- 22 hours ago
In Burundi, the church joins the fight against plastic waste, and in Zambia, nature lovers are fighting to protect a vital forest reserve.
Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:00size is one of the most useful tools for climate action think of the smart technology that helps
00:23with precision farming or natural materials that reduce the damaging impact of the
00:29construction industry but have you ever thought about the role that religion can play in
00:35environmental protection given how many people around the world identify with a faith it could
00:42be very effective welcome to a new edition of eco Africa I am Chris the lambs in Lagos Nigeria
00:48and here's my co-host Malama Mukande hello everyone and greetings from Lusaka Zambia and
00:59welcome to echo Africa here's what we've got coming up in today's show how a traditional
01:05belief system protects mangroves in Benin why guided walks through a Zambian forest could help safeguard
01:14it how aquaponics is reducing food insecurity in Libya we start the show in Burundi now plastic
01:25waste is everywhere piles of rubbish on the streets increases the risk of disease one local
01:33environmental group has realized that raising awareness of the problem is far more effective
01:40when it is done by institutions that people believe in when you see the discarded bottles stop and pick
01:49them up and put them in one of the many trash containers you see everywhere and then you will
01:54be blessed by God this message goes down well here pastor Ferdinand Masabarikiza stresses to his
02:03congregation that loving God's creation also involves protecting them here at the rear bath holy church in
02:10Burundi environmental protection is a pivotal and passionate issue the teachings we're hearing in
02:20the church right now have made us realize that protecting the environment is our duty for every
02:25one of us protecting the planet means that we're also taking care of our own health here in Burundi
02:37poor voice management has been posing a growing threat to the environment and to the population
02:42in the shape of social and health related problems the capital Bunjumbura has just one landfill an open
02:50and uncontrolled site where pickers dig through the waste looking for anything of value Louisa
02:57Irankunda used to collect charcoal to self or modest amount of money with the help of a church affiliated NGO
03:05she switched to a far lighter recyclable material plastic bottles a local company buys them and pays
03:12collectors in cash the materials are then resold to recycling facilities in Burundi I thank God that
03:20I'm able to feed my children before I only came here to collect charcoal and didn't know about the bottles
03:27Now I earn money collecting bottles I can carry around 20 kilos of them many people collect up to 50 kilos
03:40of refuse a day which earns them a sizable amount of money and for the long term local residents here
03:46and elsewhere in Burundi have set up saving funds to put aside part of those earnings and to lend money to
03:52each other with no functioning waste collection system most trash ends up in canals and rivers and
03:59eventually in Lake Tanyanika the source of 90 percent of Bunjumbura's drinking water currently the only
04:09effective way to dispose of the bottles and other plastic items is to collect the waste and feed it back
04:14into the local economy which is why the congregation of the Rioboth Holy Church have organized a beach
04:20cleanup today the pastor explained what we can do to protect the environment the rivers and the lake
04:30which you can see behind me we're now doing what we can to remove everything that's polluting the lake
04:36The volunteers for the cleanup are joined by Silas Bukumi director of Nezerua Investment Group he explains
04:46how microplastics in the lake enter local people's bodies via the fish caught here and that's another
04:52reason why fisher Samuel Manirakiza is glad to be taking part it's been great to join the other people
05:00here and be involved in the cleanup I've been working here for years and feel the initiative was really
05:05necessary we're given instructions on how to dispose of the bottles we collect and we earn
05:10money that's down to circular economy initiatives such as the Nezerua Investment Group from plastics
05:18to paper and cardboard the company ensures that waste generated in Bunjumbura is turned back into
05:23valuable raw materials we're working together with churches cooperatives and local associations because
05:34it enables us to reach a significant share of the population and Christians take action when their
05:41priest tells them to the company's aim is to minimize the amount of new plastic entering the environment
05:50and for existing waste to be recycled into other products in Burundi itself another local firm turns
05:57old bottles into new ones we produce between twenty and fifty thousand bottles a day imagine how much
06:07waste even a little company like ours would generate if there was no recycling
06:12back at the Rio Bath holy church pastor Ferdinand Mazabarikiza continues to passionately preach the
06:22spiritual value of caring for the environment
06:25faith without action is meaningless no one should claim to pray if they don't actually do anything
06:33the word of the Lord clearly teaches us that faith without works is dead
06:39the church in the Burundian capital sees recycling as a mission a message that has been embraced by its congregation
06:49while also inspiring believers to create new opportunities in the community
06:54next up is an unusual approach to protecting fragile ecosystems we're not talking about a government
07:06enforcement or modern technology but about a tradition in the country of Bnei that is rooted in religious
07:15beliefs and it can have a more powerful impact on the way communities treat the environment than
07:22rules and regulations in Bnei ancient spiritual guardians have stepped in where earthly laws have failed
07:35Zangbeto voodoo night watchmen are both respected and feared by the local population authorities there have
07:44long struggles to protect the endangered mangrove forests here at lake aheme which are threatened by
07:51overfishing deforestation pollution and climate change now they have help from the other world
08:00Zangbeto are traditional police force their purpose is to protect communities the mangroves in our area are
08:13sacred forests where we protect them by putting a Zangbeto fetish here it watches over the mangroves on
08:20behalf of the local community
08:23If you go near the mangroves to cut them down the fetish will denounce you and Zangbeto will catch you and if he catches you you have to give a sheep a pig palm oil 50 000 cfa francs
08:27palm wine and other things or you risk losing your life
08:54A belief system with a powerful effect eco bene an NGO that has been working with local communities for over
09:04two decades supports this partnership between heritage and conservation laws to protect mangroves were
09:11poorly enforced but with the help of Zangbeto villagers have created a 24-7 spiritual surveillance system
09:18that no one dares to defy
09:26it allows us to better preserve these ecosystems and provide a habitat for all the wildlife here
09:33there are birds and monkeys and it's suitable for fish crabs shrimps and so on too all these species can
09:42find enough space here to grow and reproduce
09:47for the locals protecting the mangroves helps protect their livelihoods
09:57the action that has been taken will allow fish to multiply peacefully
10:01and allow us to survive too when the men go fishing and i do my beats by collecting oysters
10:08it all helps our family to live better
10:16the Zangbeto tradition at lake ahime is not just conservation it's spiritual climate action merging
10:24indigenous knowledge with environmental protection to save ecosystems strengthen communities and inspire
10:32people to rethink how to protect nature while the spirits are watering the mangroves here are thriving
10:41i love this forest i mean just look at it it's beautiful right spots like these are becoming more
10:49more and more valuable as temperatures rise not just as a place where people can go to escape the heat
10:56but loss of woodland would also threaten lusaka's water reserves fortunately conservationists are on a
11:03mission to persuade people why we can't afford to lose our forest
11:08it has rained in lusaka zambia and the forest is looking lush and inviting drawing nature lovers outdoors
11:29these workers are part of tree club zambia they're exploring one of lusaka's last remaining forest
11:34reserves paul chisuka a tree club member and an environment advocate points out an indigenous tree
11:42known as mubanga very difficult to chop down and i guess it has a unique place in this forest because
11:49then it becomes one of those trees that's not easy to cut down but it is also endangered
11:55forest 27 was classified as a protected forest reserve decades ago
12:00forest 27 is the lungs of lusaka and it is a main water recharge point so we need to safeguard this
12:13but despite its importance parts of forest 27 have been degasated and are open to development
12:19it was in response to this threat that artist quentin allen and other activists formed tree club zambia
12:26there you see these stumps a truck had come in chopped down these trees taking the logs away the problem
12:32the other problem is a lot of the forest reserve has been built in no this this was for all of this
12:38was forest 27 originally tree club educates people about the importance of trees and believe the guided
12:46tours they offer help to protect it i think they know they do a lot because obviously the more people
12:52we've got to walk around it the less people can come and start building so it's helping on that
12:59side the club led by quentin also produces forest beds products like food and beverages to fund its
13:05conservation efforts as well as organizing art projects and cultural performance to raise awareness
13:19for the tree club protecting forest 27 isn't just about saving trees it's about safeguarding the future
13:27of lusaka eating sustainably isn't just about what is on our plate but also about where and how it is
13:37produced it can even be done in cities where space is in short supply that reduces transport routes
13:45we go now to europe to visit a project in paris france that shows that thinking locally can really
13:52bring a neighborhood together
13:57etienne zahey is a trained organic farmer but this morning his job requires special protection
14:04in preparation for the work in the fungi room mushroom spores can be harmful for the lungs
14:10the 35 year old has been the city marie shares chief gardener since 2022
14:21these are organic straw blocks with sawdust that are inoculated
14:26once they're received we open them so that mushrooms can grow on them
14:32say and his small team harvest two and a half tons of mushrooms each year
14:37that's enough to supply 40 individuals a dozen restaurants and a handful of organic farming
14:43cooperatives i think this is a really good model we have such a small room and can produce mushrooms
14:50for so many people two or three of such rooms could meet the needs of a town like romanville with
14:56between 30 and 40 000 inhabitants
14:58limits upstairs another two tons of vegetables and herbs are grown each year the building is not
15:07heated but its led lights use about twice as much electricity as a normal family home what's produced
15:14here is not enough to feed the paris suburb of romanville but that's not the project's primary objective
15:20either. Run directly by the local authority with an annual budget of 500,000 euros, the Cité
15:27Maréchère is first and foremost a social undertaking, which organises 450 workshops
15:33for pupils and residents each year.
15:37We're a public institution. Our goal is to grow vegetables, but first of all to create a space
15:45where people from the neighbourhood can learn new things and meet. Out of our 27 jobs, 20
15:51are reserved for people who are struggling to find work. For them, this is supposed to
15:56be a springboard towards a more stable job. Here for the workshop? The one on insects.
16:02Come on in.
16:06Waiiba Okulu is one of those people who had been struggling to find a job.
16:10Insects always have six legs. Today, the 61-year-old is showing a group of locals how to build shelters
16:22for insects.
16:23Which insects do you know? Grasshoppers, stink bugs, beetles. Insects are important pollinators
16:36and pest controllers. But many of their natural refuges have been destroyed. Putting a few
16:42twigs and branches together can create new shelters for them.
16:45For me and my son, it's a chance to learn a lot about insects here. How they live.
16:53Emeline Bregen is also renting one of 35 small patches of land at this 1.7 hectare site run
17:07by the Cité Maréchère. For about 20 euros a year, she can grow her own produce on a small
17:13vegetable patch. Its educational and social activities make the Cité Maréchère indeed stand
17:19out from other urban farms. The harvest does provide some vegetables for the restaurant
17:26on the Cité Maréchère's ground floor. Its owners say it's part of their philosophy to
17:31buy locally.
17:32We want to show that it's possible to cook with local and seasonal products. When you
17:40rely on a local food network, you cause less pollution. We're trying to do our part, just
17:45like a hummingbird does.
17:54The restaurant is another argument in favour of the Cité Maréchère for these local pharmacists
18:00who've become regular customers.
18:04They do lots of workshops here. It's really good. It's for people of all ages. And you can
18:09do all sorts of things. My son has participated in some of the activities. And the prices for
18:15food are really fair. This place is really good news for the neighbourhood.
18:21Every Wednesday evening, the Cité Maréchère organises a small farmers' market. What people
18:26pay depends on their income, determined by their tax bracket. A quarter of Romainville's
18:32inhabitants live beneath the poverty line.
18:40This is from the local council. I can use this to work out your discount, which will be 75%
18:47on all our products. I'll register you in the system.
18:52Like many here, Sandli has a modest pension. The farmers' market has just become a lifeline
18:59for her, she says. A municipal agricultural project that is adding a little bit of social
19:06cohesion in a poverty-stricken neighbourhood. And which could lead the way for cities across
19:12the world.
19:15New approaches to farming are vital in today's world. Our next report takes us back to Africa,
19:22to Libya, a country that is getting even hotter and drier. Conventional farming is almost impossible.
19:31But in the capital, Tripoli, one farmer may have found the key to sustainable food production
19:37in extreme conditions.
19:39This is not your typical farm. The roots of the crops don't grow in soil. They get their nutrients
19:47from the water of a giant fish tank. At harvest time, the lettuce seeds are just lifted out on
19:54their floating plant beds. This is aquaponics, where fish and vegetable farming work side by side.
20:04At our farm, Hydro Harvest, we grow all kinds of leafy greens. Lettuce, Arugula, Mind, Basil, Kale.
20:11We use a deep water culture system, meaning the plants grow in nutrient-rich water.
20:20Abdullah Alfandi's farm lies just outside Libya's capital, Tripoli. Human-induced climate change has
20:27hit this North African country hard, causing searing heatwaves and droughts.
20:32For Libya's 1.5 million farmers, such as Mohamed Al-Zawawi, it's an existential threat. Al-Zawawi grows
20:40charred and pomegranates, but watering them is a growing problem. Like most farmers in this
20:47parched country, he relies on water supplies from the reservoirs of Libya's great man-made river
20:53project that funnels water from an aquifer under the Sahara, but the network has been damaged in
20:59the country's armed conflict. Mohamed is worried about his future.
21:03I've lost a lot of crops. I used to fill four trucks with produce. Now I can barely fill one,
21:13and even that's a push.
21:17I still try to sell what I can on the market, but we've had no governmental support. We have a long
21:23coastline on the Mediterranean. I really hope the authorities will invest in desalination,
21:29so farms like mine can irrigate with sea water.
21:37At Abdullah Alfandi's aquaponics farm, the water also comes from a reservoir but is used far more
21:43efficiently. It circulates between the fish tanks and the plants. The tilapia provide nutrients such
21:51as nitrogen and phosphorus through their excretions. And the plants help filter the clean water.
21:58In this closed loop system, palms keep the water well oxygenated.
22:06And there's another benefit. Regular Libyan farms often use pesticides with little regulation. Residues on
22:13the harvest can cause a range of health issues as well as harming the environment.
22:17Abdullah's closed system gets by without pesticides and synthetic fertilizers and produces organic fish
22:25and vegetables with minimal water loss, making it a sustainable option for desert countries like Libya.
22:33As environmental scientists, we strongly support this kind of eco-farming.
22:38It avoids the need for chemical fertilizers and even some of the poorly regulated organic
22:46ones you find on the market. Abdullah Alfandi was just 24 when he launched his aquaponics
22:55farm in 2023. Despite the large initial outlay and technical challenges, he got his project off the
23:02ground with a 20,000 euro grant on the EU's Libya startup program.
23:11He's now built up a loyal customer base for his organic produce, like this cafe in Tripoli. But for him,
23:18this is just the beginning. He wants to help improve food security in Libya and inspire others to follow his lead.
23:24Awareness is still lacking. And most people in Libya don't have much money to spend.
23:40But I believe change is coming.
23:44We are already seeing signs of progress.
23:47And when things shift, we want to be ready to lead a better market.
23:59Mohamed Al-Zawawi is also looking into water-efficient farming systems.
24:04He's realized you can get bigger yields in smaller spaces with multiple harvests per year.
24:09With more information and research becoming available, I'm seriously thinking about moving away from
24:18traditional farming to save water and reduce waste.
24:24I've already started using drip irrigation.
24:28And I'm exploring hydroponics as a more efficient, more sustainable option.
24:32Meanwhile, Abdullah Alfandi is constantly refining his system and has added azola to the growing cycle.
24:43The plant, also known as mosquito fern, covers the surface of the water,
24:48reducing evaporation and keeping mosquitoes from laying eggs.
24:54It's also packed with protein and makes perfect food for his fish.
24:58Organic aquaponics could play a big part in future agriculture in Libya.
25:03Where innovation isn't just smart, it's essential.
25:11People taking responsibility for the future.
25:14Now that's what we like to see.
25:16Well, that's it from us and we hope you enjoyed the show.
25:19I'm Malama Mukonde in Lusaka, Zambia.
25:22Thanks for watching.
25:24We have lots more stories online if you want to take a look.
25:28And we love hearing from you too.
25:30So do share your thoughts with us at eco.dw.com.
25:35For now, it's goodbye from me, Chris Ilems in Lagos, Nigeria.
25:39See you next time.
25:58Bye!
26:05Bye!
26:10Bye!
26:11Bye!
26:11Bye!
Comments