that spread in other major cities around the country including Cordoba and Mendoza.
  3. Social Inequality and Poverty: The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) examined the evolution of inequality and poverty across the decades. Argentina was one of the countries with the highest class inequality and relative poverty rates and from 2001 it made considerable progress in this matter. Unfortunately, those rates still remain high, way over the OECD average. Moreover, inequality in Argentina has strong intergenerational and regional components, meaning that the youngest part of the population is the poorest and the northern regions of the country are the ones with the highest poverty rate.
  4. House Poverty – The Everlasting Problem: Since its first big default in 1989, being poor in Argentina means also facing the house poverty issue caused by people’s inability or even discouragement in saving for long-term investments. The global pandemic has contributed to worsening this condition even more. Currently, almost 10 million people around Argentina are unable to pay their rent and have to move to cities and to nearby areas where they end up in illegal camps. Fortunately, organizations like Habitat for Humanity are working to address this specific problem by building or repairing homes, providing vital skills and providing first-response to all sorts of disasters around the world. As of 2014, Habitat for Humanity has contributed to building housing solutions that are hosting more than 4,000 families in Argentina.
  5. Education: Despite Argentina being one of the most educated countries in South America, its past military government applied a policy restricting access to education at every level. Such a slowdown in the development of the education system has not yet been overcome causing inefficiencies impacting other economic aspects like technological innovation that would support growth.

Concluding Thoughts

This summary is only a brief and partial picture of the much more complex political and socioeconomic situation of a developing country like Argentina. The hope is that these five points can provide an idea of what is like being poor in Argentina and what are the key elements to address to allow the country to free itself from poverty.

– Francesco Gozzo
Photo: Flickr

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How PICS Bags Improve Post-Harvest Storage

PICS Bags
In many developing countries, it is difficult to minimize the loss of crops post-harvest due to infestations and crop deterioration. Staple crops such as maize and wheat and particularly prone to insect infestations. Losses in these crops can prove detrimental to farmers because there is less produce to sell or keep as a food source for themselves and their families. This can lead to reduced profits for these smallholder farmers and increased levels of food insecurity. PICS bags, developed at Purdue University, attempt to tackle these problems and aim to preserve high-quality grain over a longer period of time while minimizing losses in quantity.

The PICS Project

The Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) project, backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among other donors, aimed to create a low-cost technology allowing farmers to store grain without the need for pesticides. PICS bags became the solution.

PICS bags are triple-layer bags with two layers of polyethylene inside a woven sack, selling for between $2 and $4, depending on the region. These bags have the purpose of eliminating insect damage in grain stores and give farmers more selling flexibility by allowing for proper grain storage options in Africa during the off-season. While originally made to store cowpea grain, the bags’ uses extend to other types of grain such as maize, wheat, rice, peanuts and more.

The PICS project has multiple phases. PICS 1, originally standing for Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage, ran from 2007 to 2014 with the aim of bettering “cowpea storage in West and Central Africa.” At the end of this phase, PICS1 “increased total income in the region by $255 million” while reaching 1.7 million households.

PICS2, renamed Purdue Improved Crop Storage, ran from 2011 to 2014. This second phase expanded the use of PICS bags to other crops such as sorghum, rice, beans and more. PICS2 focused on research to determine the effectiveness of the PICS bags against mold growth and mycotoxins, effectiveness in maintaining seed viability and the cost-effectiveness of the bag.

PICS3 is the last phase of the project. This phase intended to “improve market access and food security among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa” by building on the accomplishments of the previous phases.

Goals of the PICS Project

The PICS project centers around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project specifically addresses SDG 1 and SDG 2. The PICS bag addresses SDG Goal 1 of “No Poverty” by alleviating poverty for farmers by decreasing losses after harvest. The PICS bag also addresses SDG Goal 2 of “Zero Hunger” by establishing food security and preventing nutritional issues by properly preserving and safeguarding food supplies.

The third phase of the PICS project, PICS3, aimed “to increase the use of hermetic storage” — using sealed airtight products to protect contents from insects and moisture — by 20% in grains. This helps reduce post-harvest losses of these crops and increases the food security and incomes of farmers and their families.

Additionally, the PICS3 project aims to train farmers on the “use of hermetic technologies in at least 14,000 villages” as well as build research capacity to maintain a reduction in crop loss after harvest. The PICS3 project also aims to “develop a sustainable supply chain to make PICS bags available to farmers” and increase the usage of “tools such as radio, cell phones, and [SMS]” to raise awareness on PICS bags as a solution and increase access to the bags.

The PICS bag also intends to improve selling flexibility for farmers. Because the PICS bags can store crops for more than a year after harvest, farmers can wait to sell at ideal profit margins without fear of losing their grain to insects. This way, farmers have more control and can choose to sell later to generate maximum profit depending on market conditions. Additionally, farmers can eat healthy, pesticide-free food themselves and may even have higher surpluses, improving food security.

Reach of the PICS bag

The PICS3 program originally focused on seven countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi. Now, more than 23 countries in all parts of Africa and even South Asia buy PICS bags. Additionally, PICS bags are in use in more than 40,000 villages in sub-Saharan Africa and more than 2 million farmers have received training on how to use the bags. Between 2014 to March 2020, the project sold more than 19 million PICS bags.

Drawbacks and Barriers

Since PICS bags came about fairly recently in 2008, there is still not much research on the environmental impact of the PICS bags. Additionally, in order for the PICS bags to work, farmers must follow instructions closely or the PICS bags will not work optimally. For example, if the grain is not clean and dry as the instructions require, there are chances of damage to the inner layer of the bag, which can reduce effectiveness, causing infestation and mold growth to persist. However, in order for farmers to properly adhere to these instructions, farmers must receive sufficient training. While this is a goal of the PICS project, there are barriers to implementation.

The PICS bag is capable of transforming the lives of those who live in countries with agricultural-based economies. This innovative, unassuming bag can improve rural farmers’ quality of life by improving food access and providing a steadier income.

– Shikha Surupa
Photo: Flickr

Reducing Plastic Pollution in the Philippines

Plastic Pollution in the Philippines
Although plastic consumption is higher in more developed countries like the United States, a 2021 report from Our World in Data states that roughly a third of all plastics in the ocean comes from the Philippines. Plastic floods the Philippines’ beaches and rivers. Although people might associate this level of litter with overconsumption, plastic pollution in the Philippines is both the result and cause of poverty.

How Plastic Links to Poverty

Plastic and global poverty interlink in several ways. For one, the prevalence of plastic pollution and other waste in less developed countries is a direct consequence of the global waste trade as more developed countries “export” their waste to less developed countries that lack the means to properly recycle or otherwise dispose of it. The lack of sufficient waste management infrastructure in less developed countries hinders proper plastic disposal as mismanaged plastics move from population hubs into rivers and coastal ecosystems.

In the Philippines, discarding rather than recycling plastics leads to a loss of revenue of more than $890 million annually, which equates to “78% of the material value of the key plastic resins.” Plastic pollution also worsens conditions for the world’s impoverished. Consumption, inhalation and any other exposure to additives in most plastic can cause birth defects, disturb hormonal functions or lead to cancer, among other detrimental impacts.

Plastic pollution in the Philippines also threatens local economies, which are reliant on fishing, shipping and tourism. This pollution notably decreases overall biodiversity, interferes with shipping equipment and mars otherwise beautiful beaches and rivers.

NGOs Tackling Plastic Pollution in the Philippines

Despite the dire situation, several organizations are taking a stand against plastic pollution in the Philippines. These include the Plastic Bank, The Plastic Flamingo and the Blastik Project.

  1. The Plastic Bank. This international organization promotes ethical recycling systems along coastlines and provides additional sources of revenue for those living in poverty. As of Jan. 26, 2022, the Plastic Bank recovered 41.64 kilograms of plastic, the equivalent of 91.8 pounds or roughly “2 billion single-use plastic bottles.” The organization allows individuals to collect plastic waste in exchange for money, basic family necessities and access to social and training programs. A branch of the Plastic Bank centered in the Philippines has stated on Facebook that people from local communities can collect plastic waste in exchange “for bonuses that help to provide basic family necessities like groceries, school supplies for their children, digital connectivity, and more.” By equipping individuals with these opportunities, the Plastic Bank gives them the tools necessary for greater economic mobility.
  2. The Plastic Flamingo. This social enterprise spreads awareness of plastic pollution through webinars and educational campaigns and offers public drop-off points for plastic disposal. However, it primarily focuses on converting plastic waste into building materials. People throughout Manila can get rid of their plastic waste at collection sites for the organization to collect and recycle into “Eco-lumbers.” Through its creation of Eco-lumbers and its participation in many construction projects, The Plastic Flamingo transforms a source of economic concern into a valuable, sustainable resource that people could use as humanitarian housing material alternatives. In 2021, the group notably made its first prototype of an “Eco-shelter” made entirely out of recycled products.
  3. The Blastik Project. Similar to the Plastic Bank, the Blastik Project equips farmers to reduce plastic pollution in the Philippines and create a more circular economy. The project also educates local communities on the potential economic benefits of recycling. The organization also offers to teach Filipinos how to recycle plastic bottles and caps into home decor, wallets, tiles and more. This supplemental income could make a significant difference, especially for those struggling with poverty. People also use plastics as bottle planters in the organization’s farms, which provides the project’s contributors with organic food. As of November 2021, the Blastik Project recycled more than 17 tons of plastic waste.

Looking Ahead

Ultimately, pollution and poverty intertwine in a self-feeding cycle. It would be impossible to tackle one without tackling the other, especially because of the global waste trade, which forces less developed countries to bear the consequences of overconsumption in wealthier nations. However, a greater shift to recycling and sustainable development could turn the tide on plastic pollution in the Philippines.

– Lauren Sung
Photo: Flickr

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Food Insecurity in Ghana

Food insecurity in GhanaMany consider Ghana “one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa.” However, poverty rates are high, standing at 25.5% in 2020, according to the World Bank. In the last 30 years, Ghana has made great progress in reducing poverty from a 49% poverty rate in 1990 to a 13% poverty rate in 2018. Still, inequalities exist between the north and south of the nation as well as between the urban and rural populations. During the lean season in 2020, the World Food Programme noted that more than 21,000 people suffered from food insecurity in Ghana, particularly in the northern region.

Difficulties in Northern Ghana

Food insecurity in Ghana is more severe in the north of the country largely due to climatic issues. In the northern region, 90% of Ghanaian households depend on agriculture for their livelihoods, however, this region only has one rainy season in comparison to the south, which has two rainy seasons. This climatic difference impacts food production and worsens both poverty and food insecurity in Ghana’s north. Farmer also face other issues such as “low [market] prices, poor road infrastructure, lack of access to finance, inadequate markets, post-harvest losses, insufficient education and knowledge[and] unsustainable farming systems.” Due to an agricultural dependence among rural people, food insecurity and poverty largely affect rural populations.

The World Food Programme (WFP) Combats Food Insecurity in Ghana

The WFP’s work in Ghana, in general, focuses on four key areas to fight food insecurity in Ghana.

  1. Private Sector Collaboration. To address stunting and nutritional deficiencies, the WFP provided support to the private sector to supply and promote “affordable and safe fortified nutritious foods.” For example, the WFP gave technical and financial assistance to two companies and linked these manufacturers to local small-scale farmers. The two Ghanaian companies manufacture Tomvita and Maisoya, which are fortified foods that improve the nutrition of pregnant and breastfeeding women. The companies aim to extend production to supplemental foods for children.
  2. Nutritional Assistance. The WFP partners with various government institutions to fight against food insecurity in Ghana and address nutritional deficiencies. The partnership aims to ensure citizens consume nutritious local-based diets and learn behaviors conducive to good health. The WFP also supplies electronic vouchers to supplement the nutrition of pregnant or breastfeeding women and children younger than 2.
  3. Food System Resilience. The WFP connects small-scale Ghanaian farmers to local markets “to increase the availability, access and utilization of staples foods” such as “maize, millet, cowpeas and soybeans.” So far, the WFP has connected “10,000 smallholder farmers to two industrial agro-food processing companies that produce specialized blended nutritious foods.” The WFP also aims to strengthen the food supply chain and ensure proper “post-harvest facilities, technologies and services” to improve the quality and safety of foods.
  4. Policy-Making Assistance and Capacity Expansion. The WFP is offering its support and services to improve Ghana’s existing programs and develop policies that focus on combating malnutrition and establishing adequate food systems. This involves connecting Ghana’s national school feeding initiative to the country’s agricultural arena. The WFP helps Ghana to implement food security monitoring measures and establish guidelines to “improve food quality and safety and emergency preparedness.”

Impact in Numbers

According to a WFP Ghana Country Brief published in August 2021, for the year 2021 overall, the WFP aimed to help 45,000 people through nutritional assistance. In August 2021 alone, more than 4,500 people “received direct food assistance through vouchers.” If one looks at the gender proportions of beneficiaries, women formed 72% of the beneficiaries while men accounted for 28%.  Moreover, in 2021, the WFP helped 22,020 small-scale farmers to increase their capacity and connect to markets.

Even though the WFP is seeing success in improving food insecurity in Ghana, worsening environmental conditions like drought stand as additional barriers to food security. Through ongoing support in strengthening the country’s food systems and resilience overall, Ghana can remain out of famine.

– Ander Moreno
Photo: Flickr