Arriving for the first time in the U.S. in late 2019, Asian giant hornets are a concern for many due to their potential to massacre honeybee populations, which are significant in helping plants grow, breed and flower. However, while this worry is new in sweeping the nation, the U.S. is not the first nor only country to deal with the Asian giant hornets. The hornets originate in Asia, where countries like Sri Lanka and India struggle with food security and endure the Asian giant hornet populations. Developing nations do not offer the same guarantee regarding food security as these countries struggle to meet the production demands of the rest of the developed world, all the while supporting their own population’s infrastructural needs. Here is some information about Asian giant hornets and their impact on food security in Asia.
The Hornets
Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornet with a wingspan of 76 mm and a length of 50 mm, set with a 6 mm barb that can inject their potent venom into victims. Asian giant hornets generally do not sting people, although their sting is highly venomous and in rare cases, can be fatal. They tend to build their nests underground, placing them close to where they can wreak havoc on agricultural processes.
While food security has long since been a concern in the developing nations in Asia, organizations focused on fixing this issue seem undisturbed by the presence of these hornets, even concerning nations that are only a few poor harvests away from having a malnourished population. This is due to how honeybees in the area have coevolved with the Asian giant hornets, and as a result, have developed defenses to combat their attacks on the honeybee population.
For example, Japanese honeybees have taken to form a sort of ‘bee ball’ around the hornet, working their wing muscles to generate heat and raise carbon dioxide levels until it kills the offending hornet. The honeybees avoid succumbing to this increase in temperature since they can withstand temperatures up to 122°F whereas hornets start to die at temperatures that exceed 115°F.
Under circumstances where the honeybee population has not adapted to the Asian giant hornet, it only takes 15 to 30 hornets to massacre 30,000 to 50,000 worker bees in just a few hours. Moreover, hornets seek to siege hives and use the larvae they find to feed their own.
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, one of the nation’s the hornets are native to, a significant amount of agriculture relies on bee pollination, while the country invests the majority of what it produces into its population.
As Sri Lanka recovers from a 30-year civil war that ended in 2009, the nation has come miles in improving education, maternal and child mortality and poverty levels. However, food security and improved nutrition are still major obstacles the country grapples with. Out of a population of 21 million, 22% of people experience undernourishment in Sri Lanka in comparison to 2.5% of the population of 328.2 million in the United States.
Honeybees and Coconuts
Much of Sri Lanka’s fruit and vegetable output, as well as their oilseed crops, are reliant on the honeybee population for pollination. For example, coconuts are heavily reliant on Sri Lanka’s honeybee population for the pollination process.
Coconuts are a substantial part of Sri Lanka’s life, not only integral for many employment opportunities and trade but also a valuable resource for cuisine, nutrition and rural income. About 20% of crop-suitable land in Sri Lanka goes toward the cultivation of coconuts and people consume about 63% of production domestically.
If Asian giant hornets were to overrun the honeybee population in Sri Lanka, the coconut harvests would suffer significantly at the hands of poor pollination, resulting in a major hit to Sri Lanka’s production. More specifically, its agriculture sector would suffer, which primarily goes toward domestic consumption. Additionally, the hunted honeybee population would become a protein-rich meal for Asian giant hornet larvae, nourishing a new generation of honeybee killers.
India
Asian giant hornets are also native to India, where food insecurity largely derives from unequal food distribution and a lack of agricultural diversity. Overall, honeybees are responsible for pollinating more than 70% of major crops around the world, and with the decline of the honeybee population due to insecticides and deforestation the global food supply is already threatened to reduce by a third.
With 195 million malnourished people, India holds a quarter of the world’s hunger burden. With chronic malnourishment stunting the growth of four out of 10 children in India, these children are more prone to performing poorly at school, meaning limited employment and earning opportunities in adulthood. Malnourished mothers are also more prone to giving birth to underweight infants, and a lifetime of stunting bodes poorly for an individual’s chances with non-communicable diseases throughout their life.
The Nationa Food Security Act (NFSA) and Malnourishment
In India, legislation like the Nation Food Security Act (NFSA) and the public distribution system ensures that virtually the entire Indian population has access to food, however, due to a lack of agricultural diversity, food security still remains a problem. As of 2019, 36% of children under the age of 5 were underweight and 75% of the total population was not getting enough vitamins from their food intake. The same study reported that 51% of women within the reproductive age were iron deficient.
India’s food insecurity issues have roots in issues of distribution and accessibility – things that India’s legislation has been combating throughout the years. However, with the further decline of the honeybee population, exacerbated by the Asian giant hornets, food supplies drop, further limiting accessibility and stretching distribution even thinner.
South Korea
South Korea has long maintained its ‘developing country’ label as a means of protecting its agricultural industry, despite boasting low maternal mortality rates, a high life expectancy and the world’s fourth-largest economy.
The nation maintains its food security and self-sufficiency through tariffs and high administrative prices within select agricultural markets. Like many of the other Asian nations that the hornets are native to, their honeybee populations have adapted to be more resilient to hornet attacks. This resilience is not the only attribute aiding in South Korea’s current food security though. Due to the country’s flourishing economy, the nation has been able to shift its position as a recipient of aid from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) to that of one of the top 15 contributors, in both financial aid and in terms of supplying interns.
South Korea is secure enough currently, that if the hornets were to massacre whatever remaining bee population exists in the country, South Korea would have a sound enough infrastructure to weather the poor resulting harvest. However, the issue still lies that South Korea’s bee population is suffering heavily, even if not necessarily at the hands of the hornets – and even if the low honeybee populations aren’t starving the people, that does not mean there are no consequences to neglecting this issue.
Challenges for the Honeybee Population
In 2010, a sacbrood virus outbreak ravaged Korea’s bee population and wiped out almost 90% of them. Years passed, and the country did not take measures to restore the population, as the country did not view bees as economically viable.
Honeybees, while valuable for the pollination of many crops, are also necessary for maintaining a balanced ecosystem. The obliterated bee population in South Korea not only posed a threat to the nation’s wildlife in failing to pollinate and spread seeds that would feed nonhuman species but would subsequently fail to pollinate crops reliant on animal-driven pollination if such species died out.
Despite the panic that has overtaken the U.S., the Asian honeybee populations have adapted to survive Asian giant hornet attacks. Despite this success, still developing production sectors that struggle to keep up with demand, a lack of agricultural diversity (and the resources to navigate this problem), as well as the political conflicts countries are perpetuating food insecurity in Asia. Hopefully, with continued efforts, food security in Asia should improve.
– Catherine Lin
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Incentivizing Female Education in India
Around the world, school years often begin with back-to-school shopping. Students buy new notebooks and fresh pencils, but what about motor scooters? New scooters just might be on the shopping list in India. In Assam, a state in northeastern India, the government has started a new program to incentivize female education. This program provides scooters to school-age girls, promoting female education in India through safer transportation.
Female Education and Literacy in India
In recent years, rates of female education in India have increased. More than 10% of young women from 11-14 did not attend school in 2006. However, this number dropped to 4.1% by 2018. However, the dropout rate for women remains unusually high. Save the Children, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting for children’s needs, found that around 70% of girls in India will drop out of school. Higher dropout rates among young women cause disproportionate literacy rates. Approximately 65% of Indian women are literate in contrast to 82% of men. The gap in literacy rates is even higher in rural areas than in urban areas. As of 2011, around 50% of females in rural areas are educated compared to 74.1% of men. In urban areas, 88.3% of men are literate in comparison to 76.9% of females.
The Culprit: Unsafe Transportation
A former sarpanch (elected head of a village government in India), Savita Parmar, told the Times of India that the reason for this distinction might be a lack of access to secondary schools in rural areas. In particular, a lack of safe transportation might caution parents against sending their daughters to study far away from home. One of the most significant barriers to education that women face is hassle-free transport to school. The Thomson Reuters Foundation conducted a poll to determine the worst countries for women to use public transport in 2014. India ranked quite high as the fourth most unsafe country.
Scooters to Keep Girls in School
Assam’s new policy aims to mitigate this problem and increase rates of female education in India. Education Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya explained to the Thomson Reuters Foundation that “this will help many girl students to have hassle-free transportation to their respective colleges.” For girls that score the highest on their final exams, the government will reward them with a brand new scooter. The top 22,000 female students that score 60% or higher will be rewarded sometime in mid-October 2020.
Everyone Benefits from Female Education
The lack of safe transport options for women in India highlights the importance of Assam’s new policy. By providing scooters, not only is the government incentivizing girls to stay in school and rewarding them for academic achievement, but it is also providing a way for girls to continue their secondary education. By fighting for female education in India, Assam is working towards creating a better society for girls and women in India. Better-educated women are able to make more informed choices and earn higher levels of income, and they are equipped with better family planning skills, all of which can elevate their respective households and communities. Higher literacy rates can also boost the economy. According to Bloomberg, higher rates of female literacy can “yield a growth premium in GDP.”
There are still barriers preventing universal female education in India. However, with innovative solutions like Assam’s, India has the potential to empower its young women and ensure their equal access to education. A new scooter today could mean better literacy rates tomorrow.
– Anushka Somani
Photo: Flickr
Improving Electricity in the Philippines
Electricity in developed countries is free-flowing and abundant, but there is a struggle to find a reliable and consistent power source in developing countries. In the Philippines, there is a struggle to provide the people there with sustainable electricity, particularly in rural areas. Reliable energy sources are a constant problem for those trying to live their daily lives and create a steady local economy.
The Situation
Nearly 30% of Filipinos do not have access to electricity or experience brownouts. Brownouts are unintentional or intentional drops in the amount of voltage that an electrical grid puts out. This reduction in electrical power occurs when there is an increased use of electricity and too much demand on the system. At times, energy providers will deliberately reduce the amount of power to avoid a full blackout of the entire system. Brownouts are common occurrences in the Philippines and can severely impact the lives of the people and those who rely on a rural-based economy.
Economic Impacts
According to a study that the Philippine Institute of Development published, those in rural households who run their own businesses would benefit directly from a steady stream of electricity going to their homes. For example, farmers who operate in rural areas will be able to increase production on their farms by bringing in equipment that can run during the day and night. This type of access could also allow them to expand their businesses into food processing and food storage to bring additional income to their household. Electricity in the Philippines can be a significant determinant in the daily lives of business owners.
Solutions
Despite the current state of access to electricity in the Philippines, there are signs of significant growth and improvement. The Philippines Development Plan for 2017-2022 has set a target to achieve universal electrification by 2022. A company called Solar Philippines that operates out of Manila is making strides to reduce brownouts and lack of electricity access. It has installed a solar-powered battery farm in Paluan, a remote area of the country that had previously had no access to electricity. Now, this area has enough consistent electricity for the nearly 20,000 people who live there. The company hopes to build solar farms like these in every town in the Philippines and provide lost cost electricity for those who use it.
Recently, the company proposed replacing the coal power plants currently in use throughout the country with 5,000 MW solar farms to provide clean energy. With these solar panels, the Filipino government will be able to save over 20 billion pesos in subsidies, which can go toward other programs to help the countries poor.
Brownouts are a severe problem for those living in rural areas of the Philippines. Economic growth must occur so that the country can improve the electricity it provides. Solutions are available that will give millions of people access to electricity in the Philippines, improving the lives of those who so desperately need it.
– Sam Bostwick
Photo: Flickr
The Process of Reducing Poverty in Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world by landmass, and it covers an expansive 6.6 million miles. The country spans from Europe to Asia and shares 14 borders with neighboring states: Azerbaijan, Belarus, China, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Mongolia, Norway, Poland and Ukraine. Despite the size of the country, it has a modest population of nearly 146 million people. However, poverty has taken a toll on the country’s people and reducing poverty in Russia will not be an easy task. An estimated 22% live in the “poverty zone,” which refers to the people unable to purchase anything other than items for subsisting. Furthermore, one-fifth of the total population lives in poverty, but Russian President Vladimir Putin has devised a plan to halve the poverty rate by 2024.
Poverty in the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union began on November 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall, a structure intended to separate communist occupied East Germany from the west, came down. However, The Soviet Union dissolved on December 26, 1991, when Boris Yeltsin, the newly appointed Russian president, seized the reigns of an independent Russia from Mikhail Gorbachev.
Fifteen republics comprised the Soviet Union, and “at least 20 percent of the population” lived in poverty. As of 1989, the poverty level for a moderately sized family was $339.24 a month, or around $85 per person. At least 5 million families fell below the poverty line, and 20% of the overall population received 75 rubles per month.
At the time, there were no state plans to eliminate or reduce poverty, and no governmental support existed.
Poverty in the Pandemic
The pandemic has created a downward trend in the global economy, which has adversely affected Russia’s crude oil industry. This decline in the country’s economy is causing the ruble to weaken and Russia to enter a recession, creating an even bigger poverty problem for the 18.6 million people still living below the poverty line.
COVID-19 has proven to be an economic disaster for the Russian Federation and the World Bank projected a fall in GDP by 1% in 2020 due to the pandemic. Moreover, the World Bank anticipated a rise in the poverty rate to 2.2% in 2020 in comparison to 2.1% in 2019.
Poverty is Different Across Russia
Poverty in Russia is widespread and varies for rural and urban areas. For example, densely populated cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg have a poverty rate below 8%, but in the case of rural regions, the Kalmyk Republic has 20% and the Tuva Republic has 40%.
People across the country experience poverty differently. In Siberia, villagers may struggle due to disproportionate job opportunities and little support from the state. In urban centers, citizens may lack proper skills to gain work or may have expensive medical bills, which hinders their ability to support themselves in other areas.
Reducing Poverty in Russia
As of 2018, the poverty rate was 13.2%, but the Russian Federation’s goal is to cut that in half. President Vladimir Putin aims to do this by 2024, reducing the poverty rate to 6.6%. According to the World Bank, the country would need a growth rate of 4.4% to achieve that reduction. The country could achieve its goal, but the annual growth would have to be 1.5% with the redistribution of 0.4% for GDP. Policy reforms that increase productivity and higher investment could boost the growth rate to 2.5%.
Russia’s progress at reducing poverty has been steady over the last decade due to oil prices, yet more work is necessary for it to improve. Additional assets could help push Russia, especially considering its low debt, energy resources and labor force. Russia is also ahead of other countries in space technology, which could bolster its economy further. Modernizing the economy is how reducing poverty in Russia will come into fruition. However, as of July 21, 2020, Putin has pushed his hefty goal of reducing poverty in Russia to 2030.
– Michael Santiago
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Gender Disparity and Women’s Rights in Bolivia
Bolivia has a rich history and emerged on the idea of respecting its ancient cultural traditions. As the country developed, it has been difficult to stray away from traditional values that place importance on strict gender roles. The patriarchal ideologies that Bolivia originated with have silenced women for centuries. One aspect of these ideologies has created the idea that women take up positions in politics solely to take away the jobs of men. Here is some information about the challenges regarding women’s rights in Bolivia as well as how the country is trying to improve.
Gender Inequality in Bolivia and Latin America
Gender inequality and violence against women have been pervasive issues across Latin America for centuries. In the modern-day, women in politics continually face harassment and assault due to their fight for parity and equality. As a result, Bolivia and many other Latin American countries have experienced diminished economic growth due to increased poverty rates and a lack of female participation in the labor markets. A 2009 study showed that 63% of women worked as apprentices without pay or were family workers and only 9% of Bolivian women had formal employment with access to social security benefits. However, the country of Bolivia, despite its deeply ingrained traditions and cultural history, is now setting the standard for gender parity across Latin America.
The Effects of Gender Disparity
The World Bank has explained that evidence has shown that gender disparities can hinder economic growth, facilitate an increase in poverty rates and undermine well-being outcomes for men and women alike. The educational enrollment gap is an example of the challenges regarding women’s rights in Bolivia. For example, a 2014 survey showed that one in five female students aged 15 to 24 reported having felt discriminated against in academic environments. Because of this and other factors (lack of economic resources, pregnancy, domestic and care work, etc.), the education gap has increased between men and women leaving more women uneducated and limiting them from joining the labor market. Regardless of these economic consequences due to gender disparity, many Bolivian men, including politicians, have continued to insite physical and psychological violence against women in order to prevent them from taking up political positions to improve such issues.
Gender Parity: A Movement
The Bolivian government originally began its mission toward gender parity in 1997. It began with the passing of a law that required 30% of political candidates to be women. Since then, the development and creation of laws have continued in order to increase female political representation and participation.
Beginning in 1997 into the present day, gender disparity within the Bolivian government has changed dramatically. Only a few decades ago, people thought of most women as second-class citizens with only a 4% rate of holding municipal assembly posts. Today, Bolivia now ranks second in the world for the most gender-equal government with a council which is 53% female.
Although these women continuously face backlash for this increase in representation, this has not stopped the mission towards true gender equality. With the increase in the number of laws fighting against the physical and psychological abuse that these women have faced, these changes have aided in creating awareness of the violence these women have experienced and implementing the plan to further address topics relating to women’s sexual health.
Aiding Women in Poverty
Furthermore, programs aimed toward aiding women in poverty have begun emerging. For example, the Joint Programme on Productive Patrimonial Assets Building and Citizenship Programme for Women in Extreme Poverty (the Programme) targets aid to indigenous rural women from the poorest areas of Bolivia. The Programme aims to assist these women in attaining sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families through a two-element strategy. The first element involves a non-reimbursable direct monetary transfer component that provides seed capital, startup grants, joint venture and risk capital. Meanwhile, the second element focusses on providing training and advisory services to these women. Furthermore, the Programme aims to strengthen Women’s abilities to fully exercise their citizenship and political rights. The results have led to a decrease in poverty rates by providing financial support and financing to women entrepreneurs. The Programme has aided over 4,000 Bolivian women by giving them access to services such as savings accounts and credit lines, among others.
It is clear that the mission to end gender disparities in the Bolivian government is a movement that will not end abruptly due to long-standing patriarchal ideologies. However, Bolivia’s mission to end gender discrimination and improve women’s rights in Bolivia has set forth a movement across Latin America. Addressing such issues will not only aid in the country in achieving gender equality but also help reduce poverty amongst women and improve female participation in the labor market.
– Caroline Dunn
Photo: Flickr
Asian Giant Hornets and Food Security in Asia
Arriving for the first time in the U.S. in late 2019, Asian giant hornets are a concern for many due to their potential to massacre honeybee populations, which are significant in helping plants grow, breed and flower. However, while this worry is new in sweeping the nation, the U.S. is not the first nor only country to deal with the Asian giant hornets. The hornets originate in Asia, where countries like Sri Lanka and India struggle with food security and endure the Asian giant hornet populations. Developing nations do not offer the same guarantee regarding food security as these countries struggle to meet the production demands of the rest of the developed world, all the while supporting their own population’s infrastructural needs. Here is some information about Asian giant hornets and their impact on food security in Asia.
The Hornets
Asian giant hornets are the world’s largest hornet with a wingspan of 76 mm and a length of 50 mm, set with a 6 mm barb that can inject their potent venom into victims. Asian giant hornets generally do not sting people, although their sting is highly venomous and in rare cases, can be fatal. They tend to build their nests underground, placing them close to where they can wreak havoc on agricultural processes.
While food security has long since been a concern in the developing nations in Asia, organizations focused on fixing this issue seem undisturbed by the presence of these hornets, even concerning nations that are only a few poor harvests away from having a malnourished population. This is due to how honeybees in the area have coevolved with the Asian giant hornets, and as a result, have developed defenses to combat their attacks on the honeybee population.
For example, Japanese honeybees have taken to form a sort of ‘bee ball’ around the hornet, working their wing muscles to generate heat and raise carbon dioxide levels until it kills the offending hornet. The honeybees avoid succumbing to this increase in temperature since they can withstand temperatures up to 122°F whereas hornets start to die at temperatures that exceed 115°F.
Under circumstances where the honeybee population has not adapted to the Asian giant hornet, it only takes 15 to 30 hornets to massacre 30,000 to 50,000 worker bees in just a few hours. Moreover, hornets seek to siege hives and use the larvae they find to feed their own.
Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, one of the nation’s the hornets are native to, a significant amount of agriculture relies on bee pollination, while the country invests the majority of what it produces into its population.
As Sri Lanka recovers from a 30-year civil war that ended in 2009, the nation has come miles in improving education, maternal and child mortality and poverty levels. However, food security and improved nutrition are still major obstacles the country grapples with. Out of a population of 21 million, 22% of people experience undernourishment in Sri Lanka in comparison to 2.5% of the population of 328.2 million in the United States.
Honeybees and Coconuts
Much of Sri Lanka’s fruit and vegetable output, as well as their oilseed crops, are reliant on the honeybee population for pollination. For example, coconuts are heavily reliant on Sri Lanka’s honeybee population for the pollination process.
Coconuts are a substantial part of Sri Lanka’s life, not only integral for many employment opportunities and trade but also a valuable resource for cuisine, nutrition and rural income. About 20% of crop-suitable land in Sri Lanka goes toward the cultivation of coconuts and people consume about 63% of production domestically.
If Asian giant hornets were to overrun the honeybee population in Sri Lanka, the coconut harvests would suffer significantly at the hands of poor pollination, resulting in a major hit to Sri Lanka’s production. More specifically, its agriculture sector would suffer, which primarily goes toward domestic consumption. Additionally, the hunted honeybee population would become a protein-rich meal for Asian giant hornet larvae, nourishing a new generation of honeybee killers.
India
Asian giant hornets are also native to India, where food insecurity largely derives from unequal food distribution and a lack of agricultural diversity. Overall, honeybees are responsible for pollinating more than 70% of major crops around the world, and with the decline of the honeybee population due to insecticides and deforestation the global food supply is already threatened to reduce by a third.
With 195 million malnourished people, India holds a quarter of the world’s hunger burden. With chronic malnourishment stunting the growth of four out of 10 children in India, these children are more prone to performing poorly at school, meaning limited employment and earning opportunities in adulthood. Malnourished mothers are also more prone to giving birth to underweight infants, and a lifetime of stunting bodes poorly for an individual’s chances with non-communicable diseases throughout their life.
The Nationa Food Security Act (NFSA) and Malnourishment
In India, legislation like the Nation Food Security Act (NFSA) and the public distribution system ensures that virtually the entire Indian population has access to food, however, due to a lack of agricultural diversity, food security still remains a problem. As of 2019, 36% of children under the age of 5 were underweight and 75% of the total population was not getting enough vitamins from their food intake. The same study reported that 51% of women within the reproductive age were iron deficient.
India’s food insecurity issues have roots in issues of distribution and accessibility – things that India’s legislation has been combating throughout the years. However, with the further decline of the honeybee population, exacerbated by the Asian giant hornets, food supplies drop, further limiting accessibility and stretching distribution even thinner.
South Korea
South Korea has long maintained its ‘developing country’ label as a means of protecting its agricultural industry, despite boasting low maternal mortality rates, a high life expectancy and the world’s fourth-largest economy.
The nation maintains its food security and self-sufficiency through tariffs and high administrative prices within select agricultural markets. Like many of the other Asian nations that the hornets are native to, their honeybee populations have adapted to be more resilient to hornet attacks. This resilience is not the only attribute aiding in South Korea’s current food security though. Due to the country’s flourishing economy, the nation has been able to shift its position as a recipient of aid from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) to that of one of the top 15 contributors, in both financial aid and in terms of supplying interns.
South Korea is secure enough currently, that if the hornets were to massacre whatever remaining bee population exists in the country, South Korea would have a sound enough infrastructure to weather the poor resulting harvest. However, the issue still lies that South Korea’s bee population is suffering heavily, even if not necessarily at the hands of the hornets – and even if the low honeybee populations aren’t starving the people, that does not mean there are no consequences to neglecting this issue.
Challenges for the Honeybee Population
In 2010, a sacbrood virus outbreak ravaged Korea’s bee population and wiped out almost 90% of them. Years passed, and the country did not take measures to restore the population, as the country did not view bees as economically viable.
Honeybees, while valuable for the pollination of many crops, are also necessary for maintaining a balanced ecosystem. The obliterated bee population in South Korea not only posed a threat to the nation’s wildlife in failing to pollinate and spread seeds that would feed nonhuman species but would subsequently fail to pollinate crops reliant on animal-driven pollination if such species died out.
Despite the panic that has overtaken the U.S., the Asian honeybee populations have adapted to survive Asian giant hornet attacks. Despite this success, still developing production sectors that struggle to keep up with demand, a lack of agricultural diversity (and the resources to navigate this problem), as well as the political conflicts countries are perpetuating food insecurity in Asia. Hopefully, with continued efforts, food security in Asia should improve.
– Catherine Lin
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
Managing Groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa
Freshwater is universally recognized to be foundational to the health and well-being of every human being on the planet. Despite this fact, water scarcity continues to pose a threat to many parts of the world today, as drought and famine continue to be an ever-present reality. Nowhere is this reality more pervasive than in Sub-Saharan Africa. Highly variable rainfall there can often lead to common sources of freshwater, such as streams and reservoirs, to dry up for months at a time. For communities in countries like Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, reliable sources of groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa are vital for survival in the arid and semi-arid climates. However, because of the inherent challenges of accessing water underground as well as development trends in Sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, many are now calling attention to how sub-optimal groundwater management could potentially threaten poor communities in the region.
Groundwater Reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa
The vast majority of Central Africans rely upon groundwater as their primary water source since 2017. Unlocking Potential of Groundwater for the Poor (UPGro) began in 2013. Its goal is to comprehensively analyze groundwater reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result, regional governments and local municipalities will better understand and harness this vital resource. Over the past seven years, UPGro has united researchers from around the world to document the current state of groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa and determine where efficiency in its management could be improved.
Across the world, groundwater is collected in natural, underground reservoirs called aquifers. Rainfall replenishes them as water drains down through soil and rock. Boring holes through the soil and extracting water through wells and pumps access aquifers. In 2019 alone, thousands of these wells were drilled across the African continent. The importance of reliable pumps is undeniable in places where alternatives are scarce. Research has shown that the quantity of such devices is not the only concern when considering the question of resource management.
The Challenges of Groundwater
African aquifers can oftentimes extend for thousands of miles underground. They provide water not only to numerous communities but also to multiple countries simultaneously. This reality can make managing groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa difficult. This applies to determining who has the most access and in regulating the quality of the water itself. As groups like UPGro have observed, harnessing the potential of groundwater reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa is crucial to the region’s future agricultural and industrial development. However, pollution of the aquifers that millions of people rely upon for daily life is a growing concern. This issue disproportionately affects poorer rural communities, which in many cases use the same groundwater sources as larger urban centers. These centers engage in large-scale aquifer pumping in order to build and sustain new infrastructure.
Protecting Poor Communities
As populations continue to grow across the continent, the effect that growing urban populations will have on groundwater volume and quality is beginning to garner more attention. As a result of projects like UPGro, ensuring mutual equity in this vital resource between communities, regions and institutions requires facilitating dialogue between these parties. This ensures that all entities have a full understanding of their shared resource. UPGro refers to this process as “transition management.” Other organizations have facilitated similar processes. However, new discourses will develop organically due to new drilled pumps. They will also develop as groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa becomes more central to agriculture in both smaller and larger population centers across the region.
For many in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region’s vast groundwater reserves provide an essential resource in certain areas. Without them, these areas would be otherwise uninhabitable due to the scarcity of aboveground water sources. They provide a greatly needed buffer against natural disasters. They could also allow for substantial economic and technological development in the coming years and decades. This would result in raising communities, families and individuals out of poverty. As many in the region know, groundwater reserves in Sub-Saharan Africa can offer a precious source for a brighter future. However, before aquifers build that future, communities must first ensure that prosperity for some is achievable without sacrificing the wellbeing of others.
– Matthew Otey
Photo: Pexels
The Process of Combating Hunger in Iraq
Facts About Hunger in Iraq
Statistics
Good News
Numerous organizations are taking decisive action in challenging times to enhance the living conditions of the Iraqi people. For instance, the World Food Programme (WFP) provides food assistance to internally displaced persons, refugees and other vulnerable populations. However, its mission extends beyond this. The WFP also collaborates with the government to equip youth with essential technical skills, empowering them to become self-reliant. One such initiative is the “National Jousour Program,” which teaches young people English and digital skills to enhance their employability and secure sustainable sources of income. Other programs and centers also offer photography, baking, knitting, and carpentry training. These initiatives have benefited thousands of individuals across Iraq and continue to make a positive impact.
Action Against Hunger provides training, education and cash grants to help individuals achieve self-sufficiency and reduce poverty and hunger in Iraq. Given that Iraq is a country recovering from conflict, it offers mental health training for health care workers to help address the trauma experienced by survivors. The organization also focuses on improving the irrigation system to enhance crop production and agriculture. Thus, it helps build resilience and self-sustenance in the community.
Closing Thoughts
Iraq is in urgent need of assistance. The international community must unite for lasting peace and rehabilitation in the country by focusing on sustainable development projects in education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure. Only then can we effectively reduce poverty and hunger in Iraq. The priority should be to develop a system of checks and balances and accountability. This would ensure that aid reaches those who truly need it. By working on these lines, we can help create a stable and prosperous future for the people of Iraq.
– Carlie Chiesa and Maria Waleed
Photo: Flickr
5 Causes of Hunger in Cameroon
Commonly referred to as “Africa in miniature,” many know Cameroon for its geographical diversity and cultural vibrance. However, despite its reputation as a nation of peace and stability, Cameroon faces many threats to the food security of millions. Today, an estimated 10.6% of people in Cameroon are subject to acute food insecurity, which is correlated with severe health issues such as malnutrition and stunting in children. Understanding the causes that comprise food insecurity in Cameroon are crucial to finding effective and long-term solutions. As such, below are five contemporary causes behind the country’s ongoing hunger crisis.
5 Causes of Hunger in Cameroon
Combating Hunger in Cameroon
In order to combat malnutrition, organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and Action Against Hunger have been working to allocate supplies and introduce health education and services in regions lacking such resources.
Working with the state, the World Food Programme aims to achieve zero hunger in Cameroon by responding to the immediate food and nutrition needs of crisis-affected populations and implementing a variety of interventions to strengthen the long-term resilience of communities. According to their 2023 Annual Country Report, the organization provided 876,400 Cameroonians with food and cash assistance, targeting mostly women based on vulnerability. During the same year, WFP also supported 82,300 people facing sudden calamities and 86,500 under lean season assistance. Today, WFP and the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have engaged the government and other donors to counter the effects of funding shortfalls that have recently cut vital food assistance to refugees.
Adopting similar objectives, Action Against Hunger reached around 130,000 Cameroonians through nutrition, health and food security programs in 2023. Farmer Field Schools, one of their most notable educational programs, connected agriculture experts with farmers to teach them climate-smart growing techniques, introduce resilient crops and provide plots for people to test their understanding of the curriculum before putting them into practice. In the coming years, Action Against Hunger seeks to increase funding for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programs to improve overall accessibility to clean water.
Conclusion
Today, Cameroon’s food supply is still under constant threat from neighboring violence, disaster and high food prices. Fortunately, organizations such as WFP and Action Against Hunger are committed to improving food security by implementing a wide range of solutions to ensure a healthier future for the residents of Cameroon.
– Adrian Rufo, Moon Jung Kim
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Updated: September 3, 2024
Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Somalia
Somalia, a country bordering both Ethiopia and Djibouti, has faced recent struggles in regards to poverty. An estimated 70% of its population under the age of 30 faces a wide range of social, economic and political challenges. Many of Somalia’s citizens are enduring hardships. However, certain programs have emerged, leading to massive innovations in poverty eradication in Somalia.
Issue in Numbers
Almost nine in 10 Somali households do not have a fundamental dimension. This dimension is access to income, electricity, education or water and sanitation. Basic necessities become rarer among the majority. As a result, Somalia needs help to see growth in the long term. One must also note that only 27% of children are enrolled in primary school. With these statistics projected to decline in the future, human capital development is at risk due to the issue of poverty. However, various forms of aid have jumpstarted Somalia’s economy while developing innovations in poverty eradication in Somalia.
International Aid
Somalia is currently $4.7 billion in debt. However, it has partnered with many other countries, significantly boosting its funding. Britain, the European Union and Qatar have offered to cover about $150 million of the roughly $330 million that Somalia owes. After Somalia handles its finances, it will receive grants worth about $300 million per year. This will help boost funding towards job opportunities, infrastructure and transportation.
Remittances for Poverty Reduction
In an attempt to aid the Somalian citizens who poverty impacts, Somalia utilized remittances. This is where the country provided families with financial assistance. It also distributed resources for families to meet basic needs and requirements. These remittances reduced the wage gap among impoverished citizens while giving them an outlet towards new jobs and opportunities.
Organizations Pushing for Change
Many nonprofit organizations have also stepped up to aid the ones in need. A massively impactful organization is Action Against Hunger, which has developed programs for adults and children battling poverty. By providing integrated nutrition, health and food security services as well as water, sanitation and hygiene services, 213,986 Somalians received treatment, with 103,407 being for minor illnesses and 41,502 being children under the age of 5 obtaining treatment for malnutrition. With the lack of resources becoming an ongoing issue, Action for Hunger contributed to 51,908 Somalians receiving clean water. It also contributed to 97,011 Somalians receiving sufficient resources through food security programs.
Another prominent organization is Alight, which has heavily focused on efforts aiding the youth. Through building support camps for refugees, it provided thousands of Somalians with water, protection and shelter. In addition to these camps, it partnered with the private sector, opening up 50,000 job opportunities for those in need. It also educated children on health services, where it shared information on improving hygiene.
Although various countries, organizations and financial plans have acted, Somalia still has over 4.9 million citizens battling poverty. With seven in 10 Somalian facing financial burdens, only governmental intervention will combat this issue on a larger scale. If the Somalian government can effectively partner with nonprofit organizations and countries to produce meaningful policies, then Somalia will see rapid economic growth. The country might only see effective innovations in poverty eradication in Somalia through these acts.
– Aditya Padmaraj
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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Iceland
With a population of 341,741 people and poverty rates rising, Iceland has continued its trend of incorporating old and innovative solutions to eradicate poverty. Valdimar Svavarsson, the manager of the Christian nonprofit organization Samhjalp in Iceland, told The Borgen Project that “Iceland is overall considered to be among the best places to live in the world in terms of quality of life.” However, the COVID-19 pandemic has threatened that quality of life significantly. Several innovations in poverty eradication in Iceland, such as welfare centers, government programs and other new ideas have emerged as the pandemic has increased the unemployment rate in Iceland.
Lowering Unemployment and the Department of Welfare
Iceland has been working towards reducing its unemployment and poverty rate by initiating welfare centers. Six welfare service centers are in Reykjavik, and they help Icelandic citizens access services related to Icelandic schools, financial support, counseling and more.
The Department of Welfare for Reykjavik, Iceland coordinates a variety of projects and events to help with poverty-related issues in Iceland with the core values of welfare, respect and activity in mind for people who request help. It mainly focuses on projects involving financial assistance, child protection and social housing programs, which all help with Icelandic low-income households. In particular, the financial assistance department of the Department of Welfare works to help unemployed citizens and families in Iceland through a simple application process. The application process requires that citizens search for employment. However, citizens can appeal the results of their applications if they receive a denial.
Homelessness and Limited Housing
The capital city of Iceland, Reykjavik, last reported that 360 people were homeless at the end of 2017. In an interview with The Borgen Project, Vilborg Oddsdottir, the Head of the Domestic Department of the Icelandic Church Aid Group, said that “there is a low-income housing company in Iceland right now” to help deal with the high housing prices in Iceland.
Solutions to Reducing Child Poverty in Iceland
Another innovation in poverty eradication is how Iceland has been working toward eliminating child poverty in the country. In fact, it ranks at the top for children’s rights. As of the latest report in 2015, the child poverty rate in Iceland was on the lower end of approximately 5% based on their families’ income levels prior to the pandemic.
The Icelandic Church Aid Group formed in 1970 and is better known as the Church Relief Society. The Church Relief Society partnered with Iceland’s Evangelical Lutheran Church for an innovative poverty solution that gives educational supplies to lower-income families across Iceland through an application process starting in late August 2020. The new initiative entitled “No Child Left Out” wants to make sure students are not experiencing social isolation based on their family’s financial situation. Vilborg Oddsdottir advised The Borgen Project that “education is the best way out of poverty, and we have to maintain respect for all kinds of education” available to students in Iceland. In 2020, the Icelandic Church Aid Group helped approximately 30,000 children in Iceland according to Oddsdottir.
How Iceland enacted Innovative Testing Procedures and Government Aid during COVID-19
Only 5.4% of Iceland’s citizens were living below the poverty line in 2015. One of the major causes of poverty in Iceland is the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused unemployment rates to skyrocket even as the country implemented innovations in COVID-19 protection early on. In the past few months, Iceland was able to test any citizen requesting a test and automatically isolate infected citizens from the public as most businesses remained open. Due to these innovative precautions, Iceland was able to reopen to tourists as early as June 15, 2020, and even implemented the requirement of testing each tourist.
After most of the Icelandic public received COVID-19 tests, the citizens were able to view their results using an innovative contact tracing application to prevent an outbreak. Even with precautions, Vilborg Oddsdottir has seen that “COVID has affected us a lot because now we have nearly 9% unemployment in Iceland. Even in our bank crisis, we have not seen unemployment like we have now.” The Icelandic government’s innovative support system is addressing the increased unemployment rate. The unemployment benefits stated that people would receive some of their salary based on the amount of part-time work they had with their company until September 30, 2020.
Food Aid
The Iceland Family Aid program has been working towards helping low-income families across Iceland since its founding in 2003. The organization is accepting food donations every month at its only two locations in Reykjavik and Reykjanesbaer. The way for the food undergoes distribution across Iceland is through an online registration process that delivers the food to low-income residents once a month, providing aid to various families and people living in poverty and aiding in poverty eradication in Iceland.
With the reduction in tourism and increasing unemployment rates due to COVID-19, Valdimar Svavarsson has found that “at the moment, the government is doing many things to support the growing group that is now facing unemployment.” The current innovative solutions and input of the Icelandic government should help the country bounce back from high unemployment rates while helping low-income citizens.
– Evan Winslow
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