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BOOK TWO

FOOD, LAND AND TREES

Contents

Written by Dáithí O hAodha.Worksheets by Patsy Toland.Funded by Development Co-operation IrelandPhotos by Carol Lee, Patsy Tolandand Stephen O’Brien.Design by DesignTactics.

Acknowledgements

Dr. Robert Briscoe, Dept of Co-operative Studies, U.C.C. Dr.Nicholas Chisholm, Dept ofFood Economics, U.C.C Mike Fitzgibbon, International Famine Centre, U.C.C.Nóra Hennessy,International Famine Centre, U.C.C. Sibo Banda, PhD student, U.C.C. Colm O’Connor, Coláiste Chríost Rí,Cork. Conchúir O Muimhneacháin,Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork. David Cole, European School,Brussels. Michael O’Keeffe(Principal), Raheen National School,Killarney, Co. Kerry. Lorraine Doyle,Claire Galvin, Jennifer Whitford,James Campion (Pupils), RaheenNational School, Killarney, Co.Kerry. Tony Saunders, St Edwards School,Cheltenham, England.Honor Hayes, G&K Workshop, Cork. Lucia McCaughey, Teacher of Art,Dublin.Mary Long (pupil), GlanmireCommunity College, Cork.M. T-H Development supporter.

2 The Earth in Numbers

3 Food and Nutrition: Thefood triangle

4 The World’s Land

6 The Scramble for Africa

8 Ethiopia

10 Case Study 1: SupportingEthiopian farmers

12 Water: The importance ofwater for food security

14 The Nile: Source of life;source of concern andconflict

17 Deforestation

18 Worksheet 1

19 Uganda: “The Pearl ofAfrica”

20 Case Study 2: Uganda;meeting basic needs

21 Protecting and Developingthe Forests of Uganda

22 Ari Van der Wel

23 Eladu Robert

24 Supporting Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa

25 I Sing of Change

26 Growing Bananas: Givingpeople a supply of goodhealthy food

28 Worksheet 2

29 Malawi

30 Case Study 3: Malawi;ground up approach

32 Problems of Malawi’sFarm/Estate Tenants

33 Who’s Eating and Who’sBeing Eaten?

34 No Longer ‘The Farmer’sWife’

36 Fair Trade

37 Worksheet 3

38 Coillte: The Irish forestryservice

39 Quiz

40 Cross-Curricular Approach

41 Exercise: Looking atpictures/Useful links

42 Glossary

1

This book is the second in the seriesbeing produced by Self HelpDevelopment International. The firstbook on the topic of “Water” givesa picture of how important water isin all our lives. It also gives a pictureof the simple, basic problems peoplehave in getting water and how theysolve these problems.

The main purpose of this series is togive information about life in Africa ina colourful and interesting way.Secondly to challenge the negativeimages and stories about developingcountries. It is clear that there areproblems to be dealt with. What isemphasised in this series are the waysthat these problems are solved. Thefocus is on the lives of the people intheir farms and villages in rural Africa.

The age range for this series is broad,10–17 years old, so there is a range ofarticles to cater for the interests andeducational levels of the studentstargeted. It is also planned that thisseries would be used in a number ofdifferent subject areas. This means thatthere would be a different view andunderstanding of the stories written.The information would help to throwlight on when, where, how or whythings happened and the effects ofevents on people’s lives.

Very high quality images have beenused to help show the differentsituations. It is very important to look

at these images carefully and to givetime to discuss what they show.

Short questions and exercises havebeen put at the end of each story togive an opportunity for recall andallow room for discussion.

The layout is to first give an overallpicture on the issues of Food, Land andTrees in the world, then give a countryprofile and a case study for each oneand finally to give some informationthat is connected to all of these.

It is important that there would be anemphasis on students discussing theissues and taking action. In this waywhat they learn is reinforced and theyhave a sense of greater power andcontrol over important issues in theworld today.

A set of worksheets has been scatteredthroughout the book. The studentshave an opportunity to do work on thetopics covered, to add to theirknowledge by finding information forthemselves and also creating situationsthat relate to the material given.

The teacher is the guide and helperand the hope is that the students willfind new information and insights intoour lives and the lives of people inmany different parts of the world.

Knowledge with action is a powerfultool in moving things forward andmaking changes for the better.

I hope that you find this book usefuland beneficial. If you have any ideas orinformation to share please contact usat Self Help. Feedback on this book isalso very welcome and will help to makefuture books more relevant and useful.

If you wish to get copies of the firstbook in the series on “Water” pleasecontact us at the addresses etc givenon the back cover.

Good Luck and Enjoy.Dáithí O hAodha.

Introductionsee page 40 for cross curricular approach

Cover: The Abdelahi family harvesting potatoes, Eritrea.

Mother & Child, Alemaya, Ethiopia

*see Glossary at back for explanation 32 *see Glossary at back for explanation

The Earth in Numbers

In 2003 about 138 million human beings will be born and 54million of us will die. That amounts to a net populationgain* of 84 million, more than 230,000 new people on earthevery day of the year. Many of these newcomers will suckle*their mother’s breast for a year or so, but after that it will beup to Mother Earth to provide them food and drink. Ourfragile* planet and its hard-working population will have tofeed those 230,000 hungry people day after day for the next66 years, not to mention another quarter million tomorrow,and the next day and the day after that…

Our wealth is measured by economic growth*, which doesnot take into account the state of natural resources*. Thismeans that the deforestation* of a country is considered tocreate value.

Land suitable for growing food is a limited resource. There isless and less land for more and more people (every year landthe size of Munster turns into desert). In 50 years, growingland per person has been cut in two. The resources given toagriculture in poor countries are too little to compensate*for this, which causes food shortages and famine.

World-wide wealth in2002 stood at e33 trillion(e33,000,000,000,000).

40% of the world’spopulation does not haveelectricity (2.5 billionpeople).

47% of the world’spopulation live on lessthan e2 a day.

The share of the 50poorest countries in worldtrade* has gone from 4%to 2% in the last decade*(until 2000).

33% of children under theage of five suffer frommalnutrition*.

One in four adults in theworld cannot read orwrite.

One in five people in theworld do not havemodern healthcare.

95% of people infected*with AIDS live indeveloping countries.

The foreign debt ofdeveloping countries hasgrown 6 times its amountsince 1970, totalling e3trillion in 2002.

Can the planet produceenough food to feed thebillions who will be born inthe future?

On the day you read this, thepopulation of our planet willincrease by 230,000 people.Hungry people.

This is a tool used by nutritionists*,doctors and teachers to promote* abalanced diet*.A minimum of six servings of foods on thebottom shelf should be eaten each day.Cereals, breads and potatoes form thebottom shelf. Then comes fruit andvegetables with a minimum daily intake offour servings. Next level up comes milkcheese and yogurt at three servings per day.Meat, fish and poultry are the second highestlevel at two daily servings. At the top comessweets, cakes and saturated fats* which areto be avoided or taken in small amounts.

Food and Nutrition: The food triangle

Student Exercise1. Can you work out howyour diet rates with whatis recommended* in thefood triangle?

2. If you need tochange what youeat can you identify whatchanges are necessary?

3. Name two examples ofeach type of food thatyou eat every day:carbohydrates, fats,protein, vitamins andminerals.

To live a healthy life the average adult needs 2,400 calories*per day. It is important that this is balanced betweencarbohydrate 55%, fat 35%, protein 10% plus vitamins andminerals. Fibre is very important in our diet as it is the meansof cleaning out the digestive system*. Fibre is found indifferent foods. It is very important also that we drink sixglasses of water per day.

• Carbohydrates and polyunsaturated fats* are known as theenergy foods (bread, potatoes, nuts, chocolate etc.)

• Protein is the body building food (fish, meat, cheese, eggs,beans etc.)

• Vitamins and minerals are the protector foods (fruit,vegetables, cereals, milk bread etc)

• Water is the transporter*.

*see Glossary at back for explanation 54

Bad methods,including the entireremoval of trees,destroy the soil andturns it into new man-madedeserts. In the words ofJoseph Awanu, Sudaneseforestry worker: “The Saharais not moving south; we arepulling it south.”

In Europe, Russia and theformer Soviet states, NorthAmerica and parts of SouthAmerica, South Africa andAustralia, farming is carriedout with the help ofmachinery. In South and EastAsia, most of the work is donewith simple hand tools. Evenso, they get two crops ofpaddy rice a year.

The crops are largely grownfor family food, though in

areas providegrazing* for cattle

and sheep and can benaturally maintained. Tropicalgrassland areas provide avariety of crops, such as maize,millet, cotton, sugar andgroundnuts. Grain is the maincrop in temperate regions*.

Systems of farming vary fromcountry to country. In theUnited States 2,500,000people (3% of the workingpopulation) are employed in

*see Glossary at back for explanation

some casesenough food,

such as cacao, oil-palmand peanuts, is grownfor sale in the localmarkets.

The areas of shiftingcultivation are found near

and among the tropicalrainforests. Here land iscleared for individual needs. Itis also cleared and cultivatedon a commercial scale* toproduce, rubber, tobacco,sugar, tea, oil-palm and cacao.

Areas of coniferous forest*provide most of the world’ssoft timber: spruce, pine andfir. Some forests are beingmaintained and developed.

Mountain slopes and much ofthe grassland and scrub-land

farming. On theother hand,370,000,000 peoplein India (50% of theworking population) growenough food and asurplus in some areas forthe whole population.

Scientific and improvedmethods of farming produceonly a quarter of the world’sfood. These methods arebeing promoted* and usedmore around the worldtoday. Irrigation* and waterconservation* are the mostimportant of these.

Technology is used to:

• Improve varieties of seeds

• Build up soil fertility*

At present a littleover one tenth of theworld’s land surface isunder cultivation*—little more than 0.2hectare (0.5 acre) perperson.

The map shows thegeneral distributionof vegetation*: areasfrom which thenatural vegetationhas been cleared andthe land cultivatedfor food andindustrial crops suchas fibres, cotton andrubber; areas wherethe naturalvegetation is beingused and developed;and areas which haveremained in theirnatural state withlittle or novegetation.

The World’s Land

• Use organic waste* asmanure*

• Increase use of artificialfertilisers*

• Improve tools and farmmachinery

• Reclaim land

• Control of pests

Using these methodsand traditional skillsthe earth is beingcontrolled andinfluenced more byman, for better orfor worse.

• Plant new crops toprovide a more varied andnutritious diet* and lessena country’s dependence*on a single crop (e.g.potatoes and The GreatIrish Famine 1845–1848)

• Plant trees and protectforests

KEY TO MAP

intensive cultivation

secondary cultivation

rain forests

coniferous forests

mountains

grasslands

desert

ice caps and tundra


The scramble for Africa amazed everyone. In 36 years (1876–1912) Europegained control of almost the whole continent; including 30 new colonies*,10 million square miles of territory*, and 110 million new subjects*. Africawas sliced up like a cake between seven rival nations; Germany, Italy,Portugal, France, Britain, Spain and Belgium.

The Scramble for Africa

By 1900, great jealousies haddeveloped between these countrieswhich eventually led to the Great Warof 1914–1918. How Africa wasdiscovered and conquered* has leftlong-lasting and far-reaching resultsthat still affects the lives of the Africanpeople today.

Equally amazing was the scramble outof Africa in the ten years 1957–1967.

Many of the countries were left ina very poor economic and politicalstate. In slicing up the cake no

thought had been given to triballands*, natural boundaries* or

access* to resources by the nativepeoples. The European powers werelords and masters “bringingcommerce*, civilisation* andChristianity to the dark continent”.

There are now 47 independentcountries in mainland Africa but inmany cases this independence ispolitical only. The resources* of Africaare being used and exported in theirrawest state so that the countries thatneed them so badly are the ones whobenefit least. While bringing“commerce, civilisation and Christianityto Africa”, there was another motive inthe hearts of the seven big powers;that was “conquest”*. Politicalindependence was given to most of the

TUNISIA

Exercise

1. On the 1912 map identify in order 1–7(biggest to smallest amount ofterritory controlled) the countries whocolonised Africa.

2. Name five products that come from Africa in their “rawest state”

3. Name five products (with brand names) that we use oreat regularly whose raw materials came from Africa.

4. Using an up-to-date map of Africa identify sixcountries that have different names from the onesshown on the 1912 map.

5. Using the up-to-date map of Africa give the names ofsix countries that are not shown on the 1912 map

African countries 40 years ago or morebut there is still a strangle hold* on theeconomies, resources and tradingpositions* of these countries.

The population* of Africa hasincreased enormously from 110 millionin 1900 to almost 1 billion in 2002.

The extra pressure on the land andresources of Africa means that thepeople need more and better use ofwhat is available to them. The politicalleaders of Africa co-operate more andhave developed stronger economic,political and cultural links betweenthem. Sadly, because of old treaties*and agreements their hands are tiedand the future of Africa remainsscrambled* and out of their control.

Africa after theScramble, 1912

Britain

France

Belgium

Germany

Spain

Italy

Portugal

Independent

98 *see Glossary at back for explanation

Farms are generally lessthan 1 hectare (2.4 acres).An occasional farmer mayhave a pair of oxen* and aplough but many have onlyhoes to work their land.The main crops are “teff”(a local grain), barley,wheat, maize, sorghumand “enset”* (a relative ofthe banana).

Coffee, the chief agriculturalexport*, accounts for 60%of export earnings and isgrown mainly on smallfarms. Ethiopia is thebirthplace of the coffeeplant. Ethiopia has fewknown minerals and there isvery little industrialdevelopment. There are veryfew jobs outside agriculture.Some small factoriesproduce building materials,footwear, tyres, foodprocessing and textiles*.

About 20% of Ethiopianslive in towns and enjoy a

Ethiopia

LAKE VICTORIA

LAKE KYOGA

CAIRO

ASWAN HIGH DAM

LAKE NASSER

KHARTOUM

LAKE TANA

LAKE ALBERT

DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

OF CONGO

higher standard of living.Ethiopia is ranked amongthe world’s ten poorestcountries, in fact some say itis at the bottom of the list.It is one of the world’s leastdeveloped countries. 38% ofthe population is illiterate*.There is only one doctor forevery 79,000 people, whichis the worst figure in theworld. The infant mortality*rate is 125 per 1000 livebirths. Medical needs aregreatly increased by famine(the most recent famineoccurred in 2003).

Ethiopia is different to otherAfrican countries because ithas existed as a nation formore than 2000 years. It wasstrong enough to resistItalian attempts at colonialoccupation* during thegreat “Scramble for Africa”.

It has had an unsettledpolitical history with a 30year war against the

Eritrean People’s LiberationFront. This ended withindependence for Eritrea inApril 1993, but there is anuneasy peace and theeffects of the war are stillbeing felt. More than halfthe people of Ethiopiadepend on internationalfood aid for survival.

Main Crops

• Grain (teff and sorghum)

• Barley

• Wheat

• Bananas (enset)

• Coffee

Ethiopia is one of Africa’s largest countries, with an area of 1.12 million km2.Most of the land is highlands*, rising to 4000m. The land falls towardsKenya in the south and the Ogaden Desert and Somalia in the east.The main rivers are the Blue Nile and the Awash which are both used for irrigation*. Rainfalls mainly in the West, but is unreliable*. Drought* sometimes prevents crops growing; atother times heavy rain erodes* soil from slopes and reduces the area in which crops can begrown. Most Ethiopians live in family clusters* of up to 20 huts without piped water orelectricity and are often miles from the nearest shop or health centre. They must providealmost all their own basic needs.

Farmer with his flock, Lalibela, Ethiopia


Since 1987 Self Help has developed a successful programme for ruraldevelopment*. The reasons for success are: participation of beneficiaries*,partnership*, new ideas and methods, long-lasting equality between menand women, leadership training and a clearly explained starting, finishingand handing-over* system.

Activities and Targets1. Crop Production*

The major crops grown in Sodo Districtare teff*, wheat, barley, maize, coffeeand various vegetable crops. Regulardroughts* and poor quality land makesit difficult to grow cereals* andvegetables. Fertilisers*, pesticides* andinsecticides* are not available whenneeded. Helping farmers to getimproved seeds* and fertilisers wouldresult in a bigger supply of food and awider range of crops.

The main aims are to help farmers buyimproved seeds and pesticides, provideirrigation* and grow a wider range ofcrops. The plan is to grow drought-resistant* enset*, coffee and vegetables.

Coffee production

Coffee is a major cash crop in Ethiopia.Farmers want to grow more coffee inSodo District. The project will produceand distribute 300,000 coffee seedlings*per year.

Enset Production

Enset is a drought-tolerant* plant and a major food for the Sodo people.Enset plants will be distributed and

Case Study 1: Supporting Ethiopian farmers

2. Setting up Co-ops

Farmers will be helped to set up theirown co-operatives. These co-operativeswill be based on irrigation watersharing farmers along with vegetableand fruit crop producers.

The main vegetable crops will betomatoes, peppers, onions, potatoes,cabbage, carrots and kale. Theproject would provide irrigationpumps, vegetable seeds, pipes andfruit tree seedlings.

Location: Sodo District in SouthEastern Ethiopia

Group: 113,307 Beneficiaries

Budget: Total budget of Birr 10,949,950(10 Birr = e1)

Duration: five years starting in 2001

There are a large number of activitiesin this project but, for the purposes ofthis book, crop production andIrrigation will be the focus.

planted in low rain fall areas thathave suitable soils.

100,000 enset suckers* will beproduced and distributed to farmerseach year. Enset nurseries* will be setup to provide enset seedlings tointerested farmers.

Horticultural* crop production

Horticultural crop production(cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoesetc.) for the family diet and for sale isunknown in most parts of the projectarea. These crops will be introducedand promoted.

Small scale irrigation schemes

Two irrigation schemes of 40 hectareseach (total 80 hectares) will be set upduring the five years. These schemeswill produce vegetables and fruit treesto help provide jobs for the people.

StudentExerciseYou have been givenexamples of two activitiesthat will be covered inthis project area.

What in your opinion isanother importantactivity? Explain yourchoice and show how thiswill be achieved.

Management skills*

Beneficiaries will be helped todevelop management skills so thatthey will be able to run the schemeswith the Ministry of Agriculture andthe project staff.

Farmer, Dodota, Ethiopia

Bateri Berbo with her cabbage crop,Odo Vegetable Irrigation Association,Meki, Ethiopia


Water is essential to allforms of life. There isan increasing demandfor water world-wide.Populations* areincreasing but thesupply of wateravailable is decreasingdue to pollution*.

The demand for water in urban areas*in developing countries will increasegreatly in the decades* ahead.Groundwater* levels are falling in keyrivers, lakes and reservoirs*. Water isavailable to farmers through tubewells*,irrigation* schemes, crop spraying andother methods. As resources get scarce itis the poor and weak who suffer firstand most.

Water for agriculture is being squeezedas more water is needed in urban areas.Agriculture has grown used to cheapand plentiful water in irrigated areas.Amounts of food grown have risensharply in recent decades due to highyielding varieties* and increasedfertiliser* use.

The growth in populations and the moveto towns and cities have created newchallenges. How can the needs offarmers who produce the food neededfor all be supplied along with thegreater demand for water in the urbanareas? When there is pressure ongovernments to deal with conflictingdemands then the louder urbandwellers* get priority*. Where does thisleave the farmers/food producers?

Greater efforts must be put into makingthe most of what is available at present.One way to do this is to waste less. Dripirrigation*, for example, delivers waterdirect to the plant roots rather thandrenching* the whole field. This makessure that 95% of the water gets to the

crop and boosts the amount of foodproduced by up to 90% over traditionalmethods. New varieties of seeds andfoods that use less water and can copebetter with drought* must bedeveloped. New developments mustrespect traditional methods andknowledge. The impact* on theenvironment, changes to the foodchain* and the effects on people’shealth cannot be ignored.

A simpler way to save water is to eatless meat. Livestock* convert largeamounts of plant material into smalleramounts of meat, so each kilogram ofmeat takes far more water to producethan a kilogram of grain.

Water: The importance of water for food security*

Another method is water harvesting*(see Book 1 “Water”, p.11). Buildsystems for catching the water, put itinto reservoirs and then onto the fields.“The irrigation age has bypassed* thesmall poor farmers of 2 hectares or less,”says Sandra Postel of the Global WaterPolicy Project. “Simpler, cheaper systemsmust be put in place”.

Kofi Annan (Secretary General of theUnited Nations) urges ”a BlueRevolution in agriculture that focuses*more on the amount of food per unit ofwater. More crop per drop.”

The emphasis is on getting more for less.“Water productivity”* must increase by60% in irrigation schemes and by 35% inrainfed agriculture* in the next 20 years.

Higher yields world-wide will benecessary but not enough. “We need ahuge change in the amount ofcarbohydrate* we can produce per unitof water,” says Wayne Meyer ofAustralia’s Land and Water division. “It’sgot to be seen as important as puttingman on the moon”.

It must be done in a way thatovercomes* poverty and shares thebenefits among all the people. It needsto pay more attention to the needs ofother users of water. We need to findways, globally*, to co-manage water foragriculture and nature, for industry anddomestic use*. Working together ratherthan competing* and fighting witheach other.

Student ActivityCalculate* how much water you use in aday. Use the following table to help you

Glasses of water 4 glasses = 1 litre

Soft drinks 3 cans = I litre

Flushing toilet 10 litres per flush

Cups of tea/coffee 5 cups = 1 litre

Bath 80 litres

Shower 40 litres

Brushing teeth 3 litres

Washing clothes 20 litres

Aojabule village fish pond, Asamuk, Uganda


The Nile is the longest river in the world. Its twomain sources are the lakes close to the Equatorand the highlands of Ethiopia. The first collectsits water from year round rain over theDemocratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania,Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya. Waterfrom the highlands of Ethiopia feeds three mainrivers: the Sobat, the Blue Nile and the Atbara.

Forecasts estimate* that the river’spopulation* of 300 million in 2000, willdouble by the year 2025. Pressure isput on water resources throughdrinking and sanitation*,deforestation* and using water forirrigation* for food production.

Water is essential* for life and ahealthy population. The percentage ofthe population able to get clean andsafe water ranges from 18% inEthiopia to 86% in Egypt. Demand isset to increase greatly.

Water is needed for food production*.Irrigation methods are not efficientand 90% of the water taken from theNile is used for agriculture, e.g. togrow 1 tonne of wheat takes 1000tonnes of water and rice takes doublethis amount.

The region’s growth in food lagsbehind the growth in population. In allcountries in the region, with theexception of Egypt, there has been ahuge drop in the amount of foodproduced per capita*. In the most

The Nile: Source of life; source of concern and conflict

extreme case of Ethiopia, the amountof food available per person is aquarter of what it was 20 years ago.For an already malnourished* people,making sure of water for foodproduction is crucial, but solving theproblem is a very difficult task.

A growing population needs morewater. The amount available isshrinking due to natural and man-made causes. There are plans to solvethis problem but there is a lack ofmoney. Some new dams and canals arebeing constructed in Egypt.

In many countries debt problems, alack of good government and civil warshave made it difficult to get moneyfrom international funders*. There arealso problems with damage to theenvironment in trying to solve theproblems of water supply.

People affect water resources throughdeforestation. Trees are cleared toexpand cropland*, gain free access tofuel wood and build houses. Theforest areas of the Nile basin havebeen shrinking at a rate of 1% per

LAKE VICTORIA

LAKE KYOGA

CAIRO

ASWAN HIGH DAM

LAKE NASSER

KHARTOUM

LAKE TANA

LAKE ALBERT

DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

OF CONGO

year. In Ethiopia, at present rates, theforests will have disappeared by theyear 2025 (see article on“Deforestation” in this book).

There is no official organisation tomanage the Nile basin, its tributaries*and lakes. Agreements have beendrawn up involving different countries.Some of the older treaties* weresigned long ago and gave power overthe river and other resources to foreigncompanies and governments.

History teaches us that internationallaws are not strictly followed. Thepopulation is growing but the watersupply is not. This means that sooner orlater wars will be fought over water.Governments must sit down and drawup a plan where everyone makes asacrifice* but everyone gains something.This has been done before by thecountries along the Nile Basin. Lessonscan be learned from history and withthe development of new technologyand methods there is hope. Solutionscan and must be found.

Questions1. Why is theRiver Nile soimportant to somany people?

2. Why is it the cause ofso much fighting?

3. How can the problemsbe solved?

4. Give a vision of the Nilebasin in the year 2020.

Pump irrigation system, Keren, Eritrea

16 *see Glossary at back for explanation *see Glossary at back for explanation 17

Deforestation is posinga real threat to theworld right now. Halfof the rainforests* arealready gone and therest are facing totaldestruction. Withoutlarge areas of forestthe world will notsurvive. One fifth ofthe oxygen* webreathe is produced bythe Amazon rainforest.One major reason for deforestation isworld debt, which stands at e1.3trillion. The countries with the highestdebts are often the ones with thelargest rainforests. They are put underpressure to cut down the forests tomeet the repayments and in spite ofthis the debts grow bigger and bigger.

Population growth is also a reason.More land is cleared to grow foodand also meet the needs of thepeople for firewood. 90% ofEthiopia’s forests are gone and withinten years the country will beimporting* timber to meet its needs.

The United Nations Food andAgricultural Organisation says thatranching* and logging* are the maincauses of deforestation. Small-scalefarmers clear the land to produce“cash crops”* which give a quickreturn. The international drugs trade is

Deforestation* a cash crop that deserves specialmention. Vast areas of forest arecleared to grow coca for crack andcocaine, and poppies for heroin. Thesecrops have a 4,000% profit mark upbetween the developing country andthe European markets.

Reclaimed rainforest is used forranching. Ranchers clear large areas tohave grassland for cattle. As meat istoo expensive for the local people, thebeef that is produced is almost alwaysexported* to produce fast-foodhamburgers or pet food supplies.

(The cost of eliminating world hungeris e14 billion per year; e17 billion peryear is spent on pet food in Europe andthe USA.)

Effects

Forests act as “carbon sinks” whichmeans that trees store large amountsof carbon* and keep it out of theatmosphere*. For example 1 hectare offorest can extract* 10 tonnes of carbondioxide* from the atmosphere eachyear. The cutting down of trees and theburning of wood releases carbon intothe atmosphere causing heat, thatwould otherwise escape, to bereflected* back to the earth. Thiscauses global warming*. Globalwarming leads to the melting of thepolar icecaps* and a rise in sea levels. Ifpresent sea level change continuesthere will be a 1.5 metre rise over thenext 40 years. Poorer countries will nothave the resources to defendthemselves against such huge changes(see Book 1 “Water”, p.18).

Acid rain*

Fossil fuels (oil, petrol, gas, peat andcoal) are burned at a huge rate worldwide. This fuel releases nitrogen oxide*and sulphur dioxide* into the air. This

turns the rain, fog, sleet and snow intoacid. This acid affects forests, rivers andlakes world wide. Rain as acidic aslemon juice falls on parts of Norwayevery year. 80% of its southern lakesand streams are in critical condition* ortechnically dead. It is the same story inother European countries like Poland,Germany and Switzerland.

The bad effects of what we docombined with the destruction ofnatural resources are leading to anenvironmental disaster*. It seems thatit is only a question of time unless wechange our attitudes and habits. Canwe afford to delay?

StudentExerciseCan you identifyfive products(mainly furniture) thathave come from tropicalrainforests?

How does the fast foodindustry affect therainforest?

Explain how “acid rain”forms.

Give one other exampleof the world-wide effectof deforestation.

How can each individualhelp solve the problemscaused by deforestation?

Deforestation, Keren, Eritrea


In colonial days* Uganda was relativelyprosperous*. It was under British controlbut was encouraged to manage its ownaffairs and develop its resources*.

Uganda is a fertile land*, well wateredand with a kind climate, but there issoil erosion* and deforestation*. It hasdeposits* of copper and cobalt* whichhave not been developed. Much of thecountry lies between the east and westarms of the Great Rift Valley system.This is a wide savannah* belt,supporting one of the last greatwildlife communities of the Africangrasslands. The south-eastern borderruns through Lake Victoria. The Nileruns north-west from the lake throughcentral Uganda. The lakes and riverskeep Uganda fairly cool, the chiefexception being the Karamoja districtwhere rainfall is uncertain and the landis semi-desert.

Uganda gained independence on 9 October 1962. At the time it had thehighest percentage of westerneducated people and was well suppliedwith schools and hospitals. Within adecade* it had crumbled into a tragicshambles. From the start Uganda wastorn with tribal* and regional battles.It had a number of different kingdomseach wanting to gain power andcontrol. There were huge differences inlanguage and culture. This led to IdiAmin gaining power in 1971.

From the start Amin was a harsh ruler,taking control of foreign ownedproperty and expelling all Asians withBritish passports (almost all the businesscommunity). These businesses werehanded over to Ugandans who had noexperience of running them and the

Uganda: “The Pearl of Africa”

economy* fell apart.It is estimated thatbetween 100,000and 300,000 peoplewere brutally killed during Amin’sreign. Amin was overthrown in 1979after he tried to take over part ofTanzania but was easily beaten by thetroops of Julius Nyerere.

Uganda got stable government* in1986 when Yoweri Museveni came topower. Inflation* dropped from 300%in 1987 to 23% by 1994.

Only 20% of the people of Ugandalive in towns. In remote areas life haschanged little, most people still growtheir own food, family ties are strongand urban dwellers*are able to getfood from country cousins. Few cropsare grown. In the south the mainfood is a green banana called“matoke”, while in the north it ismillet and sorghum.

Agriculture produces 60% of the grossnational product (GDP)* and employs*80% or the country’s workforce. MostUgandans are small farmers. Peopleplant cash crops of tea, coffee, cottonand tobacco while potatoes, millet*,maize and cassava* are the main foodcrops. Coffee is still Uganda’s mostimportant export* and the governmentis looking for ways to reduce itsdependency* on it. Uganda’s industries,such as sugar, brewing, tobacco,textiles* and cement are showing anannual growth rate of seven%. Asianshave been invited back and theirproperty has been given back to them.The Mombasa–Kampala railway isrunning again after many years ofhostility* between Kenya and Uganda.

Questions1. Show how Uganda isfortunate in terms of:climate, location andresources.

2. Show the differencesto the economy of theregimes* of Idi Amin andYoweri Museveni.

3. Uganda wants toreduce its dependence on cash-crops. Why?

4. Design and write yourown post card to a friendfrom Uganda.

Museveni is due to retire in 2006. Thereis an elected non-party assembly* whichis gaining power but many people fearthat old tribal rivalries* could onceagain create divisions* and problems. Ifstability* and growth continues thenUganda may be considered one of themore fortunate African countries.

LAKE VICTORIA

LAKE KYOGA

CAIRO

ASWAN HIGH DAM

LAKE NASSER

KHARTOUM

LAKE TANA

LAKE ALBERT

DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

OF CONGO

Worksheet 11. Most of our food today isnot fresh. We ‘preserve’food in many ways, e.g.frozen chips. Africanfarmers preserve food bydrying it in the sun. Fromyour kitchen at home findout how many differentways we preserve food.

2. How many different‘grains’ or grain productscan you find in your kitchene.g. ‘cornflakes’?

3. Colonial farming replacedfood crops with cotton. Doa survey in your class to findout what clothes are madeof cotton. Are cottonclothes cheap or expensive?

4. In 1845 Ireland had300,000 farms under 2hectares. In 1851 Irelandhad 88,000 farms under 2hectares. In 1910 Irelandhad 62,000 farms under 2hectares. Show thisinformation on a bar chart.

What happened duringthese years to reduce thenumber of small farms?

5. The diet of most Irishpeople in the nineteenthcentury was potatoes. Makea list of all the foods thatyou eat in a day andcompare it to therecommended intake fromthe food pyramid. Try togroup them into thedifferent levels as shown onthe food pyramid.

6. What is the difference inyour diet and that of avegetarian?


The forests of Uganda areunder strain, according to DrTony Finch, the EU consultant*working with the ForestryDepartment. Uganda has atpresent 4.9 million hectares(11.75 million acres) undertrees providing the 22 millionpeople with 90% of their fueland energy needs and most oftheir food and shelter. 3.7million hectares (8.8 millionacres) are in private hands.50% of the tropical highforests are governmentowned nature reserves* whichcannot be used.

The government has passed a Forestand Land Bill which means the ownershave to use environmentally friendly*ways to develop these resources.

A big problem to be dealt with is theuse of wood in producing energy. Treesand timber cut up and used in firessupply about 30 times as much energy asoil and electricity combined. Industry*gets almost 80% of its energy (fuel)needs this way. If Uganda was to get itsenergy (fuel) from other sources thenthe annual* import* bill would rise bye300 million. Industries like tea, sugar,bricks, tobacco, tiles and food processingall depend heavily on wood. Sawnwood, panelling and other products areworth more than e40 million a year tothe country in export income. Thebuilding industry, growing by 10%–20%annually, uses wood for doors, beams,

roofs, scaffolding and fencing.According to Dr. Finch, “The quality oflife of every person in Uganda dependson the output of the forests. There isstill time for farmers and privateinvestors* to avoid a future energy crisiswhich will destroy a large part of theforests that remain”.

What is urgently needed are fast-growing tree plantations. Thealternative* will be to depend onimported timber. At least 100,000hectares will have to be grown over thenext 20 years if all the demand for sawnwood is to be met. As the populationgrows there is greater pressure on theforests. Trees will be chopped down togive people land for food production.The dangers are that too many treeswill be chopped down and that therewill be a lack of controls.

The only hope is that money will comefrom private and public sourcesincluding international donors. There isalready some replanting by a localprivate company and foreign interests(Norway, Germany and Saudi Arabia).On a local level more than 200individuals and families have startedsmall plantations* and nurseries* (see“Eladu Robert”).

There is still a long way to go. A lot ofwork has to be done on a local, nationaland international level to ensure* thatthe needs of all can be met in a waythat safeguards the future.

Protecting and Developing the Forests of Uganda

The key to success in development work is that from the start the peoplewho benefit are fully involved, have all the information and are in controlof what is happening. It is vitally important to meet and discuss withthem the needs of their community. Their knowledge and skills determinewhat can be done and what new projects can be started. The abilities andcapacity of the people are the building blocks for the future. Developmentwill involve new skills and knowledge. As the projects are in the hands ofthe people, long-term growth and expansion of the work depends on theshort-term results and benefits to them.

Case Study 2: Uganda; meeting basic needs

Exercise1. Explain why trees areimportant to Uganda.

2. Give five different uses for timber.

3. How does growth inpopulation affect trees?

Since 1999 Self Help has focused* itswork on meeting the simplest andmost basic needs of the people. Thefirst step was to meet the people andget them working together. From thestart they were in control andresponsible for the progress of thework. They are working for themselvesand any benefits that come from thisbelong to them.

In July 1999, Self Help starteddeveloping the Asamukpilot project in50 villages. The three-year project isfocused on improving householdincome* and supplying clean and safewater. In two years a lot was done to:

• Distribute improved seed* of themajor food crops (cassava, groundnuts,sorghum and green gram)

• Support income generatingactivities*

• Provide clean and safe water

Food Security

• Supplied improved seed ofgroundnuts (5,273 kg), sorghum(6,310 kg), green gram (1,240 kg)and cassava cuttings (1,244 bags)

• Built four seed banks* in Obur,Asamuk, Ajaki and Atirir parishes

• Distributed pineapple suckers* andcassava cuttings*

Income Generation

• Supported 27 poultry* groups with1,450 pullets (layer birds)

• Supplied 110 modern bee hives to 11groups of farmers

• Supported 8 groups of fish farmers

• Supplied two exotic* Boer he-goats for the improvement of thelocal goats

Rural Water Development

• Built three shallow wells*

• Constructed six boreholes

Other Activities

• Supplied six groundnut grindingmachines* to six groups of women

• Trained 57 groups of farmers onpoultry production, 14 on fish farming, 22 on bee keeping and six on pineapple production

• Supplied 782 seedlings ofimproved seed oranges andmangoes to farmers

Challenges

• To support more farm families

• Support activities other thanagriculture, that help ruraldevelopment

Bessie Oluka, Moro village, Asamuk, has established anursery of 40 trees.


Ari Van der Wel came toIreland in the 1960s as aforestry student*. This washis ‘work experience’ as partof his forestry diploma froma private forestry college inArnhem, Holland. Ireland atthat time had only 2% of itsland under trees and wasundergoing a massive re-afforestation programme*.The Forestry Department hadmany state forests and eacharea had its own treenursery*. Ari liked thecountry and the people somuch that he completed hisdiploma and returned in1966 to stay. With few jobsin Ireland, and immigrants*not so welcome, Ari had tosign a document* statingthat he had enough moneyand would not sign on the“dole”*. So he had to makea living without any help! Hecame to live in Aughrim,Co.Wicklow where histraining had begun.

Ari Van der Wel

As with any entrepreneur* he tried lotsof jobs. He bought trees and sold themfor timber, he worked in local forestryprojects, he took on contract work* insome of the large estates in the areaand bought 6 acres of hill land. He metMaria and they got married. Theybought the rest of the hill farm andwith his farming background* theytried many ventures* to earn a living.Ari bought some sheep and cattle, theygrew vegetables for local markets, theybegan a small tree nursery and grewhedging plants*. All this time Ari wasstill travelling to work on forestrycontracts wherever he could get them.

With lots of advice and help from localforestry workers and a developingafforestation* programme, the nurserybecame a success and Ari decided toput all his efforts into this business. Asforestry development is driven bygrants and government policies, thedemand for trees for planting wasnever steady. In the 1980s Ari wasgetting the equivalent of e180 for1,000 young plants, today he will onlyget e140. So the business needed todiversify* and the garden end of thebusiness expanded, supplying hedging,ornamental plants* and flowers. Nowthe Cappagh Nursery and GardenCentre is a thriving business. Aribought a 30 acre site near the town ofAughrim to establish a good retailcentre* alongside the main road. Histhree children were always helpingaround the nursery and are all part ofthe business today. Nicolette did athree year horticultural* diploma inTermonfeckin, County Louth,specialising in seed propagation*, shenow runs the sales to the public from

the garden centre. Ari (junior) nowmarried with three children, did aforestry degree in U.C.D. and runs thetree nursery. Monique is theaccountant* of the family and helpswith the sales, she is married with twochildren. This is a real family businessbegun by a young entrepreneur whocame to Ireland, not with a greatvision, but simply with the wish to havea family and provide for them. Ari putshis success down to hard work, localhelp and changing to meet demands.Enjoying life and taking time for familyis of great importance too and whilethe rest of us trip to the garden centreson Sunday, the Van der Wel familybusiness remains shut, as Sunday isfamily day.

*see Glossary at back for explanation 23

Eladu Robert sparkles with energy forlife. He is a 24-year-old Ugandanstudent, farmer and entrepreneur*. Hehas finished secondary school and wouldlove to go on to university but hischances are very slim. His only hope isthat he will win a governmentscholarship* to study agriculture orforestry. He could go to a local third-level college but the big problem is that the fees are very high.

Robert has a great knowledge of thetrees and plants in his local area and hehas set up his own nursery. “OasisNursery” is in its second year and he hasa lot of orders on his books from localfarmers who want to buy treeseedlings*. Robert has grown theseseedlings from seeds that he collectedfrom trees and plants in his locality*.The more uncommon varieties weregrown from seeds he bought from agovernment run horticultural unit* inMbale, which is 40 miles from his village.Robert knows that some seeds have tobe carefully collected and stored toensure* germination* and growth. Thisknowledge and care is what makesRoberts project a success. The nurserywas his own idea and enterprise.

Robert’s father died when he was onlynine years old. He lives with his threegrandmothers and his aunt. Robert’smaternal grandfather* had three wivesand he divided the land among themwith the first wife getting the largestportion. Robert and his brother(Michael, 26) will inherit* 3.75 hectares(nine acres) of land and part of this landmakes up “Oasis Nursery”. As the onlyadult male living with these old womenRobert is concerned about wanting to

go to college and yet leave them with aprovider* and protector*. LuckilyMichael is willing to take on thisresponsibility. Michael left school at theage of 14 and went for horticulturaltraining to the local Catholic mission.Robert got a lot of his knowledge fromhis older brother, some from his scienceclasses in school and a great deal fromthe elders* in his village, who told himabout the different plants and their usesin terms of food, shade and medicine.This combination of respect for theknowledge of the past and the use ofmodern resources and techniques give asense of confidence in Robert.

Robert and his grandmothers got agrant from Self Help to buy some hensand they also got 200 suckers* forimproved variety* pineapple plants.

He is an intelligent, capable*,resourceful* and skilful young man. Hebuilt all the little one roomed housesand huts that make up theirhomestead*. He dug the hole for the pitlatrine* (with government advice) andhe also built the hen house ensuringthat they remain free of disease andsafe from wild animals. Recently whenan old Shia-nut tree broke in a stormRobert collected the sap which can beused in a soap that is very good for skin

Eladu Robert problems. He also made eight beehives(using an ancient local technique) fromlarge branches and some of the woodhe has dried and stored for buildingplans in the future.

Michael will take good care of hiselderly relatives when Robert leaves togo to college. These ties of familyloyalty* are the backbone of a simplerural community. There are strong familybonds and everybody shares the benefitsof the work done. Robert is a youngman who grasped the opportunities andmade the most of what was around him.There is a bright and prosperous futureahead for Uganda if Robert and otheryoung entrepreneurs get the supportand encouragement they need.

Questions1. What type of personmakes a successfulentrepreneur?

2. What are Robert’smain difficulties?

3. How are thingsdifferent in this part ofthe world?

4. Imagine you are ayoung entrepreneurhere, describe whatsteps you would take insetting up yourenterprise and whatsupport systems youwould have?


96% of the farms inSub-Saharan Africa aresmall, farming lessthan 5 hectares, withover two thirds havingless than 1 hectare(2.4 acres). Small farmsproduce over 90% ofthe region’s food.

Small farmers are efficient*, makingbetter use of their land than manylarge farmers but the majority are verypoor. UN statistics show that over twothirds of rural people in most Sub-Saharan countries are in absolutepoverty*, living on less than e1 a day.The situation is getting worse. Theregion is now suffering with the majorhealth problem of HIV/AIDS. 13.7million of the 16.8 million adultwomen living with HIV/AIDS are inAfrica, the vast majority in rural areas.

Most of these small-scale, food-insecure* farms have problems gettingto markets and have few inputs* suchas fertiliser* and high yielding seedvarieties*. The land is often in poorcondition and most are far fromservices* and roads.

Small farmers in Sub-Saharan Africaare also faced with new problemsand challenges:

(a) The decline* in world prices fortraditional exports* such as cocoa,coffee, cotton and tea, with increasingcosts for inputs because subsidies* havebeen removed.

In 2001/2002 the World Bank and theInternational Monetary Fund advisedthe Government of Malawi to stoppaying part of the price of inputs forfood production. As a result farmershave been unable to produce surplusfood* for storage* for future use. Withno food in storage a serious foodshortage* was the result. This causedanother famine in that country.

(b) Trends* towards globalisation*should give small farmers access to

Supporting Farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa*.

Exercise1.What does the poem tell of the history of Africa?

2.What is the strongest feeling in the poem? Givesreasons for your choice.

3.Draw a picture to show what the poem means to you.

4.Pick a song or piece of music to go with the poem

5.Looking at the example from W. B. Yeats, write a shortthree-line poem to add to this.

world markets but really mean thatthese farmers lose much of the urbanmarkets* of their towns and cities toimported goods* from other countries.

Small farmers cannot compete withglobalisation. To prevent these smallfarmers becoming unskilled labourersin the world economy, governments,non-government organisations, theprivate sector* and the internationaldonor community* must take action.

• The needs of small farmers must begiven attention when makingnational policy*

• Urgent steps must be taken to makeHIV/AIDS drugs freely and cheaplyavailable

• Provide governments with themeans to invest* in education,health and rural infrastructure(roads, irrigation schemes etc.).Cancelling debts is vitally importantfor these governments

• Make well designed and easily usedtechnology available to the smallfarmers

• Reduce the costs of fertilisers andother inputs and make credit*available

The future of the small farmers of Sub-Saharan Africa depends on combinedaction so that they can survive andcompete in the global economy*.

I singof the beauty of Athenswithout its slaves.

Of a free worldof kings and queens and other remnants*of an arbitrary past*.

Of earthwith no sharp northor deep southwith blind curtains or iron walls

of the endof warlords* and armouries*and prisons of hate and fear.

Of deserts treeing and fruiting after the quickening rains

Of the sunradiating* ignorance*and stars informing*nights of unknowing

I sing of a world reshaped*.(Niyi Osundare, Nigeria)

Sing on; somewhere, at some new moon,

We’ll learn that sleeping is not death,

Hearing the whole earth change its tune.

(W.B. Yeats, Ireland)

I Sing of Change

Tesfay Abraha, Madeo village, Emni Haile district, Eritrea

Farmers from the Koro irrigation site, Dodota, Ethiopia

Bananas feed 400million people intropical countries*.They are vital to thesmall farmers whogrow, eat or sellthem at the localmarkets, and alsofor the poorestpeople. For manydeveloping countries,banana exports* arean important sourceof income*.

90% of the bananas grownare eaten locally, especiallyin Africa, Latin America andAsia. In some regionsbananas are the main crop.Over 120 countries growbananas. 98% of all bananasand plantains* (type ofbanana used as a vegetable)come from developingcountries. In China peopleeat about two kilograms ofbananas per person per year,in Australia and Indonesiathe figure is 50 kilograms

and in East Africa (Uganda,Rwanda and Burundi) theyeat 250 kilograms per personper year. In some countriesmashed banana is the first

solid food given tobabies.

Bananashave manyother uses.They can beprocessed* to makeflour, crisps, ketchupand beer. Fruit andleaves can be used tofeed animals and they arealso used to make starchand a type of cloth.

In poor countries it is easyfor the people in the countryareas to get bananas, even ifthey are very poor. It is muchmore difficult for people intowns and cities to get themas they are expensive to buy.

Bananas are very easily bruised anddamaged so it can be difficult totransport* them from the farms to thetowns. There are many middlemen*who buy cheaply from the farmers andmake a big profit* selling the bananasto the towns-people. Better roadswould make it much easier for thefarmers to take their bananas to thetowns. They could sell them at acheaper price than the middle-menand still make more profit forthemselves. This would help the poorerpeople in the towns to have ahealthier supply of food.

The price of bananas for people inEurope is largely down to all themiddle-men who are involved inbuying, transporting and selling themto us. In most cases the growers endup with less than 10% of the price wepay for them. A betterand fairer tradingsystem* needs to besupported (See thearticle on “FairTrade” in this book).


Growing Bananas: giving people a supply of good healthy food

800 million people suffer from malnutrition* today. Feeding the world isone of the huge challenges of the twenty-first century. Bananas could bepart of the answer. They are the fourth most important food crop afterrice, wheat and maize. World production stands at 86 million tonnes.

Retailer 4c,

Importer 2c,

Shipping costs 1c,

Export and handling 0.5c,

Warehouse & packaging 1.5c,

Picker/Grower 1c.

Market scene, Kampala, Uganda

Slicing the Banana• Real bananas

(one for each group of 6)• One large paper banana

(one per group)• One large paper banana

coloured to match the graphabove shown above (keep hidden)

• One knife to cut bananas (to be held by teacher)

• Paper and pens.

Divide the groups of 6 andgive everybody in the groupone of these roles:

(a) pickers & growers

(b) importers

(c) packers

(d) wholesalers

(e) shipping company

(f) retailers

Give out paper and pens. Give the pickers/growers a real banana each. The bananacosts 10c in the shop.

Taking into account the shopprice of a banana, eachgroup must decide how mucheach member will receive fortheir labour and costs.

After five minutes eachgroup must present its case infull and fill in the amountson their paper banana.

Reveal the actual situation on the filled in hidden paper banana.

Give the pickers/growers aknife and they must cut thereal bananas in the correctamounts. The pickers will be left with one tenth of the banana.

How do they feel? Is it fair?What can be done about this situation?


Worksheet 21. Unscramble the letters tofind unusual trees fromaround the world. The firstletter of each tree is given.

BBBAOA B

AANNYB B

GGNOIK G

REPJNIU J

LMNOAAIG M

SHUJOA J

AEIOUQS S

2. The oldest tree known toscience is a bristlecone pinecalled ‘The Old Man’ in theWhite Mountains inCalifornia, U.S.A. This tree isover 4,600 years old!

Is this older than(a) Newgrange,(b) The Sphinx,(c) The Great Wall of China?

a

b

c

3. Make an alphabetical listof trees e.g. ash, banyan,cedar… How many can you get?

4. Some trees have theirseeds as fruit, nuts or withwings. In your copy make achart with; “fruit”, “nuts”and “wings” at the top ofthe page. Now place eachof the following trees in theright column; holly,chestnut, sycamore, ash,hazel, blackthorn, mountainash, oak and birch.

5. Collect the seeds of anumber of different treesand try to germinate themin the class. If you aresuccessful you can plant theyoung sapling, if not,Coillte will supply your classwith saplings and guidancein planting.

6. During the FrenchRevolution the peopleplanted ‘Trees of Liberty’ intheir towns and villages.Find out if there are anytrees planted for specialoccasions in your town orvillage. If not then why notbe the first to plant a treefor Self Help!

The name Malawimeans “the lake wheresun-haze is reflected inthe water like fire” andit is from Lake Malawithat the country takesits name. It is the thirdlargest lake in Africa.As “Nyasaland” thecountry was ruled bythe British from 1891to 1964. Malawi hasgreat natural beautywith its lake, grasslandand woodland.Malawi lies in a narrow strip nevermore than 160 kilometres (100 miles)wide and the country’s share of thelake covers one fifth of the lake’s area.The lake, renowned for its goldenbeaches and teeming fish and bird life,lies in a deep valley. Malawi is atourist’s paradise* with loads of resortareas that have water sports andswimming as well as several nationalparks.

Dr Hastings Banda became presidentwhen the country got independence in1964. Having himself declaredpresident for life in 1971 gives anindication of his regime. He controlledevery aspect of life in Malawi, evendictating* what people should wear inthe Dress Act of 1973. During his 30

Malawi

years as president, many thousandswere detained *without trial, torturedand executed*.

In 1992, mounting criticism of hisregime* and a freezing of foreign aid*led to the legalisation* of oppositionparties. A new government came topower after the first elections of 1994.

Malawi depends on foreign aid formore than 80% of its developmentbudget*. It is one of the ten poorestcountries in the world; more than 60%of its population* cannot read or writeand there is an infant mortality rate*of 14%. The government’s priority* hasbeen to tackle poverty and improvehealth and educational services but it isfighting a losing battle with HIV/AIDS.The education system is falling apartdue to the numbers of teachers whohave died of AIDS and this is reflectedthroughout society in Malawi.

Agriculture is still the main occupation,employing over 80% of the people andaccounting for 40% of the grossnational product (GNP)*. ManyMalawians live off their own crops. Thegovernment has encouraged wealthyMalawians to invest* in plantation*farming to increase agricultural exports.This has resulted in more and moreland being held by an elite group* andhas caused an acute* land shortage forthe small-scale peasant farmers*.

The main crops are maize, groundnuts,coffee, beans, cassava, millet and rice

LAKE VICTORIA

LAKE KYOGA

CAIRO

ASWAN HIGH DAM

LAKE NASSER

KHARTOUM

LAKE TANA

LAKE ALBERT

DEMOCRATICREPUBLIC

OF CONGO

on the lake shores as well as tobacco,tea and sugar cane – the main exports– grown on large privately ownedestates. Most tea estates are onterraced hillsides* in the south. Tobacco is grown mainly on the fertilecentral plateau*.

Malawi has deposits of bauxite andcoal but little is mined because theselie in remote areas. Manufacturing,using hydroelectricity*, has beendeveloped in recent years, but imports*of manufactured goods remains large.

Most people live in rural areas and98% of them belong to one of ninegroups: the Chewa, Nyanja, Lomwe,Yao, Tumbuko, Sena, Tonga, Ngoni andNgonde. Most of the people live in thesouth and central region.


Self Help since its foundation* in 1984 has used a “ground-up approach”*to the projects that it has been involved in. Self Help helps to start projectsbut within five years the farm families fully own and are in charge ofthese projects. The activities listed have all been identified by the local people.

Project Activities

Aim: to achieve food self-sufficiency* and a surplus*for sale.

Project activities are asfollows; 100 awarenessmeetings* to 167 villageswill be held over the projectperiod. It will help set-up167 Village Co-ordinatingCommittees (VCCs)* and

train these in groupdynamics* and leadership.

The project will get anddistribute* 40 tonnes ofbeans, 40 tonnes ofgroundnut seed and 20tonnes of soya beans tocommunities. It willdistribute 20 tonnes ofmaize seed to 2,000beneficiaries*. To helpacceptance* of new varieties

Case Study 3: Malawi; ground up approach.

and technologies 60demonstrations will be held.

To improve livestockproduction*, the project willidentify* 30 livestockvillages and help set-up 30Village LivestockDevelopment Committees(VLDCs). It will identify 300beneficiaries to participate*in livestock production andthese 30 VLDCs will betrained in rabbit, pig andguinea fowl rearing*.

The project will buy 60 boargoats, 60 landrace pigs, 50local pigs, 50 local goats tocross with the boar goats,1000 guinea fowls, 50 NewZealand white rabbits fordistribution to thebeneficiaries. It will alsoestablish five model farms,one for each type oflivestock to act asdemonstration sites*.

To stop soil loss andenvironmental damage,the project will identify 60villages for soil and waterconservation* andafforestation*. 60

To decrease marginalisation* ofwomen, the project will help set up 45womens’ groups with a membership of600 women to participate in incomegenerating activities*. These 600women will be trained in businessmanagement to be able to run pettytrading*. Under “food and nutrition”,100 women will be trained in foodprocessing of crops like soya beans,cassava and sweet potato to add valueto the crops. 200 women will betrained in the use of fuel savingdevices*. 400 fuel saving devices will bedistributed to the women. For aregular supply of fuel saving devices,20 women will be trained in makingthese. Afterwards 2 kilograms of seedfor home garden production* will bedistributed. 100 women will be trainedin home vegetable gardening over theproject life.

Beneficiaries will be responsible forplanning and implementing* theproject. They will be responsible forproviding labour* for constructionwork*, materials that are locallyavailable, providing and paying forskilled labour* where required.Beneficiaries will also be responsiblefor opening bank accounts for thedifferent groups.

Finally they will be responsible formonitoring* and evaluating* theproject activities*.

awareness meetings will beheld and 60 Village NaturalResource ConservationCommittees (VNRCCs) willbe formed. These 60VNRCCs will be trained insoil and waterConservation principles*.The VNRCCs will establish60 tree nurseries* and500,000 seedlings* will beraised within the projectperiod.

To boost horticulture*production, 12 horticulturegroups to produce crops willbe formed. 20 tonnes ofIrish potato seed, 20kilograms of vegetable seedsand 100 tonnes of cassavaplants will be bought anddistributed. 30 villagenurseries and 60 individualnurseries will be set up. 12fruit tree nurseries forcommunities and one treenursery for the project willbe set up.

Yamikani Yotamu planting potatoes, Linthipe, Malawi

Market scene, Lilongwe, Malawi


Malawi is a landlocked* countrywedged* between Mozambique,Zambia and Tanzania.

In the year 2002 Malawi had a severefood shortage and famine. Malawi’stenants are among those most affectedby the food crisis. Tenants make up athird of workers in agriculture. Tenantshave no power and no voice. Faminewas caused by people not having landto work and produce food.

In Malawi tenants are landless workers*with no rights. Sometimes there arecontracts* but these are ignored or elsework against the tenants. Often thetenants do not have rights to a lease*.The tenant has very little control overhow the land is used or managed. Forexample tenants are not allowed togrow food crops for their own needs.They are supplied with food rations bytheir landlords.

Lack of control means tenants cannotspend money on growing a regularfood supply for themselves and theirfamilies. This has had a disastrousimpact* on the tenant food supply.Evictions* are explained on the basisthat the landlords are unable to

provide food rations. This terriblesituation creates huge problems.

Changes are needed to give rights totenants. There is also a big questionabout dividing up the land. This wouldgive more people a chance to growtheir own food and decide their future.There are many problems connected tothis issue and it will be very difficult tofind an answer.

Changes and developments need toplan for population growth*, jobcreation* and the need to develop thecountry apart from agriculture. Manyof the problems connected to landownership* go back to colonial times*and the scramble for Africa, whenMalawi was taken over by Britain.Experts in land law, from home andabroad, will be needed to untangle thismany-sided problem.

Malawi will have to continue gettingoutside help to move forward from thisproblem and develop a better andmore secure future* for its people.

Problems of Malawi’s Farm/Estate tenants

world grain trade. Three big companiesdominate*: Cargill, Bungi and Dreyfus.A few TNC’s control 90% of the tradein corn, wheat, coffee, cocoa andpineapples and about 80% of theworld trade in tea. They control 70%of the global market in rice andbananas, and more than 60% of themarket in sugar cane, according to theGlobal Forum* on AgriculturalResearch.

In 2002 the ten largest agriculturalchemical companies* controlled 90%of the world market (Bayer, Monsanto,Dupont and others), 58.4% of thepharmaceutical* market (Pfizer,GlaxoSmithKlein, Novartis and others),34% of the world market in food andbeverages* (Nestlé, Kraft Foods,Unilever, Coca Cola, Mars and others),30% of the world market in seeds(Dupont, Monsanto, Bayer and others).

Twenty years ago, there were thousandsof seed-producing companies, and noneof them controlled even 1% of themarket. Now, ten companies control30% of the market. Also 20 years ago,there were 65 companies producingmaterials for use in agriculture. Today ten companies control 90% of the market.

Now big companies who producedifferent products are merging so thatfood growers have to take a “packagedeal”, e.g. the chemical companies havemerged* with the seed companies. Thiswill spread into the food-processingand drinks industries and in the endthey will be swallowed up by thesupermarket chains. This will meanhuge control over producers* andconsumers*, from seed to supermarket.

In 2002, for the first time in history, thelargest company in the world was notan oil company or a car manufacturer,but a supermarket: Wal-Mart. They havethe biggest sales in North America.

This gives a snapshot of what is in“trade treaties”* and it is clear to seethat the voices of the producers andconsumers are being silenced in thehuge drive to control the people of theworld in the most important way: whatwe eat and drink, when, where andhow it is produced.

Who’s Eating and Who’s Being Eaten?

At the beginning of thenew millennium*, of the100 largest economies*on the planet 51 werecompanies and 49 werecountries. The sales ofthe 500 largest trans-national corporations*are equal to 47% of thegross product* of theplanet, but they providejobs for only 1.59% ofthe worlds workers.Small-scale farmersrepresent 25% of theworld population andthey directly feed halfthe world’s people andan even higherpercentage indirectly*.Multi-national corporations* havehuge influence on the economic,political and social life of countries.Their interests are what move financialinstitutions*, governments and UnitedNations agreements. Treaties* affectingtrade come under their influence in amajor way. They control internationaltrade in so many products, ranging upto 90% in some product areas.

In the year 2000, five transnationalcorporations controlled 75% of the

Exercise1. What is the biggestproblem for tenants inMalawi?

2. How would changes inland ownership help tosolve the problems?

3. Do short dramas ormimes to show:

(a) The situation of thetenant farmers in Malawi.

(b) The views of thelandlords in Malawi.

(c) Different jobsconnected to farming in Malawi.

(d) An eviction scene.

Student ActivityBring in labels,wrappers etc fromfood controlled bybig multi-nationalcompanies. Make aworld map using theseto show their powerand influence.

The Irish tenant farmer* suffered fromthe effects of the Irish famine of1845–48. This experience led to arethink* and eventually change in Irishland holding and land use.

Elisoni Beni a farmer from Chiradzulu, Malawi

David Okwee with his pineapple harvest, Dokolovillage, Asamuk, Uganda


More and more women are participating* in development projects andthis is being reflected* in a more woman-aware approach. Until recently,an African woman in a field would have been described as the farmer’swife. Today we know that she is more likely to be the farmer. Africanwomen produce two thirds of the continent’s agricultural output*. Theassumption* that men go out to work and their wives take care of thehouse and children is not the reality*. It is accepted now that women areequal partners with men in achieving development.

Women are emerging from men’sshadows and becoming visible* in theirown right. Women are learning tospeak out, to voice their own opinionsand wishes. The biggest barrier indevelopment projects is illiteracy*.Nearly two thirds of the billion peoplewho cannot read and write arewomen. High rates of female ascompared to male illiteracy reflectdiscrimination* against women. Insome countries more effort is made toeducate boys than girls. In some cases,women lack support from men whofear losing power if women becomeliterate*. Illiteracy increases theirdependency* on men and lessens theirability to control their own property,wealth and health.

Women are limited by not being ableto read and write and this restricts thedevelopment of the family and thecommunity also. In many cases womendo over 75% of the work in foodproduction* but this is not recognisedbecause the sale of the produce and

No Longer “The Farmer’s Wife”(see Book 1,“Water”, page 14, “A day in the life of a Kenyan Farmer’s Wife”)

Exercise1. What does thechange from “farmer’swife” to “farmer” meanfor women?

2. What is the biggestbarrier to developmentfor women?

3. Give examples of howpeople learn aboutdevelopment.

4. Make acollage ofpicturesshowing thework thatwomen do inthis part ofthe world.

the buying of goods is still in thehands of the men.

The problem of getting the messageacross to people is being overcome bymeetings, workshops, training sessions,radio, video or as started by the villagecommunity in Arubella in NorthUganda by dramatisation*. TheNational Association of Women’sOrganisations in Uganda now use anationwide radio drama series tospread the message.

Letting people know about theknowledge and skills of women as wellas their rights is essential fordevelopment. This should result ingreat strides and big improvementsbeing made for all.

Tsege Weini Gebreab, looking after cattle she purchased through the Credit & Savings scheme.


There are rich and poorpeople in the world. Somehave huge wealth whileothers struggle to getenough to eat each day. Thedifference is often down tothe simple everyday choiceswe make. Many of the thingswe buy in our localsupermarkets come at areasonable price to us. Thepeople who grow andproduce them in developingcountries often end upgetting less than 10% of theprice we pay.

Where is the other 90% going andwho is making big profits* from thetea, coffee, bananas, chocolate andmany other items that we buy?

In many cases it is the multi-nationalcompanies*. They own much of theland in the developing countries andthe people who work it are barely ableto survive on the wages they get, aslittle as e1 a day.

Fair Trade was set up to give a fairprice to the growers and producers*.Enough money from their work to feedand support their families and also tobe able to plan for the future

“After we sold our first cocoa underthe fair trade conditions, the localmiddle-men* immediately raised theirprices. For the first time, we farmerswere able to influence the price of ourcocoa” (Safula, a Sierra Leone Farmer)

“Fair Trade” is not just a name, it isthe way things are done.

Fair Trade was set up by Oxfam (UK) in1964 to change the system. The firstFair Trade shop was opened in TheNetherlands in 1969. By 2003 FairTrade has grown to almost 100organisations in 25 different countries.They buy directly from the growersand producers in developing countriesand sell them through Fair Tradeshops, mail order catalogues*,organic* shops, local markets and nowin supermarkets around the world.

Fair Trade exists to give a fair price tothe producers. Where the price isdecided on international markets*(for example tea, coffee, cocoa) thenthe international price plus an extramargin* is paid. The absence ofmiddle-men in the chain of gettingthe goods from producer to consumermeans that the prices in the shops areoften lower and the producer gets ahigher price.

There are now 2,500 productsavailable through Fair Trade. Coffee,tea, cocoa, sugar, wine, fruit juices,chocolate, nuts, spices, rice and mostrecently bananas are part of therange of goods for sale.

ActionNow it is over to you to raiseawareness of Fair Trade in your family,school and local community.

Fair Trade

Find the following words:

Arid, Tenant, Irrigation,Soil, Contours, Conifer,Grain, Africa, Plantain,Food, Teff, Pest, Ghana,Tutsi.

Find the two letters ofthe alphabet which aremissing from the word-search box. Use theseletters and the letters : A,L, and I to spell an Africancountry.

Malawi Crossword(based on information on pages 29-32)

across1. third of agricultural workers3. 1891–19645. lift up half a million7. national language10. no tag tribe11. battle and president12. source of aluminium14. 80% national budget15. how to put on your clothes

down2. 80% of employment4. big letters6. salted and roasted8. go west and find9. third largest lake in africa13. decrease marginalisation of…

Worksheet 3

1 2 3 4

5 6

7 8

9 10

11

12

13

14

15

Things to doCampaign to have yourschool shop sell Fair Trade goods.

In the school canteen and staff-room have FairTrade tea and coffeeavailable.

Find out what shops inyour area sell Fair Tradegoods and shop there.

Get your local supermarketto stock Fair Tradeproducts and then makesure that your family andfriends shop there.

Set up a Fair Trade groupin your school who willbuy, advertise and sell the goods to the studentsand others.Contact Fair Trade at www.maketradefair.com


Quiz

A. 50 million

B. 80 million

C. 110 million

D. 144 million

The population of Africa in1900 was

Qu

esti

on

1

A. 100,000

B. 230,000

C. 480,000

D. 610,000

The average increase in theworld’s population per day is

Qu

esti

on

6

A. e25 billion

B. e17 billion

C. e8 billion

D. e900 million

The amount of money spenton pet food in Europe andthe USA each year is

Qu

esti

on

11

A. 32

B. 39

C. 43

D. 47

At present the number ofcountries in mainland Africa is

Qu

esti

on

2

A. Carbohydrate

B. Fat

C. Protein

D. Vitamins

Which type of food shouldmake up the largest part of our daily diet

Qu

esti

on

7

A. Coillte

B. Crann

C. FÁS

D. Teagasc

The name of the IrishForestry Service is

Qu

esti

on

12

A. 0.2 hectare

B. 1 hectare

C. 1.5 hecatre

D. 5 hectare

The average amount ofcultivated land per person inthe world today is

Qu

esti

on

3

A. 2 kg

B. 25 kg

C. 100 kg

D. 250 kg

The average amount ofbananas eaten per person peryear in Uganda is

Qu

esti

on

8

A. Malawi

B. Uganda

C. Ethiopa

D. Kenya

Dr Hastings Banda waspresident of which country

Qu

esti

on

13

A. Eritrea

B. Sudan

C. Egypt

D. Libya

The Nile Delta is in whichcountry

Qu

esti

on

4

A. TheNetherlands

B. Germany

C. Britain

D. Ireland

Fair Trade opened its firstshop in which country

Qu

esti

on

9

A. 50 per 1,000

B. 75 per 1,000

C. 100 per 1,000

D. 125 per 1,000

The infant mortality rate inEthiopia is

Qu

esti

on

14

A. The WarmHeart of Africa

B. The Pearl ofAfrica

C. The BreadBasket of Africa

D. The SunshineState of Africa

Uganda is known as

Qu

esti

on

5

A. Methane

B. Nitrogen

C. Carbon Dioxide

D. Oxygen

Which type of gas do trees takefrom the earth’s atmosphere

Qu

esti

on

10 15. The biggest barrier to

development for women inAfrica is

Qu

esti

on

15

Answers on inside back cover

Trees are vitally important to the environment*. They help to hold thewater table* at a level that allows our farm families and rural dwellers*,towns and cities to exist. If trees were not there most of the water wouldvanish into the earth’s crust. In addition, trees also give us shelter, cleanair, timber and other natural resources.

In 1900 only 1% of the land of Irelandwas covered by forests. By 2000 this hadincreased to almost 10%. This is a bigincrease but it is still the lowest in theEU. 25% of Germany is covered byforests and 35% of Poland is given overto forestry.

In Ireland the 1960s saw a big increase inthe amount of land being used forforestry. Today in spite of stricter budgetguidelines* forestry continues to grow.More and more private investors* haveplanted trees.

The future plans to cut back onagricultural production* means thatmany farmers are now looking atgrowing trees as a way of making use oftheir land. Generous grants have beengiven by the Irish government to helpthe planting of trees. Coillte; the IrishForestry Service is responsible forsupporting and developing this industry.40 million trees are grown by Coillte ona yearly basis. This is a big investment inthe future of Ireland. The decline in therainforests of the world continues at analarming rate. Ireland must plan for itsfuture needs and also play its part inbuilding a safe and healthy environmentfor all the people of the world.

Irish people must learn from theexample of the forestry service. This

Coillte: The Irish Forestry Service

Student ChallengeOrganise a campaign to;

1. Raise awareness ofenvironmental issues, e.g.use of water.

2. Buy trees from Coillteor from a local nursery.

If possible sell the treesto the public as part ofan awareness raisingcampaign (donateproceeds to charity).

Plant the trees in theschool grounds, publicarea, or at home.

3. Organise a campaignto buy “Fair Trade”products in the school.

means that we must plant more treeseach year, especially deciduous trees*like oak, ash and lime. The planting of asmall sapling* takes little effort but itmakes a big difference. Concerns aboutpollution* and not wasting resourcesfollow on naturally. Saving water,electricity, heat and using unleadedpetrol are popular ways that people inIreland show how they have become“greener”*. This “green power”* is nowgetting a new look with the use of windenergy for electricity and solar panels*for heating water.

The challenge is continue to be“green” in our everyday lives. Thesimplest and most effective way forstudents to take action is to organise acampaign of tree planting in the schoolor local community.

In Ireland Coillte have agreed to helpschools in this campaign by supplyingtree saplings at a nominal cost (50 centper tree). Requirements are that aminimum order for 50 trees is placedwith them. Coillte will organise deliveryof the saplings to the school. Contact theSales Manager (Pat Peters) atBallintemple Nurseries, Ardattin, Co.Carlow. Tel: 059 9155621, e-mail:[email protected] or visit their websiteat www.coillte.ie

A. lack of money

B. lack ofgovernment support

C. illiteracy

D. malnutrition

Make the euro green by buying “FairTrade Products” (See separate article on“Fair Trade”).

45

Information on Africa:www.oneworld.org/odiwww.africasia.com

Information on forestry:www.coillte.iewww.coilltenurseries.ie

Information on food & nutrition:www.ndc.ie

Information on fair trade:www.maketradefair.comwww.cafedirect.co.uk

Information on world food programme:www.wfp.org

Information on food:www.oneworld.orgwww.globalissues.org

Information on water:www.worldwaterforum.org

Information on the environment:www.doingyourbit.org.ukwww.enfo.iewww.peopleandplanet.orgwww.envirolink

Information on international funding:www.worldbank.org

Information on women in the 3rd world:www.women3rdworld.miningco.com

Information on deforestation:http://environmentminingco.com/msubfor1.htmhttp://forests.org/forsite.htmlhttp://www.wri.org/wri/index.httml

Self Help websitewww.selfhelp.ie

International Famine Centrewww.ucc.ie/famine/

Development Co-operation Irelandwww.dci.gov.ie

Information on Agriculturewww.fao.org Food & Agricultural Organisation

UCC Centre for Co-operative Studieswww.ucc.ie/acad/foodecon/centre_b.html

UCD Rural Development Unitwww.ucd.ie/~agri/

Tree Council of Irelandwww.treecouncil.ie

Exercise: Looking at picturesLook at the photos of the women on pages11 and 31.

1. Discuss the different work that thesewomen are doing. Would you like to dotheir jobs? Why?

2. How does this work differ from the jobsdone by working women in Ireland.

3. How does the food market on page 26differ from our shopping in asupermarket? [Think about: food,packaging, where the food comes from,preservation, etc.]

4. Interpreting the image. Look at page 35.

Would our interpretation of this image bedifferent if we knew who owned thesecattle? What would be different if (a); sheowned them, (b) her husband ownedthem, (c) a women’s co-operative ownedthem or (d) a landlord owned them.

40

HISTORY GEOGRAPHY ENGLISH

Exploration Use of land Poems/stories on land

Colonisation Agriculture and farming Stories of the dispossessed

Wars for territory in Africa Water Media views of life in Africa

Treaties in/about Africa Development of industry Voices of Africa in literature, songs etc

R.E ECONOMICS SCIENCE

Care for the environment Trade The surface of the earth

Equality and Justice The food industry Greenhouse gases

Modern day pressures Development of resources Food, nutrition and digestion

Respect for other cultures International debt Seed germination

ART MUSIC HOME ECONOMICS

Collage-images of Africa African rhythms Nutrition and diet

African design Music for the four seasons Food in Africa

Beads and jewellery Songs for planting and harvesting Cooking and storing methods

Cross-Curricular Approach

Bodypainting Instruments made of wood Celebrations with food

Useful links

42 43

Family loyalty care about familyFertile land good quality landFertiliser substance to help produce bigger cropsFinancialinstitutions banks etc.Food chain who is eating who from smallest to

biggestFood security, sure supply of food1. (self sufficiency), 1. (growing enough for self) 2. (insecure) 2. (unsure supply of food)Food production growing/ making foodForecasts estimate figures for futureFoundation basisFragile delicateFreezingforeign aid stopping money/ goods from other

countriesFuel saving devices stoves/ovens that use less fuel

Germination seed starts to growGlobal economy world-wide use of goods and moneyGlobal warming world-wide rise in temperaturesGlobalisation world-wide buying and selling of goodsGNP- grossnationalproduct total value of goods produced in a yearGovernmentscholarship government prize/money for studentsGrazing grass for cowsGreen power able to help the environmentGreener helping the environmentGross Product total amount of goodsGround upapproach starting/growing from bottom upGround-water rivers, lakes etcGroup dynamics behaviour of groups

High yieldingvarieties seeds that produce bigger cropsHomestead farm and homeHorticultural unit(Horticulture) place for growing (fruit and vegetables)Hostility unfriendlinessHydroelectricity water-powered electricity

Identify see/know

Ignorance lack knowledgeIlliteracy cannot read or writeImpact effectImplementing putting to useImport buying goods from another countryImproved variety seeds that give bigger cropsIncome(generating activities) (activities that) earn moneyIndirectly not straightIndustry system of making goodsInfected made illInflation increase in priceInforming giving informationInherit pass from parents to childrenInputs goods used to make/grow a productInternational donorcommunity organisations who help poor countriesInternationalfunders International BanksInvest put money intoIrrigation pump water to fields

Job creation setting up new jobs

Labour workersLand ownership who owns landLandless workers people who work but do not own the landLandlocked surrounded by countries (no coastline)Lease agreement between landlord and tenant

for use of land/houseLiberate set freeLivestock(production) (rearing) farm animalsLocality local areaLogging cutting trees for timber

Mail ordercatalogues lists of goods for sale through postal

systemMalnourished not enough foodMalnutrition effect of lack of foodManure animal waste for use in fieldsMarginalisation taking power away from people

Glossary

Absolute poverty extremely poorAcceptance agree withAccess can useAfforestation planting treesAgriculturalchemicalcompanies companies producing chemicals for

farmingAgriculturaloutput/production amount of crops from farmingAlternative another wayAnnual yearlyArbitrary past no definite historyArmouries stores of weaponsAssembly parliamentAssumption believe something without checkingAtmosphere gases that protect the EarthAwarenessmeetings meetings to give information

Balanced diet correct amounts & types of foodBeverage a drinkBudget(guidelines) (advice for) planned use of moneyBypassed ignored

Calories energy from foodCapable able toCarbohydrate foods including starches and sugarsCarbon non-metallic element (in diamonds & coal)Carbon dioxide gas breathed out by animalsCash crops crops grown to earn moneyCassava potato-like plant in tropical countriesCivilisation system of livingCobalt hard silvery-white metalColonial days time of coloniesColonies countries controlled by more powerful

countriesCommerce businessCommercial scale larger amounts with a business planCompensate make up for lossCompeting in competition with othersConiferous forest pine type forestConquered(conquest) (territory) took over

Construction work building workConsumers buyers of goodsContracts agreements for goods/jobsCredit money/goods given in advanceCritical condition very bad conditionCropland land for cropsCultivation using land

Decade 10 yearsDeciduous trees trees that lose leaves in winterDecline get worseDeforestation cutting down forestsDemonstration sites fields used to grow sample cropDependence needDeposits amounts ofDetained put in prison Dictating one person decidesDigestive system way food is broken down after eatingDisastrous impact very bad effectDiscrimination treating people badlyDistribute give out goodsDivisions rival groupsDomestic use for use in homesDominate controlDramatisation make into dramaDrenching covering with waterDrip irrigation drops of water to plants

Economy,(Economic growth) (Increase in) use of money in countryEfficient well managedElders older peopleEmploys uses as workersEnsure makes sureEnset a relative of the bananaEnterprise(Entrepreneur) (person who) sets up new systemEnvironment,1(al)disaster, 2(ally) friendly 1(very bad effect on),2(concerned about),

plants, animals & people in the worldEvaluating measuring effectEvictions putting people out of house/landExecuted put to deathExport selling goods from a countryExtract get substance from

4445

Maternalgrandfather mother’s fatherMerged joined togetherMiddle-men people between producer and buyer of

goodsMillennium 1,000 yearsMillet tall-growing variety of grainMonitoring looking at growth of projectMulti-nationalCompanies/Corporations companies that work in several countries

National policy policy of the countryNatural boundaries borders by mountains, rivers etcNatural resources land, forests, water etc in a countryNature reserves special area for wild animalsNet populationgain number of extra people in country after

all other influences Nitrogen oxide mixed gas of nitrogen and oxygenNursery place for growing plants from seedsNutritionists experts on foodNutritious diet healthy diet

Organic /waste natural waste materialOvercome solve problemOxygen gas, makes up 20% of air

Participate take part inPeasant farmers small farmerPer capita per personPetty trading small-scale selling of goodsPharmaceutical chemicalPit latrine deep hole for toiletPlantain tall tropical banana-like plantPlantations large areas for cropsPolar icecaps Arctic & Antarctic Ice sheetsPollution dirt and waste damaging naturePolyunsaturatedfats Fats that are healthy to eatPopulation growth increase in the number of people Principles BeliefsPriority Most importantPrivate investors/sector Individuals who put money into a schemeProcessed made into a new product

Producers grower/farmerProfit money made after costsProject activities work done in an areaPromote show benefit ofProtector minderProvider person who will supply needs

Radiating giving off (heat/energy)Rainfed agriculture crops grown using rainsRainforests forests in tropical countries that grew

naturallyRanching large-scale rearing of cattleReality true situationRearing helping to growReflect showsRegime system of governmentRelativelyprosperous a good standard of livingRemnants pieces left after a long timeReservoirs man-made lakes to supply waterReshaped changed shapeResourceful clever use of resourcesResources what is available naturallyRetailers shopkeepersRethink think againReveal showRural dwellers people living in country areas

Sacrifice give up something for the benefit ofothers

Sanitation washing and using toiletsSapling small treeSaturated fats unhealthy fatsSavannah treeless grassy plainScrambled mixed upSecure future able to plan for the futureSeedlings young plantsShortage not enoughSkilled labour trained worker e.g. carpenter, plumberSoil erosion(fertility) (quality of earth) , wearing/washing away

of top soilSolar panels panels to take energy from the sunSorghum a type of grain

Stability long-lastingStable government long-lasting governmentStorage keep goods for later timeStrangle hold total controlSub-Saharan Africa countries South of the Sahara desertSubjects people ruled by king/queenSubsidies part of price paid by governmentSuckers small plants that grow from base of

mother plantSuckle feed fromSulphur dioxide mixed gas of sulphur and oxygenSurplus /food extra food

Teff a type of grainTemperate regions regions with a mild climateTenant farmer farmer who leases land Terraced hillsides fields stepped like stairsTerritory region of land Textiles cloth/clothesThe Scramblefor Africa rush of European countries to control

territories in AfricaTourist paradise perfect spot for touristsTrading positions ability to buy and sell goodsTransnationalcorporations companies that work in a number of

countriesTransport(er) (method of) moving goods/foodTreaties (Trade) agreements (about buying and selling

products)Trends new stylesTribal part of group/tribeTribal lands/rivalries lands owned by tribes/ fights between

tribesTributaries small rivers feeding into big riverTropical countries countries near the TropicsTubewells water that is piped up from well

Urban areas towns and cities

1. (dwellers) 1. (people who live in)2. (markets) 2. (places to sell goods in)

Vegetation plants growingVillageCo-ordinatingCommittees groups to help projects workVisible able to see

Warlords people who control warsWater conservation, Saving water,(harvesting), (system to collect and use water), (productivity) (amount of produce from water) Water table level of waterWedged stuck betweenWholesalers sellers of goods to shopkeepersWorld trade world-wide buying and selling of goods

AN

SWER

S Question 1 CQuestion 2 DQuestion 3 A

Question 4 CQuestion 5 BQuestion 6 B

Question 7 AQuestion 8 DQuestion 9 A

Question 10 CQuestion 11 BQuestion 12 A

Question 13 AQuestion 14 DQuestion 15 C

Students and teachers are being given anopportunity to discover the mysteries of thedark continent for themselves. Self Help isoffering teachers and students an opportunityto study and visit a community in Africa as partof a school programme to help developingcountries become self sufficient, and have somefun while they’re at it.

Africa Alive Schools Programme

Countries in the programme include Ethiopia, Eritrea, Malawi,Uganda and Kenya.

Aims

• To bring young students andteachers in touch with people in adeveloping country

• To promote greater understandingof cultural, geographic andeconomic differences

• To give a clear picture of life in anAfrican country

• To give young people a clearknowledge of how developmentprojects work

• To encourage teachers and studentsto study methods used to eliminatepoverty and famine in Africa

Benefits

• Once in a lifetime experience forteachers and students to visit Africa

• Personnel to teach material tostudents

• Curriculum material for schools

• Links with teachers and studentsfrom other schools involved in theprogramme

• Targets young people today to lookbeyond themselves to take action onbehalf of others less well off

Supporting Projects in Africa

Self Help works with the people livingin the villages and farms of ruralAfrica. When teachers and studentsvisit a country they see first hand howthe people live. Apart from visitingAfrica schools can support the work byhelping to raise funds for small-scaleprojects that make a big difference tothe lives of the Africans.

A simple example of this is;

• To raise funds for a well that willprovide clean safe water for acommunity of 1,000 people or more.The well will be named after thesponsoring group or school.

Other examples are;

• building a school class- room

• furnishing a school library

• ensuring the production of abalanced diet for families

• planting trees

The activities involved in supportingthese projects create awareness of theissues. They also give students adifferent purpose for their work. It iswhat education is all about, learningthrough action, learning for life, longlasting and meaningful.

“I think that visiting Uganda has beenone of the most life changingexperiences I have ever had and it haschanged my views forever.”(KarenCampbell. Student, St DominicsCollege, Cabra, Dublin. 7.)

Contact Self Help at; Self Help DevelopmentInternational, Hacketstown, Co. Carlow, Ireland.Tel: 059-6471175, 059-6471416Fax: 059-6471292E-mail: [email protected]: www.selfhelp.ie

Karen Campbell, a student from St. Dominics in Cabra,Dublin with local woman, Nancy, in Asamuk, Uganda.

book two food, land and trees - developmenteducation.ie · 95% of people infected* with aids live...

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