Epigenetics is a recently developing branch of genetics that rose to prominence in the 21st century. Recent research has shown the biological effects of poverty through epigenetics. Epigenetics goes further than the genes a person inherits from their parents by showing how the individual’s genes react to their environment and other factors. One study that Molecular Psychiatry published concluded that children who grow up in families below the poverty line are “more prone to mental illness and alterations in DNA structure.” Since poverty brings numerous stressors such as poor nutrition and physical or psychological trauma, it can affect a child’s biological development, particularly in the brain. Epigenetics can help shape the future and bring to prominence that poverty can cause acute and chronic conditions.
What is Epigenetics?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined epigenetics as “the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.” Epigenetics affects gene expression, specifically the process of protein creation. The environment and a person’s behaviors correlate with epigenetic changes; the connection becomes evident between a person’s genes, behaviors and environment.
There are three different mechanisms in epigenetics that can affect gene expressions, including DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA. DNA methylation turns the genes “off” and demethylation turns the genes “on.” More specifically, DNA methylation can directly inhibit the expression of genes. In this process, information from the gene becomes a functioning product such as proteins, which are essential molecules that help bodies function. Histone modification occurs with the adding or removal of chemical groups from histones. More specifically, it can also change if a gene is “on” or “off.” Finally, non-coding RNA is a biological function that helps control gene expression.
The Relationship Between Epigenetics and Poverty?
A 2019 article from Northwestern University explains that poverty can implement itself across genomes — “poverty leaves a mark on nearly 10% of the genes in the genome.” Previous research demonstrated that socioeconomic status is a significant determinant of human health and disease. For example, some factors such as lower educational attainment or lower-income increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes, different forms of cancers and other infectious diseases. Also, lower socioeconomic status is associated with other physiological processes that could “contribute to the development of diseases such as chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and cortisol dysregulation.”
In one recent study led by Dr. Adam R. Wende, researchers learned that end-stage heart failure patients had “cytosine-p-guanine, or CpG, methylation of the DNA in the heart.” This methylation was associated with race as the only variable between African Americans and Caucasians. In addition, researchers discovered through census tracking that African American patients lived in neighborhoods with higher racial diversity and poverty. This difference suggested to the researchers that “the underlying variable may be socioeconomic difference.”
Wende spoke about the impact of the study with UAB News. Wende stated that “we provide preliminary evidence that socioeconomic factors are likely associated with racial differences in cardiac DNA methylation among men with end-stage heart failure.”
Differences Between Children in Poverty and Higher Income Households
In another study published in 2016, scientists found that children who grew up in poverty had more DNA methylation than other children who came from higher household incomes. Researchers thought that this difference might have suppressed the impoverished children’s “production of serotonin transporter protein.” As a result, the kids in the impoverished households had less serotonin in the brain, which can lead to depression and other mental conditions.
Dan Notterman, a molecular biologist at Princeton University, found in his research that telomeres, the caps at the end of chromosomes, “[shorten] in children from impoverished families.” Research shows a link between telomere length, aging and poor general health, meaning that the shorter telomeres are, the worse a person’s health is and the faster the aging process is. In layman’s terms, poverty can cause children and adults alike to be more prone to mental and physical illnesses and hinder physiological processes at a genetic level.
Can Epigenetics Help Reverse Negative Health Outcomes?
Robert Philibert, a behavioral geneticist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City stated that “what this points out here is that if you really want to change neurodevelopment, alter the environment.” Epigenetics shows that the environment affects gene expression, and thus, the body’s biological functions.
Social determinants of health (SDH) are, as the World Health Organization (WHO) defines, “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.” SDHs can influence health and gene expression through “income and social protection, education, food insecurity, social inclusion and nondiscrimination.” According to the WHO, SDH plays a significant role in 30-55% of health outcomes. Epigenetics shows people must address the systems that allow poverty to thrive in order to ensure people do not experience a disadvantage at the beginning of life.
– Gaby Mendoza
Photo: Flickr
A Closer Look at Health Care in Tonga
Located in the Polynesian area of the Pacific Ocean, the Kingdom of Tonga is an archipelago of 169 islands with a population of about 107,693. Health care in Tonga is in a critical position as Tongan citizens face several health issues while the nation’s health system struggles with a lack of resources. Today, the most pressing issues are non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the onset of COVID-19.
Overview of the Health Care System in Tonga
Primary financing for health care in Tonga comes from the government but the nation still relies significantly on donor funding. Data from 2019 shows that about 5% of the country’s GDP went toward health care, equal to $242 per capita. The health care system is small, both in workforce and infrastructure. In 2013, the ratio of physicians to citizens was about 0.54 per 1,000 citizens. Furthermore, in 2015, the country had “34 maternal and child health clinics, 14 health centers, three district hospitals and the tertiary referral hospital” in place.
The Effects of NCDs Tongan Health
Unfortunately, Tonga has an incredibly high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with about 99.9% of the adult population facing a “moderate to high risk” of acquiring an NCD. In Tonga, about 80% of deaths are due to NCDs as compared to the global average of 70%. These diseases are not contagious and a combination of genetics, environmental factors and lifestyle choices can cause them. Lifestyle choices such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet and lack of exercise stand as key causes of NCDs. Cardiovascular disease and diabetes are among the main health concerns in Tonga. Fortunately, the government is aware of these issues and is working to combat these concerns.
Addressing the Prevalence of NCDs
Tonga’s current goal, in line with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is to decrease NCD-related deaths by one-third by the year 2030. Over the years, Tonga has put in place policies and strategies to address the prevalence of NCDs. For example, in 2004, Tonga became “the first Pacific Island country to launch a National NCDs strategy.” A few years later, in 2007, Tonga became “the first Pacific island country to set up an autonomous body to address NCDs,” also known as the Tonga Health Promotion Foundation or TongaHealth. TongaHealth is a non-governmental organization that is working to promote physical activity, improve diets and educate people about the consequences of alcohol and tobacco use.
According to the TongaHealth website, “TongaHealth uses evidence-based approaches to increase the knowledge, skills and resources of key organizations through advocacy for and promotion of healthy environments and healthy living.” In 2014, Tonga also received recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO) for its work regarding tobacco taxation and control.
What About COVID-19?
While many nations were plunged into a total crisis of chaos when COVID-19 emerged, Tonga remained completely untouched by COVID-19 until October 2021, about a year and a half after most countries had seen their first cases. Unfortunately, the Hunga Tonga volcanic eruption in January 2022 created a need for humanitarian aid and Tonga began to see COVID-19 cases rising due to contact during humanitarian efforts. In response to the natural disaster, as of January 25, 2022, Tonga has received around $2.5 million worth of aid from the United States as well as additional international aid from France, Australia and New Zealand.
As of March 15, 2022, Tonga has recorded 2,072 COVID-19 cases and two deaths. There is a strict lockdown in place and humanitarian aid endeavors aim to be as contactless as possible. If a larger breakout occurs, Tonga’s health care system may struggle due to its lack of resources and infrastructure, a situation that would prompt urgent COVID-19 relief.
Looking Ahead
With ongoing commitments to combating NCDs and strengthening the health care system, the future of health care in Tonga looks bright.
– Mia Sharpe
Photo: Flickr
Everything to Know About Hunger in Zimbabwe
The Republic of Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Once known as the “Jewel of Africa” for its “vibrant industries, an internationally-acclaimed social security net and abundant natural resources” after its independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has seen a dramatic decline in its economy and development. This has led to increasing rates of food insecurity and concerns about hunger in Zimbabwe. In 2020, Zimbabwe endured one of the most severe food crises in decades due to compounding issues such as “poor agricultural seasons, hyperinflation, failed economic and agricultural policies and the consequences of Cyclone Idai and the COVID-19 pandemic.” As a result, more than six million Zimbabweans required urgent humanitarian assistance.
Causes of Hunger in Zimbabwe
Initiatives to Curb Hunger in Zimbabwe
Immediate reform and initiatives are necessary to address concerns about hunger in Zimbabwe on a large scale. One such initiative is Mary’s Meals, a charity organization aimed at providing meals to the world’s impoverished children each school day. Since its founding in 2002, Mary’s Meals has spread across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Eastern Europe and now provides meals to more than two million children for “every day they attend school.” Mary’s Meals began working in the rural Tsholotsho District of Zimbabwe in 2018 and has since provided more than 73,000 children with nutritious daily meals.
Room for Growth
The Republic of Zimbabwe is on the road to recovering from the hurdles delaying its growth. Fortunately, the World Bank predicts that Zimbabwe could “have an economic rebound in 2022 with a bumper harvest expected to ensure most rural families have enough to eat and leading the economy to 3.9% growth.” With continued commitments to improving hunger in Zimbabwe, the country can propel onward into prosperity.
– Divine Adeniyi
Photo: Flickr
6 Charities Improving Global Education
Often in low-income nations, part of the leading factor of poverty is the lack of a quality and efficient system of global youth education. Here is some information about six charities improving global education in addition to why global education is important.
Why Global Education is So Important
Global education is important for one’s participation in day-to-day life and it can both prepare and empower children and young adults for their futures. From grade school to universities, their future jobs could be working and innovating inside the workforce, government, office space or many other places. Education is one of the largest factors that attribute to global poverty as more than 58 million children were not attending primary school even though they were old enough to attend school. Possible reasons children do not attend a schooling system are school tuition fees, lack of resources, crisis, conflict, gender inequality or child labor.
Studies have shown that when education is available and accessible, people have improved literacy rates and more opportunities to higher-paying jobs once they have completed their educational journey.
Charities around the world are essential for the construction and facilitation of schools in otherwise impoverished nations that have little access to educational resources. Recently, six charities have made strides to improve global education. Here are six charities improving global education.
6 Charities Improving Global Education
Concluding Thoughts
While many more charities arise to help contribute to global education, these have shown their dedication and proven it through their statistics provided. With an educated world, children will be able to decide the path they choose.
– Kyle Swingle
Photo: Flickr
Innovative Mobility Initiatives Encourage Inclusivity
Mobility Initiatives in Latin America
Looking Ahead
Active mobility is an important city element that requires infrastructure and adequate services to function properly. Underfunded transportation networks have negative implications for marginalized communities. Innovative mobility initiatives encourage inclusivity in Latin America and many countries in the region have stepped up efforts to alleviate transportation poverty for marginalized communities.
– Jennifer Hendricks
Photo: Flickr
How Epigenetics Predicts the Effects of Poverty
What is Epigenetics?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined epigenetics as “the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.” Epigenetics affects gene expression, specifically the process of protein creation. The environment and a person’s behaviors correlate with epigenetic changes; the connection becomes evident between a person’s genes, behaviors and environment.
There are three different mechanisms in epigenetics that can affect gene expressions, including DNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA. DNA methylation turns the genes “off” and demethylation turns the genes “on.” More specifically, DNA methylation can directly inhibit the expression of genes. In this process, information from the gene becomes a functioning product such as proteins, which are essential molecules that help bodies function. Histone modification occurs with the adding or removal of chemical groups from histones. More specifically, it can also change if a gene is “on” or “off.” Finally, non-coding RNA is a biological function that helps control gene expression.
The Relationship Between Epigenetics and Poverty?
A 2019 article from Northwestern University explains that poverty can implement itself across genomes — “poverty leaves a mark on nearly 10% of the genes in the genome.” Previous research demonstrated that socioeconomic status is a significant determinant of human health and disease. For example, some factors such as lower educational attainment or lower-income increase the risk for heart disease, diabetes, different forms of cancers and other infectious diseases. Also, lower socioeconomic status is associated with other physiological processes that could “contribute to the development of diseases such as chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and cortisol dysregulation.”
In one recent study led by Dr. Adam R. Wende, researchers learned that end-stage heart failure patients had “cytosine-p-guanine, or CpG, methylation of the DNA in the heart.” This methylation was associated with race as the only variable between African Americans and Caucasians. In addition, researchers discovered through census tracking that African American patients lived in neighborhoods with higher racial diversity and poverty. This difference suggested to the researchers that “the underlying variable may be socioeconomic difference.”
Wende spoke about the impact of the study with UAB News. Wende stated that “we provide preliminary evidence that socioeconomic factors are likely associated with racial differences in cardiac DNA methylation among men with end-stage heart failure.”
Differences Between Children in Poverty and Higher Income Households
In another study published in 2016, scientists found that children who grew up in poverty had more DNA methylation than other children who came from higher household incomes. Researchers thought that this difference might have suppressed the impoverished children’s “production of serotonin transporter protein.” As a result, the kids in the impoverished households had less serotonin in the brain, which can lead to depression and other mental conditions.
Dan Notterman, a molecular biologist at Princeton University, found in his research that telomeres, the caps at the end of chromosomes, “[shorten] in children from impoverished families.” Research shows a link between telomere length, aging and poor general health, meaning that the shorter telomeres are, the worse a person’s health is and the faster the aging process is. In layman’s terms, poverty can cause children and adults alike to be more prone to mental and physical illnesses and hinder physiological processes at a genetic level.
Can Epigenetics Help Reverse Negative Health Outcomes?
Robert Philibert, a behavioral geneticist at the University of Iowa in Iowa City stated that “what this points out here is that if you really want to change neurodevelopment, alter the environment.” Epigenetics shows that the environment affects gene expression, and thus, the body’s biological functions.
Social determinants of health (SDH) are, as the World Health Organization (WHO) defines, “the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live and age and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.” SDHs can influence health and gene expression through “income and social protection, education, food insecurity, social inclusion and nondiscrimination.” According to the WHO, SDH plays a significant role in 30-55% of health outcomes. Epigenetics shows people must address the systems that allow poverty to thrive in order to ensure people do not experience a disadvantage at the beginning of life.
– Gaby Mendoza
Photo: Flickr
UNICEF’s Social Protection Programs in Eritrea
Eritrea is an African country with an area size of 45,406 square miles, which is slightly larger than the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Eritrea has a coastline on the Red Sea that shares maritime borders with Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, bordering Eritrea is the East African countries of Sudan in the west and Ethiopia in the south. Ongoing challenges have led to UNICEF’s implementation of social protection programs in Eritrea, which aim to improve nutrition, health, education and more.
About Eritrea and UNICEF’s Work
Eritrea is a former Italian colony that Ethiopia annexed in 1952. It became a sovereign state in 1993 after a referendum. Eritrea has received the designation of Africa’s most secretive and repressive nation as it imposes restrictions on freedom of expression.
Eritrea operates under a unitary system of government with no legislature or independent judiciary. The country has been in conflict in the Tigray region with Ethiopia for more than three decades. The heightened crisis in the region has continued to push Eritreans into exile. In November 2000, more than 96,000 Eritreans including children fleeing the conflict were registered as refugees with an increased call for humanitarian assistance.
UNICEF has stepped up with an emergency relief effort to provide lifesaving services to support Eritreans. In 2020, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Italy and the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) donated $6 million to UNICEF Eritrea’s Humanitarian Action for Children Fund. UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Eritrea expeditiously utilized these resources in the provision of social protection programs in Eritrea for thousands of vulnerable Eritreans.
UNICEF’s Social Protection Programs in Eritrea
Looking Ahead
UNICEF humanitarian interventions in Eritrea have been far-reaching and impactful but vulnerabilities from the Tigray conflict, harsh climatic conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic have created a significant humanitarian need with 1.2 million Eritreans experiencing poverty. Disruptions in supply chain platforms negatively impact food security in the country, thereby increasing child malnutrition concerns. UNICEF is requesting $13.7 million to meet the humanitarian needs of children in Eritrea in 2022. There is an urgent need to respond to the clarion call for humanitarian aid and support the people of Eritrea. The resources will provide and expand life-saving aid to this community and the vulnerable population within it.
– Sylvia Eimieho
Photo: Flickr
5 Facts About the JAAGO Foundation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is a South Asian country that encircles the Bay of Bengal. With 20.5% of the population living below the poverty line in 2019, community building is incredibly beneficial to the nation. The JAAGO Foundation in Bangladesh is a youth movement that began in 2007 to provide improved education for future generations while encouraging citizens to get more involved in their communities to break the poverty cycle.
5 Facts About the JAAGO Foundation
The JAAGO Foundation in Bangladesh is paving the way for improved education and leadership opportunities for citizens. The organization’s work has seen success so far and will continue to benefit the country for future generations.
– Megan Quinn
Photo: Flickr
Education Initiatives in Pakistan
Pakistan, a country of 220 million people, currently holds the “world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children,” according to UNICEF, equating to about 22.8 million children. Some factors that contribute to this high out-of-school rate are gender inequality, socioeconomic status and location of residency. USAID and UNICEF have implemented several education initiatives in Pakistan in recent years to help address the education crisis.
Pakistan’s Education Overview
According to a study by Pak Alliance for Maths and Science based on data from the Pakistan Social and Living Measurements Standards survey 2019-20 (PSLM), 32% of Pakistan’s children from age 5 to 16 years old are not in school. There are many reasons for this, such as gender norms, which assert that females’ sole roles should involve household chores and caregiving. Poverty also plays a role as many impoverished families simply cannot afford to send their children to school. Area of residency also factors in — children who live in rural areas, such as the province of Balochistan, do not have access to a school within walking distance.
In addition to these factors, Pakistan’s education system faces several barriers that intensify the difficulty of completing a full education, such as deteriorating school facilities that lack proper sanitation and electricity. In addition, underqualified teaching staff, widespread corruption and thousands of staff who do not show up for work leave children unable to receive a proper education.
USAID Initiatives
USAID has partnered with Pakistan’s government to increase access to education, especially for out-of-school children, and improve the quality of education in Pakistan overall. Given that the quality of teachers significantly impacts students’ education, USAID prioritizes the training of educators. In partnership with Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission, USAID established “two professional teaching degree programs.”
USAID has also provided training to educators “on how to teach reading” to students using appealing and age-appropriate materials in local languages. USAID has also created libraries in thousands of Pakistani classrooms to encourage literacy. Since 2013, USAID has given training to “more than 46,000 teachers and school administrators.” USAID also prioritizes developing education policies that cater to “local needs,” which will ultimately improve community involvement and enrollment in schools.
Since its education partnership with Pakistan in 2013, USAID has constructed “17 faculties of education” for teacher training and “built or repaired more than 1,600 schools” throughout Pakistan. USAID’s assistance has benefited more than 2 million primary school students in Pakistan and “improved oral reading fluency for 26% of grade-two graduate students.” USAID also gave around 19,000 scholarships to outstanding students so they can “attend tertiary education.”
UNICEF Initiatives
Since 2016, UNICEF has committed to reducing the number of out-of-school children in Pakistan. The organization is helping to strengthen Pakistan’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) systems “to improve school readiness,” reduce dropout rates and encourage school completion. Children from impoverished and vulnerable communities will see the most benefits from these efforts.
UNICEF has committed to promoting educational awareness to parents about “early learning, the importance of on-time enrolment and the lack of social protection schemes,” which will help break down barriers to students completing their education. Lastly, UNICEF’s education initiatives in Pakistan promote discussions on the Pakistani government’s “education budgeting and public financing” to highlight areas in need of improvement that can help strengthen Pakistan’s education sector as a whole.
Looking Ahead
These initiatives are essential to improve Pakistan’s poverty rate, which stands at 39.3% as of 2021 because education is a proven path out of poverty. According to the Global Partnership for Education, 420 million people would rise out of poverty through secondary education and “one additional year of school can increase a woman’s earnings by up to 20%.”
The education initiatives in Pakistan have already begun to address the education crisis and will continue to do so in the coming years. These efforts will encourage more enrollments and give way to higher school completion rates despite the socio-economic disparities that many impoverished children face, which will ultimately reveal itself through economic growth in the nation and a broader job market.
– Isabella Elmasry
Photo: Flickr
E-commerce Brings Opportunities to Rural Communities
Rural Opportunities with E-commerce
Consumer market demand is increasing in rural regions and with that comes increased financial inclusion and access to products not typically seen in the region. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, rural markets are expanding at a faster rate than urban markets in many countries. Rural communities typically have a short supply of retail stores, products and e-commerce that offer the opportunity to fill this gap. Not only can rural areas access more consumer goods due to e-commerce but they are also able to avoid the difficulties of traveling to urban centers to purchase goods. E-commerce brings opportunities to rural communities by alleviating the burden of transportation and ultimately saves money. The expansiveness of e-commerce allows rural sellers to make sales on a more broad and dynamic scale rather than limiting their reach to customers in their immediate vicinity.
Social Commerce Provides Inclusivity for Rural Communities
Social commerce is a trend occurring in the e-commerce realm that connects suppliers with local communities. The concept of social commerce is based on the market model and uses existing social platforms. Originating in Colombia and launched in 2018, Elenas is Latin America’s first social commerce marketplace and has increased services to communities all over the region. Many sellers on Elenas are housewives or students and large portions of Elenas sales come from rural communities. Furthermore, the research team behind Elenas has found that the impact of the company directly affects social and economic conditions for women. In 2021, Elenas launched in Mexico and became a popular employment opportunity for unemployed women in the country. E-commerce brings opportunities to rural communities, especially women and students who seek economic opportunities and employment.
E-Commerce Brings Opportunities to Rural Communities in Brazil
Brazil is embracing e-commerce as an inclusive and sustainable economic alternative to traditional consumer markets with the goal of alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life for its people. Brazil is a leader in e-commerce in Latin America and seeks to expand its interests. According to the 2021 eEbit Webshoppers report, Brazil’s e-commerce activity rose by 31% in the first six months of 2021. The Brazilian government supplied pandemic relief funds to citizens through digital wallets, providing access to online stores. Brazil has also taken steps to bridge the digital divide by implementing national broadband plans. Increased internet access offers inclusivity and access to consumer markets typically out of reach to rural communities.
E-commerce Inclusive Opportunities for Rural Communities
As rural communities continue to engage with e-commerce, they begin to emerge in the global supply chain, ultimately generating wealth for the community and by the community. E-commerce brings opportunities to rural communities as well as a sense of ownership and economic engagement, ultimately giving power to marginalized communities. Additionally, it nourishes job creation and industry development. E-commerce also generates the funds that a community needs to improve infrastructure and increase broadband connection. Several countries in Latin America embrace the benefits of e-commerce as a proven inclusive and sustainable economic opportunity for marginalized communities.
– Jennifer Hendricks
Photo: Flickr
Poverty and Soil Quality in Mexico
Mexico is an important producer of various crops like maize. The country is first globally in the production of avocados, lemons and limes. However, 45% to 63% of soil in Mexico has some level of degradation diminishing its capability of supporting agriculture. Because of soil degradation’s effects on production, small-scale farms, which are usually food insecure, are struggling to compete with modern farms with highly developed technology and access to resources. Therefore, the relation between soil quality in Mexico and poverty is evident.
Agriculture and Cattle Raising
According to a 2015 publication, Mexico is in the top 25% of countries with the most unequal distribution of income. Because of this inequality, many rural and impoverished farming areas do not feel the benefits of efforts to improve agricultural productivity. Inferior soil quality in Mexico, especially in farms located in rural areas, “diminish the value of many rural plots.”
According to a study in 2019, “63.5% of Mexico’s cattle are raised in tropical areas,” like forests, yet productivity is still low. Cattle “provide only 17% of the nation’s milk produced and approximately 28% of its meat.” Raising cattle in tropical areas can become an issue when heavy amounts of cattle grazing occur in these low-income forest communities because it may reduce the amount of plant cover, which allows for quicker soil erosion.
Deforestation
According to a 2017 USAID publication, forests cover 34% of Mexico’s land, and between the years 2010 and 2015, the country lost approximately 458,000 hectares of forests due to deforestation. These “forests are home to more than 12 million people,” most of whom live in poverty and rely on local resources to survive. These forest dwellers often acquire these resources through agricultural means, which strongly depends on the quality of the area’s soil. The loss of trees from deforestation in these communities leaves soil with no grounding roots, allowing for the elements to remove necessary topsoil. When this happens, farmers move to new areas with sufficient soil to raise healthy and plentiful crops, only continuing this unsustainable cycle.
Via Orgánica
Via Orgánica is a nonprofit organization based in Mexico promoting regenerative agriculture to allow for sustainability and encourage healthy lifestyles. The nonprofit is a working ranch that hosts camps to teach individuals how to transform degenerated land into a productive area where they can grow healthy crops. The organization teaches skills like bio-intensive gardening and compost-making to improve soil quality.
Co-founder Rosana Alvarez told Traverse Journeys that Via Orgánica has helped locals open restaurants and small shops that provide clean and healthy foods. She also said that since the nonprofit began in 2009, the organization has helped to create 75 jobs for rural and marginalized Mexicans in the area.
Inferior soil quality in Mexico and land degradation have major effects on citizens living in poverty. Forest agriculture often negatively impacts local soil and initiatives often overlook rural areas when addressing soil issues in the country. Deforestation also increases soil erosion and reduces agricultural productivity. However, efforts to enhance soil quality and improve farming productivity among rural Mexican communities provide hope for the future.
– Katelyn Rogers
Photo: Flickr