Could a miracle grass solve Lake Victoria's problems?

DW (English)

Vetiver grass is helping farmers in Uganda to fight climate change, protect the soil and restore the ecosystem, thanks to scientist Ali Tebandeke.

Transcript

00:00Once planted, these roots can't grow meters long.

00:04That's what makes vertebra so resilient.

00:07The fragrant grass originally comes from tropical Asia.

00:11Environmentalist Ali Tevandeke regularly visits farmers on Lake Victoria

00:16to hear how they're getting on growing vertebra.

00:20It's a very special plant.

00:231.5 meters is a viable root system that could enable the thriving of other plants,

00:33meaning it can retain water for a long period of time.

00:37Even if you are facing wildfires, this grass cannot easily be burnt down.

00:46Along the shores of Lake Victoria, farmers have planted vertebra

00:50to protect the land and prevent rainwater from washing pollutants into Africa's largest lake.

00:56Hamidu Mosika fishes in these waters and is also a farmer.

01:02Before we planted the vertebra, every time it rained, the lake would turn brown.

01:10All the runoff, including plastic bags and bottles, ended up in the water.

01:16But lately, things have changed.

01:19Even after a heavy downpour, the lake now retains its color, showing that much less runoff is entering it.

01:26Thanks to its long roots, vertebra can help secure the ground.

01:30That's what it's doing on Hamidu Mosika's slopes.

01:34When I look at where he planted the vertebra, there is not a lot of erosion running down the hill.

01:42But in the hills of Butambala, central Uganda, erosion has stripped the land.

01:47Fertile topsoils wash away each rainy season, leaving fields bare.

01:53Thanks to vetiva, the slopes are now more stable and farms are slowly recovering.

01:59It is a resilient crop that you could plant as a hedge.

02:04That's why you could see the bean plants are being protected against this running water.

02:14The vetiva project at Lake Victoria began in 2016, led by a local researcher with support from Japanese partners.

02:22Over 4,000 farmers from more than 50 villages have been trained.

02:27One of the main trainers is Ali Terwandeke.

02:31For five years, he's been in the field showing farmers how to plant vetiva.

02:36The project slowed down during the global pandemic, but Hamidu Mosika kept on planting, mixing vetiva with bananas and tomatoes.

02:45The plant is also good for making mulch.

02:48It controls weed during the rainy season and safeguards the soil during dry periods.

02:54We are currently experiencing a dry spell. The land is hot and plants can thrive well.

03:02To help, I cut some of the vetiva grass and used it as a mulch in my garden.

03:07As you can see, it's really helped protect my plants.

03:13Deforestation is another major problem.

03:16Many trees have been cut down for farmland and firewood.

03:19Ali Terwandeke grew up seeing this happen in central Uganda.

03:24He has realized that vetiva can also serve as an alternative energy source for cooking.

03:30He's showing the villagers how to turn the grass into cooking briquettes.

03:35The grass stalks are first charred and then mixed with cow dung.

03:40The women here now grow vetiva themselves, like Zulaine and Achisodzi.

03:45She has been involved in the project for about two years and is now a big fan of vetiva.

03:51We can now make briquettes from this grass for cooking.

03:56And it has other uses too. That is why I really treasure it.

04:02The grass has another useful quality.

04:08A fragrant oil can be extracted from its stems and roots.

04:13This is mainly used in perfume production.

04:16This company in Kampala specialized in producing vetiva oil for export.

04:21After extraction, the leftover plant matter is used to generate clean energy that powers the factory.

04:31And the remaining ash, rich in potassium and calcium, is sent back to farmers as organic fertilizer.

04:38Instead of applying chemicals to the soil for improving soil pH.

04:44So you just have to apply the ash from this product that you have already supplied you as a farmer.

04:49But in the wrong run, you are going to get it back as your product good for the soil and the environment.

04:55Even though it is not native to Uganda, vetiva is for now not considered invasive.

05:02It does not produce seeds and only propagates through root division.

05:07Many people have approached me after seeing me planting vetiva.

05:13They were inspired to plant it too.

05:16And I've shared it with them, so they can also grow it.

05:22Farmers have had good experiences with the plants so far, both on Lake Victoria and in central Uganda.

05:30With his peer-to-peer approach,

05:32Alisha Bandeke hopes to reach a million people in Uganda over the next 10 years.

05:39Thank you for joining us.

05:40Thank you for joining us.

05:45Thank you very much.

05:47Please, welcome.

05:48Thank you for your time.

05:49We're here.

05:52We're here.

05:53I am here.

05:54We're here.

05:55I am.

05:56We're here.

05:57We are here.

05:58Here.

05:59We're here.

06:00We're here, too.

06:01You're here.

06:02I'm here.

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