A few weeks ago I was out in the garden here at SABG when Mr. Röschli introduced me to the Moringa tree. He said its leaves were among the most nutritious vegetables in the world, and that I should ‘just look it up on the internet, you’ll see.’

Well now, that’s quite a statement. Immediately I went to work to learn more about this obscure tree. Here’s some of what I’ve discovered thus far…

A report by Lowell Fuglie, of the Church World Service, claims that, gram-for-gram, Moringa has:

-           7X the vitamin C of oranges

-          4X the vitamin A of carrots

-          4X the calcium of milk

-          3X the potassium of bananas

-          2X the protein of yogurt

Further, Fuglie reports, ‘For a child aged 1-3, a 100 g serving of fresh cooked leaves would provide all his daily requirements of calcium, about 75% of his iron and half his protein needs, as well as important amounts of potassium, B vitamins, copper and all the essential amino acids. As little as 20 grams of leaves would provide a child with all the vitamins A and C he needs….For pregnant and breast-feeding women…[a] 100 g portion of leaves could provide a woman with over a third of her daily needs of calcium and give her important quantities of iron, protein, copper, sulfur and B-vitamins.’ [1]

Interestingly, this tropical, fast growing (3 – 5 meters/ year), drought resistant, and hardy tree (zones 9-10 on the USDA hardiness scale) thrives in the same areas of the globe where malnutrition is most prevalent. Seems it was put there to serve a specific purpose.

From what I’ve read, nutrition is only the beginning. A high quality, edible vegetable oil – supposedly comparable to Olive oil – can be extracted from the seeds of Moringa, which contain roughly 40% oil. Historically, Moringa oil was used in lubricating watches and was then referred to as Ben oil. The oil has also been used in ointments (because it retains delicate scents), as well as in making quality soap.

The leaves of Moringa can be pressed to obtain a juice that, when mixed with 32 parts water and sprayed on fruits and vegetables, acts as a growth hormone. Yield increases of between 25-30% have been reported by Nikolaus Foidl and others when using Moringa as a growth hormone.[2] Moringa shoots can also be plowed under and used as a natural fertilizer to prepare soils for other crops (because the tree is fast-growing, the seedlings can be plowed under after only 25 days). The seeds, and the presscake leftover after oil extraction, can be used to treat turbid water.[3] Finally (well, I’m sure there’s uses of this plant that I have left out, but these are the main highlights), the plant makes a strong fodder for livestock – especially meat and dairy cattle. A study by BIOMASA reported milk yields and weight increases of 30% when Moringa leaves constituted 40-50% of feed.

Naturally, the next question in my mind was what, if any, are the market opportunities for this plant? And, just as important, how do you increase its adoption among the rural community in Ethiopia to increase health, nutrition, land stewardship, and income generation?

As for the market opportunities, at this point Moringa appears to garner a small, but growing, niche in the health and nutrition supplement market. An online search yields a few companies, most from India, but one from the US, that offer varying products based in ground Moringa leaves and espoused for their nutritional benefits. As a naïve consumer without prior knowledge of Moringa, however, I would give little thought to ever purchasing any of these products. For one thing, the nutritional claims seem outrageous (even though, after brief research, there are at least plenty of others saying the same things, and the claims are not out-of-line with the statements I’ve made above). Additionally, the websites do not project trustworthy, upstanding, reputable companies with which you would want to do business or purchase from – especially if you’re purchasing an edible product. Just visiting the websites gave me a queasy feeling about Moringa, and the online marketplace for this incredible plant. Maybe it was the way the organizations projected themselves and their products. Nevertheless, they turned me off.

Many of the India based companies would not even provide a price – you had to specify a quantity, and request a quote via email (I hate giving out my email address to unknown organizations, even though I did, and after four days I am still waiting on the quote). The US based company doesn’t make me want to purchase their product any more than the India based companies do, and it seems they are trying to build sales through a pyramid model – providing commission for ‘distributors’ based on sales and recruiting other ‘distributors’. I generally detest the pyramid sales model, which to me comes across as pestering and not reputable – if you have a quality product that will really enhance people’s lives, word-of-mouth, customer service, integrity, and a well-branded product line should suffice.

When considering the market for Moringa leaves, my initial thought is that there are two main markets – one in the developed world and one in the developing world. In the developed world the potential market consists of the ‘health conscious, organic, fair-trade, pro small-holder famers’ demographic. In the developing world, the potential market is primarily the millions of people who live on $2/ day or less and that are in need of extremely affordable nutritional supplements. The developing world would also yield a more upscale, educated market similar to the developed world target market, though it is much smaller (but growing). Targeting the higher-end clientele in the developing world could increase adoption among those at the base of the pyramid by making the product appear more mainstream. I don’t know how else to describe the market I am envisioning, but hopefully that gives you an idea of the prospective demand I envision.

Obviously, this leads to two very different price points and marketing strategies, but I believe one enforces the other. I have often thought about the specialty coffee market when trying to develop my thoughts on what a real Moringa market and supply-line would look like. Though the specialty coffee industry has its flaws, some end operators in this market do it well (or at least appear to – check out 3 Cups in Chapel Hill, www.3cups.net). By doing it well, I mean they value their customers, the in-store and online customer experience, help build customer knowledge of the product(s), and promote the small-holder farmers from whom they take great pride in purchasing from at fair prices. Thus, they connect the customer, the product, and the farmer in a way that enhances the well-being of all.

Moreover, coffee is not only consumed by those in the developed world who frequent coffee shops such as 3 Cups. While 3 Cups sources many of its coffee lines from Ethiopia, the local people surrounding these production areas also consume coffee themselves. Granted, there is an export grade and a domestic grade coffee, but the difference is hardly noticeable. I believe there could be a similar demand for Moringa – an export grade powder, and a domestic grade powder. That way, you can vary the price point and ensure that those who may be most in need of the nutritional benefits can afford the Moringa powder. Further, the more popular the product becomes, hopefully the more people will plant it in their own home gardens to ensure their families’ health.

Challenges abound in creating an essentially new market. First of all, introducing a new food/ nutritional product, especially in the developed world, requires overcoming regulatory hurdles. Extensive testing would likely have to be done in order to be accepted by a regulatory agency such as the Food and Drug Administration. Though, finding at least one US based company selling Moringa powder based drinks leads me to believe that some of these hurdles have been overcome.

Beyond overcoming regulatory hurdles, there are challenges associated with sourcing sufficient quantity and quality from small-holder farmers. As has been the case in the specialty coffee industry, the market can and will drive this.

I believe, however, there would need to be extensive training conducted to improve organic land management, water management, and cultivation practices (specifically drip irrigation systems, composting, and ecologically diverse farms). This ensures a higher quality product, while simultaneously increasing environmental stewardship among small holder farmers – absolutely critical to any long-term plans. Likewise, this should be incorporated into the marketing strategy so as to inform consumers that their purchases are reinforcing agricultural practices that must be followed if the world hopes to ever feed its growing population in a manner that nourishes both humans and their environmental resources (as the former cannot long exist without the later).

On this note, some glowing reports have been written concerning the agro-forestry practices of the Konso people, who cultivate Moringa in southern Ethiopia.[4] Regardless, best practices for cultivation must be determined and the market should demand these practices be followed in producing the desired end-product. Reputable organic certification (likely an enormous challenge in and of itself), as well as fair trade certification may also need to accompany an organizational guarantee which defines the farming practices the organization deems acceptable when purchasing Moringa. These practices should be centered on an eco-agriculture approach to farming. Eco-agriculture works to simultaneously meet three goals: a) conserve a full complement of native biodiversity and ecosystem services, b) provide agricultural products and services on a sustainable basis, and c) support viable livelihoods for local people.[5]

The next challenge is meeting quality control standards for export, both in product and packaging. More information is also need on the difference between Moringa Stenopetala variety (native to Ethiopia) and the Moringa Oleifera variety (grows in Ethiopia, but not extensively, and is native to India). It is believed that both varieties are highly nutritious, but most testing has been conducted using the more well-known Moringa Oleifera variety. Additional information is also needed concerning Ethiopia’s regulations in the food and drug industry.

On Wednesday I will be travelling down to Arba Minch and then Konso on Thursday to see if I can purchase Moringa leaves as well as some seeds. I will try to dry the leaves and grind them into a fine powder (for personal consumption/ testing). This will at least give me an idea of the price point, and an opportunity to speak to locals who have long believed in the benefit of Moringa and have experience in cultivating it. I will keep you all up-to-speed via a post-trip debrief and pictures.

JTV
Awassa, Ethiopia

[2] ‘The Potential of Moringa Oleifera for Agricultural and Industrial Uses’ by Foidl N., Makkar H.P.S, and Becker K; Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, 2001.

[3] ‘The use of Moringa oleifera seed as a natural coagulant for water and wastewater treatment’ by Dr. Geoff Folkard and Dr. John Sutherland, 2001.

[4] ‘Konso agriculture and its plant genetic resources’ by J.M.M. Engels and E. Goettsch, Cambridge University Press, 1991.

[5] ‘Understanding Ecoagriculture: A Framework for Measuring Landscape Performance,’ Louise E. Buck, Jeffrey C. Milder, Thomas A. Gavin, Ishani Mukherjee, 2006.

After completing nearly two years of work with Cherokee Gives Back (5 months in Raleigh, NC and some 16 months in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) I have moved to Awassa, Ethiopia to begin a six month contract with Selam Awassa Business Group (SABG). SABG is a start-up (2007), for-profit enterprise focused on the production of appropriate technology and renewable energy technologies; simultaneously, SABG operates a tuition free (funded by donors and SABG) technical and vocational training college. I’ll be working on developing marketing materials and a website for SABG this fall. In the spring, I hope to be doing assessments at rural health clinics to determine their renewable energy options. SABG is in a joint partnership with Practica Foundation and Dorcas Aid International to develop renewable energy technologies (wind mills, micro-hydro turbines, etc.) for rural health clinics in Ethiopia. I’ve been told that there are over 700 rural health clinics without power in Ethiopia.

I am excited about the opportunity to work with SABG and believe I will learn a lot over the next six months. I am also excited about living in Awassa. Awassa is a quaint, but growing little town tucked away on the shores of Lake Awassa and surrounded by small mountains. Just this morning I went for a smog free run (not possible in Addis Ababa) and then climbed Mt. Tabor in time to watch the sun rise over the town and the lake. It was one of those beautiful morning sunrises I won’t soon forget.

My time in Ethiopia thus far has been tremendous. At times it has been challenging and disappointing. Other times it has been richly rewarding, deeply insightful and inspiring. I have made great friends along the way and met countless people who certainly intrigue me. Ethiopians are some of the most hospitable people I’ve ever known (and I’m from North Carolina!). Undoubtedly, the country has many challenges before it (population growth and overcrowding, deforestation and land degradation, poor (but slowly improving) infrastructure, and a less than open investment environment), but I hope, and believe, it will continue to develop. I hope schools, such as Initiative Ethiopia International Children’s Association, continue to flourish. I hope more investors begin to consider opportunities in Ethiopia – where labor and land is in abundant supply – but, I hope those investments are environmentally enriching. Without fertile land, this agricultural based economy will shrivel up. I hope that population growth levels off and that the country can one day support its citizens without continual dependence on foreign food aid.

I am hopeful, but realistic. I figure, time will tell. It always does. In the mean time, I will work towards overcoming the challenges mentioned above, and believe one of the best ways to do that is by stimulating job creation through business and investment.

Start-up businesses excite me. That’s part of the reason I’m at SABG. There is so much opportunity, so much potential, and so much creativity. But, always, the companies are operating so close to the margin. That is, until they reach that breakaway point – some call it the ‘tipping point’ – and it all begins to seem like a snowball rolling down a mountain, effortlessly picking up speed and more snow as it goes (at least, that’s the goal). I hope to contribute to this snowball effect at SABG, but certainly they could do it without me.

Over the next six months, I will use this blog to focus more solely on my observations of the challenges and successes of getting SABG to that elusive tipping point.

JTV
Awassa, Ethiopia

Carbon credits could save the Sheka Forest and enhance the livelihoods of those actually ensuring the forests’ protection. From the forest floor, however, carbon credit financing appears to be more of an abstract ideal, than a reality.

‘We hear about carbon credits on TV and in the press, but we don’t see them,’ remarked Wetatu Bahiru Wolde Giorgis, a local clan leader and prosecutor. His office was simple, with no electricity (for the moment), seemingly on the edge of the wilderness.

Welcome to Masha town in the middle of the Sheka Forest, a tropical rainforest in southwest Ethiopia. From Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, it’s a treacherous two-day ride, on the public bus, to Masha. The roads are muddy, rough, and hilly the second half of the journey. The bus is hot, crowded, loud, stiff and altogether claustrophobic. My brother, Casey, and I were more than excited upon arrival. It was pitch dark and pouring. The runoff carved enormous, fast flowing gullies down the main, mud-washed street. Masha can ill-afford sufficient infrastructure to handle storm drainage and sewage.

Masha could not be further from the pristine streets of Copenhagen – where world leaders will meet in December to discuss the post-Kyoto (the international agreement on abating climate change) climate change agreement. The agreement will go into effect in 2013. Washington, DC – where the Waxman-Markey US climate change bill is under review in the Senate – is even further. Decisions made in both of these cities in the coming six months will, however, deeply impact the way of life of people in the Sheka Forest.

The people of the Sheka Forest are in desperate need of an increased standard of living. The developed world is just as desperate, so they say, for them to gain a higher standard of living. The developed world does not, necessarily, have any particular compassion for the people of Masha. Government cap-and-trade policies on greenhouse gas emissions will (and, in places, currently do), however, require corporations to offset their emissions. Some corporations and individuals are already taking pre-emptive actions to offset their emissions for corporate social responsibility reasons and/ or the fear that greenhouse gas emissions may reach life-threatening levels. The motive (legal, moral or other) for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions does not so much matter.

Rather, what matters, is that greenhouse gas emissions are offset quickly. An adequate portion of the revenue generated by selling these credits must reach the people on the ground. Otherwise, people living in the forests and along the streams will do what they must – clear-cut timber for income and agriculture, or allow investors to do so – to survive.

MELCA Mahiber, an Ethiopian NGO (non-governmental organization) focused on environmental and cultural conservation, undertook a conservation project encompassing three woreda’s (comparable to counties in the US) – Yeki, Anderacha and Masha – of the Sheka forest in 2007. The project entailed raising awareness, mapping, and alternate livelihood training. Officially, the objective was stated as such,

The overall objective of the project is empowering the Sheka community to actively participate in the decision making that affects their way of life, sustainable livelihood options and environment; and at enhancing awareness and facilitating advocacy at a national level through strengthened networking and community participatory strategies.

Initially, MELCA’s intent was to focus solely on advocacy work. They soon realized this was only part of the solution. Not only did local people need to be aware of their constitutional rights to the land, they needed alternative income options to slash and burn agriculture and clear-cut timber harvesting. As Befekadu Refera, program coordinator for MELCA, put it, ‘[Our activities] became wide and deep.’

One of the first steps was to provide alternate livelihood trainings. A few of the examples I visited included bee keeping and home gardening.

Ato Shariffo Abetto and his wife, Worashe Gamoo, have three lovely children that range in age from approximately 12 to 18. I enjoyed dinner with the family in their traditional style hut. The hut was well-furnished and their compound spacious. Though poor by any standard of measure, they were certainly not among the poorest in Masha.

Worashe received bee keeping training from MELCA. She now builds her own environmentally friendly bee hives which she uses to harvest and sell honey. Traditionally, bee hives were made of logs and hung high in the trees. Women did not have the strength to climb high enough to harvest the honey. Moreover, the log construction of the hives contributed to deforestation.

The bee-hive model introduced by MELCA can be constructed of fast growing, locally sourced bamboo. It is designed to be placed on a fence post – making it possible for women to harvest and manage the hives themselves. Worashe currently has nine hives that are producing honey. She earns over 4,000 ETB/ year (12 ETB = 1 USD) from the sell of this honey. She hopes to soon have as many as twenty bee hives. Not a bad start for an entrepreneur in an area as rural as Masha.

Another family I visited, of the Menja clan, sold vegetables grown in their home garden. Traditionally, the Menja people were shunned because they contributed to deforestation by harvesting and selling timber from the Sheka Forest and also ate wild animals that had fallen dead. After training from MELCA, they realized how important it was to preserve, for future generations, the natural resources provided by the forest. They also saw they could earn a living cultivating vegetables. The Menja clan is now known throughout Masha for selling top quality produce.

The forest, however, gains a new foe as soon as the last one recedes. Out of desperation, and lack of thoroughly thinking through alternatives, the government allocated 2,250 hectares of the Sheka Forest to East African Tea Plantation. After MELCA’s awareness raising campaign, East African Tea Plantation agreed to stop expansion clearing at 900 hectares. Now, the company believes they can expand by providing seedlings to local farmers with home gardens. Rather than clearing more land, East African Tea Plantation will purchase tea grown by the farmers in their home gardens.

There are more than a few problems with this plan. The first being, should the farmers receive a fair price for the tea they harvest, there is once again a strong incentive to clear cut the forest for cultivation purposes. East African Tea Plantation is simply shifting the burden and incentive to degrade scarce natural resources to the local people.

Alternatively, East African Tea Plantation controls the market. If the farmers choose to grow tea, they have but one buyer – East African Tea Plantation. If they are not offered a fair price, prospects of increasing their standard of living are dismal. Once again, there will still be an incentive to clear-cut the forest because a little income is better than no income, even at less than fair prices.

Outside investment is much needed in Ethiopia, but it should never come at the expense of a tropical rainforest. Without doubt, there is other, less biologically diverse land in Ethiopia suitable for tea plantation farming.

Investors should, nevertheless, always be required to adhere to strict environmental regulations. Opting for short-term economic gain at the cost of the soil, trees and streams of a landscape will only exacerbate both economic and environmental degradation.

One local administrator told Befekadu, ‘My grandma and family live in the forest in [a] dark area. We have no roads, schools, [nothing]. You people from Addis have children in good schools and you have power and live in a good area. You want this forest to be kept, but what do you pay for it?’

The administrator has a point; those who protect these resources must be compensated. Alternate livelihood trainings, based on sustainable and environmentally friendly methods, are part of the solution. But, investors will continue to encroach on the area. In exchange for a few roads, health clinics and schools the local people may sell one of the most intact and ecologically bio-diverse forests in the Horn of Africa. That is selling out far too cheap, especially when there is supposedly billions of dollars to be generated in the coming decades to conserve and protect natural resources that store carbon. In 2008, the value of all transactions on the global carbon markets was estimated at $120.19 Billion USD.[i]

MELCA is fighting the good fight, but more ammunition is needed. This ammunition will come from developed countries’ cap-and-trade agreements on greenhouse gas emissions. REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) projects, such as the Sheka Forest project conducted by MELCA, are expected to be considered eligible for compliance in both the post-Kyoto international climate change agreement and the US climate change law. This may provide further opportunities for people in least developed countries, such as Ethiopia, to generate income. Revenue generated from the sell of carbon credits should be allocated to improving rural infrastructure, and portions of it should go directly to the local people.

Organizations, such as MELCA, can continue to empower local administrators and clan leaders, lobby for stricter environmental impact assessments, provide alternate livelihood trainings, and map ecological areas. But, without revenue from carbon offset credits, it may not be enough to stem the tide of investors hungry for the virgin forest land and timber. Forests, if preserved and restored, have the potential to sequester a significant amount of carbon dioxide, and thus prevent the world from reaching unsustainable levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

The developed world must not waste any more time debating. Action is needed. REDD deals should be approved, incorporated into cap-and-trade laws, and then sourced. Least developed nations should receive priority for carbon offset credit purchases, specifically REDD credits. As illustrated, least developed nations are the ones most inclined to degrade forests for short-term economic gain. Finally, the payments must reach the people on the ground, the rural poor.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Pictures from the Sheka Forest can be found on the link at the right, ‘Lamp Post Photos’.

“In the end, of course, there has to be liberalisation,” he said. “But our hope is that this could be postponed for a significant time.” That’s a quote by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, concerning Ethiopia’s telecommunications and banking sectors, from an interview on Wednesday, July 8^th with Reuters reports Barry Malone and Andrew Cawthorne. In one of the least developed countries in the world, such a protectionist stance forbids any hope of bringing in real outside investment or capital.

The telecommunications and banking sector’s in Ethiopia are nearly non-existent. You have a better chance of calling a coin flip than you do in connecting cell phone to cell phone calls, even within Addis. Land lines are no better, as they are nearly always down. High speed internet is nonexistent, though the government would claim otherwise – my apologies, but whatever goes through the supposed ‘broadband’ connection (where available) is something other than high-speed internet. Dial-up, at 54.6 kbps is your best bet; that only works a few days a week, if you’re lucky. I still can’t figure out whether or not the phone line working is correlated in any way to the power outages. I do know that power is out every other day now, and the phone line doesn’t work then. The phone line also fails to work on days (such as today) when the power happens to be on.

No doubt, however, Ethiopia Telecommunications Corporation has things under control.

Now to the banking sector – even China has allowed outside banks to underwrite investment deals and some services. Not that China is any model of development, but the level of outside investment and joint ventures in that country is considerable. Ethiopia stands little chance of garnering real outside investment by continuing to restrict the banking sector to Ethiopian nationals. Though the number of ATMs in Addis has expanded greatly in the past three years, online banking does not exist, and only recently have ATM cards been issued to Ethiopian nationals (most ATMs are for foreigners who wish to withdraw local currency from their checking accounts abroad). Nearly all over-the-counter transactions are cash based. Moreover, the birr (Ethiopia’s currency) is worthless abroad. Once you change your money to birr, it’s for keeps and only for use in Ethiopia – you can’t even re-change it on the way out of the country.

Foreign investor’s are, however, allowed to remit funds.  As stated in Investment Proclamation  No. 280/ 2002:

20. Remittance of Funds

1) Any foreign investor shall have the right, in respect of an approved investment, to make the following remittances out of Ethiopia in convertible foreign currency at the prevailing rate of exchange on the date of remittance:

a) Profits and dividends accruing from investment

b) Principal and interest payments on external loans;

c) Payments related to a technology transfer agreement registered in accordance with this Proclamation;

d) Proceeds from the sale or liquidation of an enterprise;

e) Proceeds from the transfer of shares or of partial ownership of an enterprise to a domestic investor.

At least it’s possible to remit funds. Now, wouldn’t that be a lot more comfortable transaction if there were several competitors to the National Bank of Ethiopia for your banking and remittance services? Who knows, maybe most foreign investors are completely confident and comfortable with the exchange rates and services offered by Ethiopia’s state bank.

While we’re at it, let’s not forget the electricity situation. As mentioned by PM Zenawi in the same aforementioned interview, there are two dams expected to come online in the fall which should address the widespread, frequent power outages. Let’s hope so. Hear say has it that Ethiopia has the potential to generate enough hydro-electric power to meet its own needs, as well as export power to its neighbors. That would be nice, and sooner rather than later.

Now back to foreign investment. For-profit development is one of the few tried and true development tactics. It has its own faults and short fallings, no doubt, but at least it has a proven track record. Rather than open-up to outside investment, Ethiopia prefers a façade of being friendly to outside investment while in reality, many sectors are reserved for domestic investors. As stated in Council of Ministers Regulations No. 84/ 2003, the following areas are reserved strictly for domestic investors:

1) Retail and brokerage;

2) Wholesale trade (excluding supply of petroleum and its by-products as well as wholesale by foreign investors of their products locally produced);

3) Import trade (excluding LPG, bitumen and upon approval from the Council of Ministers, material inputs for export products);

4) Export trade of raw coffee, chat, oil seeds, pulses, hides and skins bought from the market and live sheep, goats and cattle not ra(i)sed or fattened by the investo;

5) Construction companies excluding those designated grade 1;

6) Tanning of hides and skins up to crust level;

7) Hotels (excluding star-designated hotels), motels, pensions, tea rooms, coffee shops, bars, night clubs and restaurants excluding international and specialized restaurants;

8 ) Travel agency, trade auxiliary and ticket selling services;

9) Car-hire and taxi-cabs transport services;

10) Commercial road transport and inland water transport service;

11) Bakery products and pastries for the domestic market;

12) Grinding mills;

13) Barber shops, beauty salons, and provision of smith, workshops and tailoring services except by garment factories;

14) Building maintenance and repair and maintenance of vehicles;

15) Saw milling and timber making;

16) Customs clearance services;

17) Museums, theaters and cinema hall operations;

18) Printing industries.

Essentially, any area that doesn’t require an extraordinary amount of capital, technology or other expertise, and that may be considered a reasonably plausible area for investment, is reserved for domestic investors. The following areas are then reserved strictly for Ethiopian nationals:

1)      Banking, insurance and microcredit and saving services;

2)      Forwarding and shipping agency services;

3)      Broadcasting services; and

4)      Air transport services using aircraft with a seating capacity of up to 20 passengers.

These last four areas are by far some of the most impactful areas to a country’s development. Surely the government would not want to increase competition – which spurs innovation, customer service, and quality – in these key areas, lest anyone besides a select few Ethiopian nationals benefit from the growth and development of Ethiopia.

Now, be sure not to misinterpret my intentions. I am all for ensuring that Ethiopians, first and foremost, benefit from the development of their nation. However, such a protectionist stance is by no means the way to go about doing so. Put some restrictions on investments and foreign investors to ensure that Ethiopian nationals have a hand in deals, and also that there are benefits associated with hiring Ethiopian nationals as opposed to foreign employees. However, the only way to attract real outside capital, in addition to outside corporations, tourist, etc., is to provide basic infrastructure services – high speed internet, transport sector services and online banking by reputable international banks – common in so many other nations, even throughout the developing world.

I would love to see the day that Addis Ababa is known for more than housing the second largest United Nations headquarters. The UN does superb work, and it’s nice to know that the UN chose Addis as one of its top headquarters. It would be even better, however, if Addis and Ethiopia at large were considered pro-business, open to outside, environmentally friendly investment (I could launch into another tangent here, but I’ll refrain – the main point is that all investment, everywhere, must prioritize the protection and enhancement of land and water resources).  Thus, development would be based on for-profit motives that benefit investors while simultaneously enhancing the environment, providing jobs and lifting the standard of living of all Ethiopians, rich and poor alike.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Lately, I’ve been pondering the role of culture and its effect in cultivating a happy, lively and balanced society. Ethiopia, as many people know, is certainly not among the more developed nations – nor, unfortunately, even considered among the progressive nations of the developing world. Factors contributing to the state of the economy, politics and development may often seem above the level of influence of the average Joe – shall we say, average Biniyam – especially here in Ethiopia.

One thing all people can contribute to, however, is cultivating in the youth the many languages, dances, rhythms and rhymes of times gone buy and celebrating the richness of these traditions in the present. On Saturday I travelled with MELCA (Movement for Ecological Learning and Community Action) to a group meeting of SEGNI clubs from local public schools just north of Addis, near Menagesha. SEGNI stands for Social Empowerment through Group and Nature Interaction, and focuses on environmental and cultural conservation.

The meeting took place in Holeta, in a grove of trees set by the club’s members. The purpose of the meeting was to gather information from the various SEGNI clubs concerning the impact of their activities. It began with a prayer and then dance performances – quite impressive, might I add – by some of the younger girls. Following the dancing, a few of the students read poems highlighting the preservation of culture and the environment. Others took the occasion to express what SEGNI has meant to them personally. Some of the teenage guys noted that the club had transformed their lives. Previously, they were into trouble often and had little regard for the environment or culture of their community. After spending time in the woods, as required by the SEGNI program, they decided to refocus their energies on preserving the environment and their traditional culture.

One of the most entertaining aspects of the morning meeting was when the students performed a skit to illustrate how poor decisions by family leaders (in this case, the father) lead to the destruction of the environment, neglect of culture and ultimately tear families apart. The acting was superb – even more so when I learned they had just put the skit together that morning. The leading man was so animated I laughed nearly constantly.

The play began with the father instructing his son to come with him to cut down a tree, which they then sold to generate income, without bothering to plant another tree in its place. Rather than investing that money in the family, the father spent it wasting away at the local pub. Thereafter, the family situation continued to deteriorate as the father looked to the pub for an escape, and income dwindled because they had not harvested their timber in a sustainable fashion. Along the way, cultural education was neglected as the man’s son could not look to his father to learn the languages, dances and parables of his local people and other tribes and ethnic groups of Ethiopia.

W/o Amasele Kebede, one of the SEGNI club leaders, made another insightful observation concerning the impact of the SEGNI clubs on the local youth. She noted that many high school aged youth often neglected the teachings of their parents because they were obtaining formal education which their parents did not have. SEGNI, however, requires that all youths respect their elders for the real-life education and knowledge they have obtained. Furthermore, SEGNI encourages them to seek wisdom and guidance from those with more worldly experience.

The event ended with a traditional coffee ceremony conducted by teenage girl members of the SEGNI club and was hosted in a traditional style hut with thatch roof – also constructed by SEGNI club members. Outside the hut the students displayed native seeds they had collected from local farmers in order to catalogue and record the varieties. Additionally, they collected traditional handicrafts from the local people to include in their collection.

As these students work to preserve cultural traditions and the environment they are also developing leadership skills and a sense of responsibility. Their efforts will collectively aid in restoring an environmentally degraded country and in preserving the rich culture and traditions so much a part of Ethiopia.

JTV
Holeta, Ethiopia

On April 28, 2009 MELCA Mahiber hosted a consultative workshop on biofuels at Ethiopia Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The intent of the workshop was to enhance the capacity of Oromia Regional Government officials when making decisions concerning biofuel investments.  Workshop participants, including representatives from agriculture, rural development, environment, energy and investment sectors, donors, NGO’s and CSO’s, government research institutes, and academicians, developed the following guidelines for future interventions:

-          Biofuel development strategy of Ethiopia should require Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval as a pre-implementation requirement.

-          All biofuel development investment proposals should pass through EIA procedures to offset the significant economic, social and environmental consequences.

-          The new investment proclamation, which overrides the EIA proclamation that asserts the necessity of implementing EIA before the granting of land for any kind of investment, should be amended.

-          The already begun effort of producing land management plans for Oromia region should continue and future allocation of land should consult this document.

-          All the concerned bodies should work to build the capacity of zonal and woreda government officials so that they have the capacity to review investment applications and enforce laws.

-          The government officials should pay periodic visits to biofuel farms and inspect whether or not the investment addresses environmental and social concerns.

-          MELCA should continue research based advocacy as it is of great importance for informed decision making.

-          Universities and research institutes should engage themselves in further studying the feedstock plants of agrofuel productions and their environmental impacts.

During the course of the workshop, four papers on biofuels were presented. The first, International Trends in Agrofuel Development: Opportunities and Risks recommended at least a five year moratorium on biofuel investment and cautioned stakeholders to ‘stop, think and act.’ Moreover, the report highlighted the fact that, according to a World Bank report from April, 2008, biofuels have triggered a 75% increase in world food prices. The demand for biofuels derives from the big three consumers, the US, Europe and China, making a political push to diversify their energy and fuel consumption sources. Developing countries are paying the price for these ill-advised political agendas by allowing investors to rapidly convert their lands to biofuel production.

Rapid Assessment of Biofuels Development in Ethiopia, provided a general context of the biofuel investment sector in Ethiopia. The paper highlighted the need to include an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) prior to allocating land to biofuel investors and warned against allocating forest and agricultural lands for such investment. Currently, 75% of land allocated for biofuels is forest and agricultural land.

Ecological and Socio-Economic Impact of Biofuel Development: The Case of Babile/ East Hararge summarized an in-depth study of biofuel feedstock production in East Hararge Zone/ Babile of the Oromia region. Again, it was recommended that conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment and gaining project permission from the local community is absolutely vital. The current biofuel project being conducted in Babile and East Hararge is damaging the environment as well as the livelihood of the local people.

Ecological and Socio-Economic Impact of Biofuel Development: The Case of Wolaita, determined that the economic benefit of the land is greater if food crops are grown rather than if the land is used for castor/ jatropha production. Specifically, it noted that farmers lost more than 27,000 ETB per hectare planted in jatropha as opposed to yams. The report also highlighted the loss of biodiversity when farms are converted to monoculture biofuel farming, as it claimed that the typical farmer in that area grows about 22 varieties of crops, vegetables and root crops.

Obviously, biofuel investment policies in Ethiopia, or any developing nation for that matter, should be examined closely. Policy makers should assess social, environmental and economic costs when determining the viability of supporting biofuel investment.

JTV & MELCA staff
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Thomas Friedman, an op-ed columnist for the NY Times, in an April 21st column titled ‘Swimming Without a Suit’ commented on the negative economic impact of the United States failure to place an emphasis on retaining the worldwide lead in providin quality education to all citizens. The article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/opinion/22friedman.html?_r=1 . 

As Friedman notes, according to the report, released by McKinsey & Co., ‘The Economic Impact of Achievement Gap in America’s Schools,’

If America had closed the international achievement gap between 1983 and 1998 and had raised its performance to the level of such nations as Finland and South Korea, United States G.D.P. in 2008 would have been between $1.3 trillion and $2.3 trillion higher. If we had closed the racial achievement gap and black and Latino student performance had caught up with that of white students by 1998, G.D.P. in 2008 would have been between $310 billion and $525 billion higher. If the gap between low-income students and the rest had been narrowed, G.D.P. in 2008 would have been $400 billion to $670 billion higher.

Imagine, then, what a focus on providing quality education could do for a country such as Ethiopia – with an annual GDP of only $62.19 billion, and a per capita GDP of $800 USD (from Global Edge - http://globaledge.msu.edu/countryInsights/statistics.asp?countryID=92&regionID=5). 

In a nation struggling to feed an ever increasing population, some would say a focus on education  is jumping a few too many rings of the development ladder. I beg to differ, especially when the school is providing two meals per day, a bath, a uniform and shoes, school supplies and a high quality education – like Initiative Ethiopia Internationl Children’s Association (aka, Kechene School) is doing. A comparatively small investment now will hopefully allow these children to one day realize their full potential. That is, to be values based leaders who contribute to the development – economic, social and environmental – of their native land. 

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The trend, these days, in funding developing world projects is to apply market based principles to development projects in the hopes of supporting underserved entrepreneurs and others to gain enough financial independence to pull themselves out of poverty. Sustainability, they call it. If you do not mention this word in a project proposal, grant application, or request for investment, you can hardly expect to receive funding or support.

With a background in economics and entrepreneurship I naturally favor market based solutions to environmental and social challenges, when applicable. However, there are times when ‘sustainability’ – as defined by financial independence – is not an option.

My involvement at Kechene School/ IEICA[i] over the past year has forced me to ask myself, time and again, ‘How can this school become self-sustaining?’ Unfortunately, I have failed to develop a groundbreaking new theory that proposes exactly how a school in an extremely poor community becomes sustainable.

Some schools in the developing world, that serve the middle or lower-middle class, are able to charge school fees. The fees allow these schools to, even if initially funded via donor support, eventually become self supporting entities with no dependence on donations, grants or further investment. The key to that model, however, is the fact that these schools serve the middle and lower middle class market. These children’s parents or guardians are not rich or even close to it. With the little income they do earn however, and the high value they place on their children’s education, they are able to pay their school fees.

Unfortunately, paying school fees is not an option for the children at Kechene School / IEICA. These kids all come from destitute families in the local neighborhood. The families struggle to feed, clothe and bathe their children, much less cover their school fees.

I have pondered, from time to time, the effectiveness of working with the children’s parents and family members to begin some sort of income generating activities. The thought being that, if the families begin to generate enough income themselves, they will eventually be able to pay their children’s school fees. As I thought through the challenges and opportunities therein, I realized that working on income-generating activities with family members is simply too much of an undertaking for the organization at this point in time.

The main focus of the school, as it should be, is caring for and educating its students in the hopes of providing them a sufficient foundation from which to begin to contribute to the development of their native land. In the future the school could possibly serve as a base from which to launch community engagement projects such as issuing micro-finance loans in conjunction with developing income generating activities, providing health and hygiene awareness and conducting classes on the utilization of drip irrigation for vegetable cultivation. All of these activities would foster a more sustainable community, one that could afford to pay its children’s school fees. For the foreseeable future, however, the prudent thing to do is to focus all available resources on the top priorities at IEICA – mainly, educating and caring for the students as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Sustainability is a lofty and only sometimes applicable and attainable goal. In the field of education amongst the underserved rural and urban poor of the developing world, sustainability may well be a goal only for the long-term horizon.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

I saw something today that I never thought I would see, or, at least, necessarily thought I wanted to see: blind men working in a wood shop. Just picture that for a moment. See what I’m talking about – on first thought that’s a dangerous setting. I know plenty of men with perfect eye sight that have nevertheless lost fingers in woodworking.

Now before going into detail about the blind men working in a woodshop, or other activities I witnessed this morning, let me tell you a bit about how I ended-up in the woodshop with blind men. Tuesday, while in a meeting, I received a call from a man I will call Ato (Mr.) Berhan. When my phone rang, I saw the number was already stored, and therefore was more confident in taking the call even though I could not recall how I knew the name flashing on my phone’s screen. I answered anyway, hoping I would soon remember. Even as we talked, I continued to draw blanks on when or why I may have given my number to Ato Berhan– even now I cannot recall, but I’m glad I did.

Ato Berhan requested that I meet him later this week to discuss volunteer opportunities. We have already placed all of our summer volunteers with our current grassroot NGO partners, but because I had a little time this week, I decided to meet him late Wednesday afternoon. We arranged to meet at 5pm at a hotel I like to work from because it offers consistent power and internet. I was working on a newsletter when he showed-up a little early, but I was glad to see him (needing a break from the computer) and he seemed a genuine, good hearted man. Ato Berhan is older, but his English is superb.  He told me that was due mainly to a Peace Corps volunteer who taught him English over 40 years ago, and whom he remains in-touch with today.

I quickly learned he was passionate about empowering those with disabilities. Moreover, he had been imprisoned during the Derg regime for over 6 years for no apparent reason (I am not certain, but I’m guessing maybe he was political in his younger years – a hobby that does not pay in this country). When the Derg was overthrown by the current regime, his hopes soared, figuring he would be released. That was not to be the case, however, and he remained behind bars for another 5 ½ years before being released. You could tell what he was most disappointed about was that 12 years of his life had been wasted – of no use to the disabled, his family or his country.

Ato Berhan went on to tell me that he had initially begun his work with the leper community some 35-40 years ago at ALERT – a community and hospital for lepers. At first, he said, he was afraid but God gave him the strength to continue to learn and help the leper community. Eventually, he wrote one of the first books published in Amharic that details how to treat and care for lepers. Unfortunately, demand for the book was low – and it was impossible to convince the government’s Ministry of Health to purchase the book, even as many of the people suffering from leprosy continued to deteriorate and be neglected. People in Ethiopia were, and to an extent remain, afraid of leprosy and those who are burdened with this awful disease. Lepers are therefore ostracized by a large percentage of the population – which at times includes their own family members.

After hearing Ato Berhan’s story I told him that all I could offer, maybe, were some volunteers if any had extra time to spare this summer. He said that was great, and that he would love to show me some of the projects dear to his heart if I had the time. By this point, I had become intrigued, so we scheduled to meet first thing Thursday morning and visit a few of the projects he had referenced. The first was Hulegeb Blind and Disabled People Training and Rehab Association.

I picked Ato Berhan up on my motorcycle just after 8am and we made our way to Hulegeb. I quickly realized it was the blind association near my own home. I must admit, I was ashamed for never having visited it previously, as it is nearly next door to my house. I knew it was there, but just had never taken the time to see exactly what was going on. I could offer various excuses for not doing so, but the point is I should have.

As we made our way into the aging, slightly neglected, compound I did not know what to expect. I knew the association focused on income-generating activities, but I had not a clue what those activities were. The first shop we entered, to my astonishment, was a woodworking shop. I could hardly believe what I was seeing – blind men turning logs into brooms. There was a shop master to lead the men in their activities, but it was obvious that these men had been working at their trade so long that they scarcely needed assistance. They were splitting the logs, then further cutting them into oblong rectangular pieces, before passing them through a router that rounded the piece of lumber into a broom handle. In another area of the workshop, a man was operating a punch machine that drilled holes in the broom-head, which yet another man then inserted the bristles into.

I was impressed, though slightly in disbelief. The sad part was, however, that even though these men were overcoming enormous odds to master a sometimes hazardous trade, and thus become productive members of society, they were working with ancient machines. Many of these machines were in desperate need of a tune-up, and some were in outright disrepair. As I stood in the workshop I wished I knew more of mechanical engineering and could restore these antiques to their former glory, to the benefit of these master craftsmen.

Woodworking and broom making was not the only income generating activity underway at Hulegeb. Others were cleaning sheep’s wool, winding it into thread and hand weaving rugs and doormats. Still others were producing cement blocks and hollow blocks, but again, their press machines were ancient and not nearly as efficient as they could or should be. Moreover, all the raw material inputs required for making blocks – such as red ash and cement, have increased in price. Increased raw material costs are preventing Hulegeb from meeting demand. Ato Berhan kept repeating an old Ethiopian proverb that goes something like this, ‘The horse can take you to the fight, but it can’t fight.’ I was slowly discovering what he meant.  

After leaving Hulegeb, inspired at the work being undertaken but troubled over the fact that it seemed closer to a shuttered old mill – ever present across my home state of North Carolina – than a promising start-up, I then visited a leper colony cooperative with Ato Berhan. Again, I was to experience the same sense of inspiration and despair. The leper association was created to provide the lepers with an income generating opportunity, dignity and community – rights so basic, and yet so far from everyday life for so many in Ethiopia, especially those with disabilities.

At the leper cooperative they were selling cereals to local residents who could then pay a few birr to have their teff, maize, pepper or whatever it may be, milled onsite. I had never visited a milling operation before, but it was interesting and the pepper aroma that pervaded was attractive – until both Ato Berhan and I inhaled the pepper dust a little too deeply and were coughing up a storm.

Outside there were areas for the public to pay to hand-wash their clothes or use the shower facilities. Because the cooperative had drilled their own well, they were able to sell the water to the public. Once again, but even to a greater degree, I had the feeling that good work was being done there, but that their ‘glory’ days were behind them. For example, a large workshop at the back of the lot had been shuttered and an enormous lock held the shop doors securely fastened. Ato Berhan explained that in this workshop there was a manual candle making machine that had been donated by the ‘Germans’ – whether this was the German government or simply a German organization, was unclear. What was clear, according to Ato Berhan, was that the operation had been shuttered due to unbearably high taxes. My initial thought was, why not simply pass those costs on to the customer? But, it was obvious the operation had been shuttered, and delving too deeply into the matter seemed beside the point.

That’s the long-winded story of how I came to witness, among other things, blind men who were master craftsmen in a woodworking shop. Inspired by these income generating projects? Of course I was – men and women with disabilities were learning and mastering trades that enable them to earn an honest living with a sense of dignity and respect.  What I cannot help but simultaneously see, however, is the enormous uncaptured potential. Both associations were doing great, necessary work against all odds. But what both need most – as Ato Berhan was attempting to point out through the proverb about the horse – is a champion for their cause who can capitalize on the opportunity to bring their services and products to a wider market, make use of all available resources, and inspire the association members to work ardently and creatively towards long-term goals and potential.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Let me apologize, once again, for the delay in posting. It’s been over a month since my last post – unacceptable – I’ll try to do better this month. Below, I’ve listed a few highlights and thoughts from my experiences over the last month. While they may be a bit scattered, I hope you find some of them interesting.

Cherokee Exchange Program

Biniyam Assefa, Briana Harper and I spent nearly every waking moment in March attempting to select our final list of CEP candidates for the class of 2009/10. Cherokee Exchange Program works through the Ministry of Education in Ethiopia to identify government schools from which to select the top 11^th grade students to participate in our year abroad exchange program. This year, the Ministry of Education directed us to work from government schools in Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harar.

CEP students live with an American host family and study at an American high school, before spending the summer as a camp counselor at various YMCA camps throughout North Carolina. Upon completion of the year program, CEP students return to Ethiopia where they complete the 12^th grade and take the National Exam – to determine which colleges in Ethiopia they are qualified to attend.

This year’s class will be our third CEP class, and we are anticipating placing between 10 and 20 students with American host families. The selection process has allowed me to know Ethiopia, and its young leaders, in a way I otherwise would not have had an opportunity to experience. I must say, after reading countless applications (we accepted over 450 applications from 14 schools) and conducting over 80 interviews I feel blessed to have had this experience.

Ethiopia, at times, can be an overwhelming place if you forget to focus on the people who are doing the small things. Many of the students who applied to CEP’s class of 2008/09 are doing the small things, and they certainly give me hope and confidence in Ethiopia’s future. For instance, scores of them participate in community and school based anti-HIV clubs that raise awareness. Others participate in environmental clubs that plant trees and host community clean-ups.

All the more impressive were the personal stories. One student lived with his aging grandmother (both his parents passed away some years ago), worked after school to earn a minimal income to support himself and his grandmother, and still managed to be among the top 20 students in his class. His belief in hard work and industriousness were impressive; he had that rare desire to improve his lot in life, and that of his family, against all odds.

Another, one of the most impressive young people I have met in my life, grew up in a rural village in northern Ethiopia. It was so rural that school was not even an option for her. Her mother, therefore, sent her to live with her aunt’s family in Addis, where she would have an opportunity at education. And seize the opportunity she did. Her confidence and passion is inspiring, and her English perfect. Private schools here in Addis held a ‘Model United Nations’ forum earlier this year – she was the first and only government school student to participate.

From what I was told by teachers who were present, she absolutely stood out in her diplomatic representation of Bangladesh (if my memory serves me correctly, that is the country she was expected to represent). They say the entire audience stood to applaud her performance – after interviewing her, I do not doubt that for a second. She even took the initiative to bring a model of this program back to her school, where she got other students involved and provided them an opportunity to participate in an activity dear to her heart.

In the closing minutes of our interview, I asked her what she wanted for her future. Without hesitating, she declared that wanted to participate in Ethiopian politics – especially she desired the opportunity to be a diplomat of Ethiopia. This is a rare career choice among Ethiopian students – most want to be doctors, engineers and the like. She is not afraid of the unknown or unpopular however, and I cannot wait to see the work she will do for her country – there could not be a better representative.

*Names of the CEP students were not provided because the final list of students placed with host families, and thus who will participate in the CEP Class of 2009/10, has yet to be released.

For further information on Cherokee Exchange Program, please visit www.cherokeexchangeprogram.com

Soap – from Goats, Now Available in Ethiopia

I believe I have mentioned Salem’s Design in a previous post entitled, ‘Salem, Quite the Entrepreneur’. Well, she continues to add products to her already impressive lines – concentrated mainly around traditionally woven scarves and blankets as well as jewelry made from beads native to Ethiopia and other African countries. Last month, with help from Angela Correll and another member of the Correll family, Greg Correll, she produced her first batch of goat milk soap.

Goats are no rare commodity in Ethiopia – and it’s inspiring to see that now there will hopefully be a demand for something besides their meat and hides. Moreover, this project will create jobs in a country that is in dire need of them. The Correll’s learned the process of converting goat milk into soap after experimenting with goats on their farm in Kentucky – Plainview Farm. Now, they sell the soap at Kentucky Soaps and Such, based in Stafford, Kentucy. Also, the soap can be found online at www.plainviewsoaps.com.

If you are in Ethiopia, Salem’s Design store is located just past Edna Mall. Take a left at Genet Kitfo (just opposite of the FedEx building), the store is marked by a large green gate with a yellow ‘S’ and will be on the left side of the street. Salem can be reached at salemk@ethionet.et or salemsdesigns@gmail.com.

Mozambique – A Brief Geographical and Environmental Comparison to Ethiopia

Just last week I was fortunate enough to slip off to Mozambique for a week vacation to visit a friend volunteering in the Peace Corps. It was quite an enjoyable trip, and interesting to compare and contrast Mozambique to Ethiopia. That’s a hard thing to do in only a week’s time; however, I cannot help but comment on the environmental and geographical differences.

Mozambique, as I’m sure many of you are aware, does not share the mountainous terrain of Ethiopia. Ethiopia is considered the ‘ceiling of Africa,’ as hardly any other country on the continent has comparable highlands. Though the mountains are beautiful, provide an escape from lowland diseases, such as malaria, and heat, they are now nearly completely deforested. The deforestation of the Ethiopian highlands, and country in general (in the 1970s forest covered nearly 27% of the landscape, today that figure hovers below 4%), leads to rapid soil degradation and erosion – which leads to further deforestation as farmers search for arable land.

As we bumped along in a chappa (what Mozambicans call mini-buses) from Maputo east towards Chibuto, I could not help but notice there were actually forests in the distance, and older growth trees dotted the landscape here and there! Moreover, we traveled through extensive wetlands and the general landscape was green and lush – quite a contrast to Ethiopia. Of note however, Mozambique does suffer from extensive flooding at times– the green landscape and wetlands do not come without a cost.

Other things I noticed, that likely contribute to a more sustainable environment in Mozambique as compared to Ethiopia, is that the country did not seem to be busting at the seams in terms of human and livestock population. No matter if you are in Addis Ababa or on some rural road, you can hardly drive in Ethiopia without constantly dodging people and livestock. This out-of-control population growth (both among humans and livestock) further contributes to the degradation of an already depleted natural environment – what family planning would do for Ethiopia! On the ride from Maputo to Chibuto we passed a large herd of cattle or two (they were noticeably larger and healthier than those found in Ethiopia – due to available grazing lands), but it did not compare to the human and livestock traffic you experience in any part of Ethiopia.

Some pictures have been posted from the Mozambique trip on the Lamp Post Photos link at the right – you can compare and contrast the natural landscapes for yourself.

I believe that’s a wrap for March 2009. I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter with family and friends. I, for one, will be missing the sunrise service over Lake Tillery.

JTV
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia