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The Development of Sustainable Agriculture in Algeria

Algeria

Sustainable agriculture attempts to meet society’s current food and textile needs without affecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Agriculture is a major component in Algeria’s rural development and represents 14 percent of the labor force.

Algeria has approximately 8.4 million hectares (ha) of arable land, which is 3.5 percent of the country’s entire surface area. However, only 12 percent of Algeria’s arable land is irrigated because most of the sustainable agriculture in Algeria is rain-fed, and consequently suffers from frequent droughts. Just over half of the country’s total arable land is dedicated to field crops such as cereals and pulses, with six percent of land to arboriculture and three percent to industrial crops.

Algeria’s agricultural productivity has improved in recent years due to the Agriculture Development Plan implemented in 2000 by the Ministry of Agriculture. The plan focuses on boosting agriculture development and production.

In 2008, the agriculture development strategy was re-oriented to portray new policy priorities: enhanced agricultural production, revitalization of natural resources, appropriate consumption of water resources and food safety initiatives. Algeria’s government intends to orient agriculture toward models in the grain sector and establish modern complexes to facilitate the use of public agricultural land. This would increase Algeria’s arable land to nine million ha by 2020.

Despite the Agricultural Development Plan, Algeria remains one of the world’s largest importers of wheat, amounting to $2.39 billion. Algeria’s exports to the United States total less than $1 million.

Several factors impede Algeria’s development:

  • Land ownership and marketing channel constraints
  • Investment deficiency
  • Insufficient input access
  • Lack of water availability
  • Low levels of agriculture training and education
  • Slow grant agreement process

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and Algeria have formed a cooperation with three main objectives. These goals include working for sustainable improvements in economic, social and technical performance for agriculture production and food security, bettering natural resource management and building capacity and institutional development to secure effective policies for food security and resource management

To ensure sustainable agriculture in Algeria, priority should be given to improving the regulatory framework of resources and incentive system, further cooperation and policy development, implementing an effective finance system and encouraging a transparent and secure land market. Sustainable agriculture in Algeria is possible if development approaches are adaptable, long-term and rational.

– Carolyn Gibson

Photo: Flickr

Economic Reforms in Macedonia Make Doing Business Easier

Economic Reforms in Macedonia Make Doing Business Easier

Unemployment remains high at about 23 percent in Macedonia, but the country maintains its macroeconomic stability. Since its 1991 independence, Macedonia has made progress in liberalizing its economy and improving its business environment. Economic reforms in Macedonia have focused on registering property, protecting minority investors and gaining credit access.

During the global financial crisis, Macedonia maintained its macroeconomic stability by practicing conservative monetary policy. Conservative monetary policy ensures that the domestic currency is pegged to the euro and that inflation remains at a low level.

Macedonia’s economic performance has been halted by internal political crises in the last two years. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), domestic private investments and public investments declined in 2016. The same year, public debt peaked at 50.5 percent of GDP before settling at 47.8 percent at the end of the year. Macedonia distributed a $495 million Eurobond to fulfill 2016 and part of 2017 budget requirements.

Doing Business, of the World Bank, evaluates economic reforms in Macedonia and their influence on the ease of doing business. According to the organization’s measures, Macedonia’s 2017 business reforms are as follows:

  • Getting Credit
    Credit access in Macedonia was strengthened by amending its laws to provide modern features for the collateral registry, to allow parties to grant nonpossessory security rights and to implement a functional secured transactions system.
  • Resolving Debt
    Macedonia made it easier to get out of debt by increasing creditors’ participation in insolvency proceedings and changing voting procedures for reorganization plans.
  • Protecting Minority Investors
    Macedonia reinforced minority investor protections by extending requirements for immediate disclosure of party transactions to the public, increasing access to corporate information during trial and expanding shareholder rights.
  • Enforcing Contracts
    Enforcing contracts has become more difficult with recent amendments to the Law on Civil Procedure that require mediation before a claim is filed. Required mediation lengthens the beginning phase of judicial proceedings.

Most of the past year’s economic reforms in Macedonia focused on registering property, getting credit and protecting minority investors. According to the World Bank, Macedonia ranks eleventh out of the region’s top ranked economies and has carried out 41 reforms, the second highest number among the top 20, over the past 15 years.

Macedonia is the only upper-middle-income economy that ranks within the top 20 economies in the overall ease of doing business. Thus, reforms in Macedonia have made it easier to do business, leading to better quality of life for citizens.

– Carolyn Gibson

Photo: Flickr

Five Key Factors Improving Sustainable Agriculture in Thailand

Five Key Factors to Sustainable Agriculture in ThailandIn the 1960s, the government of Thailand focused on export-oriented cash crop monoculture gain. This agriculture scope ramped up productivity with the use of machines, chemical fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides. This form of farming lasted for two decades until the soil condition was depleted through runoff and erosion. Furthermore, farmers’ debt accrued because of declining productivity and purchased chemicals. To combat this, the implementation of sustainable agriculture in Thailand was needed.

Thailand’s high dependency on agriculture led to a change in previous farming techniques. These new practices enhanced sustainable agriculture in Thailand. Five main farming systems were promoted to better the livelihoods of small-scale farmers and improve environmental conditions.

These sustainable approaches include integrated farming, organic farming, natural farming, agroforestry and New Theory farming. Each one helps promote sustainable agriculture in Thailand, an essential goal for a nation reliant on agriculture.

Integrated Farming System

This system is used when two or more different agriculture activities are in the same field. This lowers costs for farmers and utilizes limited spaces to their maximum potential.

Organic Farming

Organic farming limits the quantities of herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers used in farming. By using less harmful chemicals, the soil and land are protected. This branch of sustainable agriculture is researched by the government, various universities and NGOs. In Thailand, NGO research is conducted mainly by the Alternative Agriculture Network (AAN) and later by its sister organization, the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation Thailand (SAFT).

Natural Farming

Natural farming is considered the ideal sustainable farming model for many areas in Thailand. It includes farming with no tillage, no application of chemicals and complete preservation of the ecosystem with little damage from farming.

Agroforestry

This approach enables cash crops and cattle to coexist with trees and forestry land. As such, it amplifies the ability to utilize the land for sustainable agriculture while also promoting reforestation.

New Theory Farming

Proposed in 1993 by His Majesty the King Bhumiphol Adulyadej, New Theory Farming is ideal for farmers with limited field allotments and a shortage of water resources. The concept highlights self-sufficiency by dividing the available land into four parts and utilizing each for various needs. These include fish ponds/raising, fields for crops and vegetables, a rice paddy for self-consumption and space for living and livestock raising.

These proposals, set out to improve farming techniques and promote sustainable agriculture in Thailand, are critical in developing a healthy environment and economy for future generations.

– Bronti DeRoche

Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in Eritrea

EritreaEritrea sits just above the Horn of Africa and to the west of the Red Sea. Similar to many developing nations, much of the population relies on subsistence agriculture to feed themselves. In Eritrea, as much as 80 percent of the population is engaged in subsistence agriculture. Turning away from subsistence farming to sustainable agriculture in Eritrea will be difficult.

Drought, caused by inconsistent rainfall, hinders the crop yield of the subsistence farming. The labor required to increase crop yields and the growth of farms is unavailable due to mandatory conscription.

Furthermore, uncertain relations between Eritrea’s government and other states has led to a lack of mutual trust which would enable sustainable growth. This lack of trust makes it difficult to measure the impact of the lack of sustainable agriculture in Eritrea has on the population. It also makes it difficult for international actors to provide assistance.

According to the government of Eritrea, 70 percent of its land is classified as hot and arid. This land receives less than 350 millimeters of water each year. Despite this harsh environment, 20 percent of Eritrea’s GDP is its agriculture sector.

Plans to Implement Sustainable Agriculture in Eritrea

In 2016, the Ministry of Agriculture published a booklet, titled, “Impact of Climate Change on Agriculture and Food Systems: the Eritrean Context”. This booklet outlines its plan to improve the sustainability of agriculture in Eritrea. Important efforts include:

  • the development of water reservoirs and its accompanying infrastructure
  • mitigating pests and plant diseases
  • planting in accordance with predictable weather patterns
  • increasing biodiversity of planting sites
  • promoting crop rotation to help sustain soil quality
  • promoting sustainable energy to decrease traditional wood fire stove use

Organizations Involved in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in Eritrea

Eritrea aimed to increase collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to promote sustainability and food security. As such, there has been success with projects that aim to increase sustainable agriculture in Eritrea, specifically in the small village of Keih-Kor. With the help of the UNDP, the village was able to regain the use of 45 hectares of farmland.

Techniques such as terracing and the construction of dams helped the villagers regain what erosion had taken away. The additional benefit of these techniques is that future erosion in these areas will be mitigated.

The Syngenta Foundation

Another organization working to increase the sustainability of agriculture in Eritrea is the Syngenta Foundation. Its mission is to help poor farmers in developing countries increase the value of their farms and goods. It helps farmers understand their market and helps increase the sustainability of their farming practices. According to the program website for Eritrea, its eight goals closely align with those of both the Eritrean government and the UNDP.

So far the Syngenta foundation has helped to complete the first-ever database report on soil erosion, water runoff and soil conservation at Afdeyu Station. This is the only station of its type that consistently measures these factors in Eritrea.

Other achievements include the successful testing of a micro-drip irrigation system in partnership with the College of Agriculture at the University of Asmara. The test showed food security rises with the use of the micro-drip system. Breeding tests of the new pearl millet, one of Eritrea’s major crops, have been successful both under controlled conditions and in the field.

With continued efforts, Eritrea can remedy its poor harvests due to drought. The country is still in need of a combination of funds to complete these projects and both advanced and simple technologies to improve crop yields. Implementing sustainable agriculture in Eritrea is not impossible, especially with the contributions of international organizations.

– Nick DeMarco

Photo: Flickr

Five Important Ongoing Development Projects in Moldova

development projects in moldovaOnce considered one of the richest states in the former Soviet Union, Moldova is currently one of the poorest countries in Europe. The Moldovan economy heavily relies on agriculture. Development projects in Moldova mostly focus on fostering democratic governance and economic growth in the country, and poverty reduction is a primary goal for these projects.

Here are five ongoing development projects in Moldova.

  1. Moldova Competitiveness Project (MCP)
    Implemented by Chemonics International, Inc., MCP (2015-2020) aims to improve efficiency and competitiveness in Moldovan industries in order to support Moldova’s efforts to foster a strong, export-oriented economy. Some of the project’s goals include improving the quality of Moldovan products and services, increasing productivity and technical skills in the labor force and expanding market linkages. These goals are expected to increase incomes, reduce poverty and emigration and enable Moldova to compete within the E.U. and other high-value markets.
  2. Development Credit Authority (DCA)
    DCA (2011-2028) helps, “Moldovan financial institutions to increase financing for local small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) through a loan guarantee mechanism.” The main goal is to increase economic opportunities and improve the Moldovan private sector’s competitiveness. Additionally, it aims to improve Moldovan energy efficiency.
    Current DCA programs in the country include two guarantee facilities. One of them supports the Moldovan Information Technology (IT) sector in order to increase loans to IT firms for capital and long-term investments and support loans to IT professionals for mortgages, thereby improving quality of life and providing continued support to investments in the country.
    USAID Moldova and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) launched the second guarantee in 2014 to “support lending to the energy sector,” in order to improve Moldovan SMEs’ efficiency, thereby strengthening their “commercial viability and growth in an environmentally sustainable manner.”
  3. Moldova Sustainable Green Cities
    With a budget of $2.7 million, this project is set to run from 2017 to 2022 and catalyze investments in low carbon green urban development with an integrated urban planning approach. The project seeks to achieve its goal by encouraging innovation and participatory planning and partnerships with various public and private sector entities. The goal is to improve the quality of life and advance opportunities for sustainable economic growth in Moldova. Primarily, the project aims to establish a sustainable Green City Lab that would continue to operate after its closure.
  4. ICT Excellence Center (ICTEC) Project
    Under this 36-month project, USAID will launch and develop an ICT Excellence Center in Moldova in collaboration with the government and the private sector. Through this development project in Moldova, USAID aims to bring “significant new resources, ideas, software, technologies and development activities, such as training, practical assignments and mentoring programs” to the country. The project will support the setup and equipment needs, the creation of a relevant business plan, training of qualified staff and the expansion of educational and entrepreneurial development activities.
  5. Export-led Development of Organic Agriculture in Moldova
    Implemented by People in Need, this project builds on previous support for organic agriculture in Moldova. It specifically focuses on developing the local organic market and sustainable extension services, preparing Moldovan farmers to export products for the sustainable “advancement of the entire sector.”

Most of these development projects in Moldova aim to improve its presence within the E.U. and other competitive markets in order to enable the people of this nation to lift themselves to a higher quality of life. With similar continued investment in the Moldovan community, industry and infrastructure, there is hope that Moldova will be able to reach this goal.

– Mehruba Chowdhury

Photo: Flickr

Credit Access in China Receives Strong Government Support

The banking system in China went through great reforms in the mid-1990s and 2000s. The Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China are the big four, and rank among the largest banks in the world.

Consumer credit has experienced rapid growth since the market economy began in-depth reforms in 1998. It is common for individual home buyers to seek extended mortgage loans, which are currently among the best assets in commercial banks of China. The use of credit cards is also increasingly popular. However, for national banking systems and policy regulators, there are quite a few challenging issues for improving credit access in China.

In 2015, the World Bank reported that about 79 percent of adults in China had at least one bank account. Central bank credit information systems have information on more than 21 million entrepreneurs and nearly a billion customers. Bank loans are becoming more popular among rural families. Due to the considerably high rate of account penetration in China, financial infrastructure urges fast development.

Furthermore, China is expected to continue reducing financial leverage. The Central Bank has a series of loans and bonds for poverty alleviation, which also provide financial support to the rural disadvantaged groups. For banks of China, reforming rural credit cooperatives and developing new types of financial organizations should be strongly supported, as they are a significant force for inclusive finance.

While China has made substantial progress in inclusive finance, some issues still require further concern. Central Bank governor Xiao-Chuan Zhou has expressed his worries on three systematic financial risks: the credit risk in micro-finance, the high-leveraging ratio and liquidity in the economy and the cross-market and cross-regional shadow banking associated with financial crimes.

Last but not least, some financial exclusion issues caused by de-risking cannot be ignored. For instance, a few large cross-nation banks closed some outlets in Africa due to insufficient support on operations in those regions, which could cause some negative impacts. Advancement of digital technology on credit access in China may help to mitigate the derisking pressures.

While improving credit access in China received strong governmental support, the national banking systems and financial regulations are still far from perfect. Besides the nationwide scheme on “social credit” by 2020, a variety of other measures to promote investment and reduce risks on financial products must also be regulated.

– Xin Gao

Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in Mexico: Exporting Practices Worldwide

Mexico

As home to the largest city in the Americas before the arrival of modern European settlers, Central Mexico has supported large-scale agriculture for over a thousand years. Later, in the twentieth century, Mexico was central to the Green Revolution that brought increased production and yields to feed a rapidly growing world population. Continuing this tradition today, advances in sustainable agriculture in Mexico are combining knowledge from both historical practices and modern innovations to assist farmers worldwide with the challenges of the 21st century.

Mexico was at the forefront of efforts in the middle of the last century to create higher yielding strains of both wheat and maize that fueled the Green Revolution. The International Center for the Improvement of Corn and Wheat (CIMMYT) was the leading institution in this work, focusing on the imminent problems of feeding an exploding world population. While CIMMYT’s work on crop yields was hugely successful, additional challenges have arisen in the years since.

Still in operation, the Center now focuses on initiatives to tackle the problems of a warming earth. These new efforts expand the work of CIMMYT into the development of grain varieties that can withstand the challenges of climate disruption and a still-growing population. As happened before, CIMMYT’s work is once again being exported beyond Mexico to solve the same problems in other countries.

Long before the Green Revolution and the advent of climate change, however, the predecessors of modern Mexican farmers developed technologies that allowed them to make effective use of difficult growing conditions and to farm in even marginal environments. Agricultural development experts are revisiting a number of these ancient practices and learning techniques that could power increased agricultural production in the future.

Intercropping, a technique that involves planting multiple crops close together, is a common feature of sustainable agriculture in Mexico, as practiced by indigenous groups. The cafetal, a system of growing plants under the shade of higher canopy trees along with ground cover crops, is already familiar to many westerners through the marketing of “shade-grown coffee.” The cafetal technique does far more than produce high-quality coffee in a sustainable fashion; it is a sophisticated method that renews soils and allows for a much higher diversity of crop yields when compared to ordinary plantation systems.

A similar system, the milpa, is much older and dates to some of the earliest civilizations in the Western hemisphere. Milpa farming is an intercropped system of corn, beans and squash that allows each plant to contribute to the success of the surrounding crops. Intercropped systems such as the milpa and the cafetal can yield up to 50 percent more produce than single crop plantings over the same area.

Along with research into indigenous systems and the large-scale institutional work of CIMMYT, smaller startup programs are also taking advantage of Mexico’s long growing season and diverse range of climates. One such program is The Biochar Company. Mexico is one of the pilot locations for this program that emphasizes biomass-based charcoal production.  Not only is the product itself sustainable, but it enriches soils and increases regeneration rates when used as a soil additive.

All of these systems, whether 21st century innovations or time-honored indigenous techniques, are increasing the ability of agricultural methods to solve modern challenges. With its long history of success and the vast institutional knowledge of its farmers, sustainable agriculture in Mexico will remain a leader in food science and agricultural development well into the future.

– Paul Robertson

Photo: Flickr

Seeds of Sustainable Agriculture in Guatemala

sustainable agriculture in guatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America that has suffered greatly from political strife. With a 40-plus year civil war that ended in 1996, which included genocidal massacres of their indigenous people—the Mayans—Guatemala has struggled with instability. While it maintains the highest GDP in Central America, having witnessed tremendous economic growth in tourism, it still has high-income inequality with over half of all citizens living in poverty.

In terms of agriculture, its main exports are fruits, vegetables and flowers. It also grows and exports a vast amount of biofuel substances, such as corn and sugar. Coupled with poverty and a strong penchant for agriculture in the economy, sustainable agriculture in Guatemala has grown as a viable method to fight poverty and continue growth.

Semilla Nueva Creating Sustainable Agriculture in Guatemala

Chronic malnutrition is a defining issue in Guatemala, especially for the rural poor. Of the entire population, it affects 50 percent. One organization that works towards sustainable agriculture in Guatemala is Semilla Nueva. Its name literally means “New Seed”. 

Semilla Nueva focuses on working within the current system and making a staple food more nutritious. Its solution focuses on a more sustainable and healthier corn that has more nutrients than previous seeds. By using high-quality seeds, it has been able to prevent 845 cases of malnutrition since 2016.

A student named Darren received a grant from the Interexchange Foundation to volunteer in sustainable agriculture in Guatemala. In a detailed account, he describes working with Semilla Nueva. Its 52 farmers use small, inexpensive techniques such as green manures and no-till farming. These techniques greatly increase a farmer’s yield and reduce carbon emissions.

Addressing Chronic Malnutrition

Another group devoted to sustainable agriculture in Guatemala is USAID. The program is active in over 2500 communities focused in the Western Highlands of the country. In this region, chronic malnutrition for children under five is at 67 percent. This USAID program also works to increase employment through more labor-intensive crops and improve productivity in food staples such as corn and beans. In 2013 alone, it reduced malnutrition by seven percent and generated $20.3 million in sales for agriculture products.

While Guatemala faces the issues of malnutrition, certain programs continue to force this difficulty into the past. Moving past the simple donations of goods, these groups teach Guatemalans how to maneuver their own lives and take off the financial burden of those struggling.

– Nick McGuire

Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in Belize Resorts to Ancient Practices

sustainable agriculture in BelizeAbout 50 percent of the land and water that comprises Belize is protected on some level. However, this protected land houses some of the Mayan and Garinigu villages. These villages are known for ancient agriculture practices that have long resulted in effective and productive farming. These practices are mimicked elsewhere to develop sustainable agriculture in Belize.

With practices used for over two thousand years, known as Milpa, the villages perform a control burn to restore soil and replenish carbon. Short term annuals are planted to fill the open space as plantains, avocados, fruits, fiber plants, leguminous trees and cocoa are planted and set to grow. After five to eight years, when the canopy closes, annuals are replaced with vanilla, coffee, ginger, allspice and other understory plants. This cycle of burning and planting continues every 15 to 30 years.

This ancient practice is different than the current “slash and burn” method that only plants the highest paying crops, such as corn and rice, and negates the need for crops as “nitrogen fixers” and wildlife habitats. This form also plants in steep terrain without swales or terrace, increasing the likeliness of soil erosion. This slash and burn method undermines the soil and potential future agriculture growth.

Governments and organizations are working to educate and remove this irresponsible practice and replace it with other forms of sustainable agriculture in Belize. Projects Abroad works in Belize on tropical agroforestry and sustainable farming, allowing for individuals to work on the processing of cacao and developing agroforestry systems that mimic the rainforest that originally grew in Belize.

Sustainable Harvest International-Belize (SHIB) delivers a five-year extensive training program that teaches impoverished families how to farm with sustainable practices while also providing for their families. This program works on family nutrition, sustainable and holistic farming, promoting soil conservation through the reduction of external additives and crop diversification. These methods tie into strategies that the Horizon 2030 development plan uses to promote sustainable agriculture in Belize.

The U.N. reported that the Horizon 2030 development strategy is progressing agriculture practices by teaching sustainable farming in schools, increasing finances for farmers with low-interest loans, developing agricultural insurance for crop losses, supporting communal farming operations and increasing investments in technology regarding irrigation, seeds and green pesticides. These are a few of the goals implemented to reach more sustainable farming practices in Belize.

Through these efforts, Belize could experience a shift from farming that is detrimental to the environment to sustainable agriculture that will bolster the economy and livelihoods of the people of Belize.

– Bronti DeRoche

Photo: Flickr

Development Projects in Dominica Helping Nation Rebuild and Grow

Five Development Projects in Dominica

The Commonwealth of Dominica, not to be confused with the Dominican Republic, is a beautiful country located in the Caribbean. While the nation is still developing, it is making a lot of progress in improving its economic state. These five development projects in Dominica are helping to reduce poverty in the country.

  1. River Defense Wall Project
    Like many Caribbean countries, Dominica is greatly affected by hurricanes. The country aims to lessen the effects of hurricanes with this project. In addition, the River Defense Wall Project has social and economic benefits. Local citizens were hired to help build the wall and it is critical in its ability to preserve human life.
  2. New Housing Project
    Investing in housing is important to developing an economy because it reduces homelessness, which could in turn reduce poverty. This project will create homes, retail outlets and jobs for people in one fell swoop. The homes will reduce homelessness and the outlets will increase foot traffic and spending in the area, which will boost the economy and reduce poverty. Of the current development projects in Dominica, this one could be the most far-reaching.
  3. Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project
    In the late summer of 2017, Dominica was struck by Hurricane Maria. The country needs to rebuild, and this project seeks to aid in that task. The Disaster Vulnerability Project will reduce vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change impacts in Dominica by investing in resilient infrastructure and improving hazard data collection and monitoring systems, according to the World Bank. This project has already helped the country rebuild roads that were damaged by the hurricane.
  4. Small Business Development Project
    It is well known that one way to reduce poverty in a country is to create jobs and develop entrepreneurial skills. This project aims to support small businesses in the country in order to accomplish that goal. The funding from this project goes toward staff training and obtaining equipment that the potential business will need.
  5. The Second Chance School Project
    Another important way to reduce poverty is to invest in education. A person can increase their earnings by 10 percent with every year they are in school. This project’s goal is to improve individuals’ skills in order to better prepare them for the future. It focuses on teaching basic skills, such as woodwork or hospitality, in addition to math and English. Sometimes a trade skill is involved. Because of its collaboration with the From Offending to Achieving program, this project is also being used to educate individuals rather than incarcerate them.

Tourism is a major source of income in Dominica, but that is not necessarily the best way to sustain an economy. With these development projects, Dominica can grow its economy and reduce poverty in many different ways.

– Dezanii Lewis

Photo: Flickr