NEWSLETTER #33 - SOCIETY OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENTISTS

Volume 8, Issue 4

October - December 2019


CONTENT
Chair's Foreword
Research into Indigenous Technologies (evaluation  of soil and water conservation measures)
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading


Chair's Foreword*

We address indigenous soil and water conservation (SWC) measures and progress so far made in their modern evaluation to put our indigenous technologies on a sound scientific footing. By and large, results so far indicated that  stone bunds served to conserve soil and water and increase crop yields.  Also, studies evaluating Zai planting pits show almost unequivocally that  they are a very effective means of improving soil fertility, conserving soil and water, as well as increasing crop yields. Barriers to establishing the effectiveness of these soil and water conservation measures presented themselves as ranging in form from political reforms and a focus on externally driven projects to misleading mathematical/physical models developed in very different conditions to those they are applied to - as in the case of work undertaken in the highlands of Ethiopia. As a result of model predictions being found at odds with measurements made in the field over a decade, caution was warranted in the application of such models.

Research into Indigenous Technologies (evaluation of soil and water conservation measures)

It remains a challenge for African science institutions, to put African indigenous technologies on a sound scientific footing by evaluation of their effectiveness. This work has already began, as we see from various studies coming out of Ethiopia on the effectiveness of stone bunds as a soil and water conservation (SWC) measure and also effectiveness of Zai planting pits in West Africa in Burkina Faso.

Stone and Soil Bunds serve to reduce runoff erositivity, soil material and water losses

    There has been a fair volume of study conducted on  soil/stone bunds, which are a long established traditional measure to reduce runoff erosive energy and water and soil losses.  A study by Adimassu, Mekonnen, Yirga and Kessler [1] in 2014 compared the performance of three distinct treatments:

a) (sb): Barley cultivated land with graded soil bunds;
 b) (F): Fallow land and
 c) (Bc): Barley cultivated land without soil bunds protection.

   Results showed that treatment Sb brought about significant reduction in runoff and soil losses. Plots with Sb reduced the annual runoff by about 28% and the average annual soil loss by about 47%. Consequently Sb also reduced the loss of soil nutrients and organic carbon. Because the absolute losses were still high, there was a need to supplement Sb with land management measures to further control erosion and improve soil fertility. It was noted that despite positive impacts on soil quality Sb did not increase crop yield. In fact, Sb decreased yield. But this was explained exactly by the amount of land lost to soil bunding as opposed to being used to grow crops.
   A study conducted by Hengsdijk et al [2] in which a suite of physical models  have been applied to the Ethiopian highlands suggest ineffectiveness of SWC measures.  But the study results  were at odds with field measurements made by researchers from various international institutions over ten years in the Tigray region of Ethiopia [3]. This led the authors to conclude, in their response to the paper by Hengsdijk et al,  that there was a need to proceed with caution in applying physical models in cases where the conditions are quite different from those in which the model is developed.
  Other studies suggest that traditional soil and water conservation measures like stone bunds can increase crop yield as well as conserve soil and water. The 2007 study by Nyssen, et al [4], supports the effectiveness of stone bunds in increasing crop yields by 53%. It was also indicated that stone bunds were made more productive by the planting of trees.

Zai planting pits with manure placed to improve soil fertility and moisture retention

   A very helpful review of the science behind the effectiveness of the Zai planting pit system is provided by Danjuma et al (2015)[5].
   We learn that Zai (ancestral planting pits) provides an effective way of improving the management of degraded land and reducing soil erosion, vegetation loss and biodiversity, as well as improving grain yield.
  Zai is a term used by Burkina Faso farmers to refer to small planting pits of 20-30 cm diameter and 10-20 cm depth and spaced 60-80 cm apart. It is a traditional land rehabilitation technology  promoted by farmers in Burkina Faso to rehabilitate degraded drylands, and restore soil fertility. This technology is mainly applied in semi-arid areas, on slopes less than 5%. According to World Bank, Zai can increase  production by 500% if well executed. Manure is added to each planting pit. The organic matter attracts termites that are especially important in improving soil structure. This increased the water holding capacity of the soil 500%,
   It is highly notable that in the recent history of the development of land rehabilitation in Africa there has rightly been a light shone on some exceptional individual innovators in soil and water conservation and land rehabilitation from a degraded state. In 1984 a farmer named Yacouba Sawadogo began organising semi-annual market days to promote the use of Zai planting pits. By the year 2000, Yacouba's market days involved farmers from more than 100 villages in Burkina Faso. This was complimented by establishment of Zai schools and training run by other farmers from 1992 to 2009.
    The authors admit that the main constraint of the Zai technique is the labour involved in constructing the system. Studies cited between 300 and 450 hours of labour per hectare needed to dig holes for pits and 250 labour hours per hectare to add manure.
   However, the socio-economic benefits from Zai pits are  transformational for both community and environment if well executed. These benefits are numerous and include
- working well in compliment with other techniques such as stone contour bunding to restore degraded soil
- serving to collect and concentrate water at the plant as needed
- being an innovation that addresses the effects of land degradation, soil erosion and soil moisture stress
- being a good means of restoring soil health
- improving poor grain yields and quality of the product.

 
 
 

 

Earth Science Events

April 16-17, 2020

Earth and Space Science and Engineering

VISION: 

VENUE: Cape Town, South Africa

June 29, 2020

International Conference on Oceanography and Earth Sciences

VISION: Aims to bring together leading academic scientists, professors, students and research scholars to exchange experiences and share research results about all aspects of oceanography and earth sciences,

VENUE: Marrakesh, Morocco.

November 5-6, 2020

International Conference on Earth Sciences and Climate Change

VISION: Various aspects of earth sciences and climate change including, biodiversity, bio-degradation, conservation, deforestation,  impact on human health health among  many other issues.

VENUE: Marrakesh, Morocco.

References and selected reading

1]     Adimassu, Z., Mekonnen, K., Yirga, C., and A. Kessler, Effect of soil bunds on runoff, soil and nutrient losses and crop yield in the central highlands of Ethiopia, Land Degrad. Develop. 25: 554-564 (2014).
2] Hengsdijk, H., Maijerink, G., Mosugu, M., 2005. Modelling the effect of three soil and water conservation practices in Tigray.[ Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 105 (2005), 29-40.
3]  Nyssen, J., Nigussie Haregeweyn, Desheemaeker, K., Desta Gebremichael, Vancampenhout, K., Poesen, J., Mitiku Haile, Buytaert, W., Naudts, J., Deckers, J., Govers, G., Comment on "Modelling the effect of soil and water conservation practices in Tigray Ethiopia" , Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 114 (2006), 407-411.
4]  Nyssen, J., Poesen, J., Desta Gebremichael, Vancampenhout, K., D'aes, M., Gebremedhin Yihdego,  Govers, G., Leirs, H., Moeyersons, J., Naudts, J., Nigussie Haregeweyn,  Mitiku Haile, Deckers, J., Interdisciplinary onsite evaluationof stone bunds to control soil erosion on cropland in Northern Ethiopia, Soil and Tillage Res. 94 (2007), 151-163.
5]  Danjuma, M.N., and Mohammed, S.,  Zai Pits: A Catalyst for Restoration in the Drylands, IOSR Journal of Agric. & Vet. Sci. (IOSR), Volume 8, Issue 2 Ver.1 (Feb 2015)pp. 01-04.




*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria),  Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).

NEWSLETTER #32 - SOCIETY OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENTISTS

Volume 8, Issue 3

July - September 2019


CONTENT
Chair's Foreword
Towards a Trans-African Highways Network
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading


Chair's Foreword*

We address the Trans-African Highways project first conceived in the 1960s and 70s as a venture that would bring great economic benefit to the continent. The Highway will be built one day, but still has some way to go. We remind ourselves of the vision that led to the project and update readers on the current project status.

Towards a Trans-African Highways Network

The notion of a trans-African highway, immediately promises to contribute greatly to what appears to be an absence of intra-African trade among neighbouring African countries.  Furthermore, it is a vision also promising to foster pan-African integration and co-operation.
   A 2003 report by the African Development Bank and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) appreciates a certain historical context to the Trans-African Highway project when it states that on the African continent "...the existing road networks were originally established to service the specific needs and interests of the colonial powers, that had developed import/export markets for Africa in the industrial parts of the world. Africa thus inherited transport and communication structures that were outward looking rather than geared to improved trade and transport with neighbouring African countries."[1]

The system of roads known as the Trans-African Highway is partially built, and will on its completion consist of 9 corridors or highways that both map around  and traverse across the vast areas of the African Continent.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

   The Highway as planned covers a total of 59,100 km. It was formed with the three fold aims of

a) providing as direct routes as possible between the continent's capital cities

b) contribute to the political, economic and social cohesion of Africa

c) ensure road transport facilities between important areas of consumption and production; in other words to engender intra-African trade.

   According, again, to the same 2003 Africa Development Bank and UN report [2], the layout of the Trans-Africa Highway has come about as a result of compromise between these aims. It was estimated in the same report that it would cost a further 4.2 Billion USD to complete the network.

   Initially a Trans-African Highway Bureau was established to oversee the management of the project and ensure its completion. But this ceased to exist in the 1980s and attempts to revive this in the 1990s failed.  The current plan is to replace the Bureau with Trans-African Highway Authorities and Committees that will help so as to reduce costs borne by member states.

   The Highway had to be extended after the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, which at the time was not included in the network. The Highway formerly connecting Cairo to Gabarone was extended to become Cairo to Cape Town; whilst the route Tripoli to Windhoek was extended to become Tripoli to Cape Town.
   The network does have significant missing links; some where no tracks has even been mapped out for the highway such as in Republic of Congo. In cases this is due to the difficulty of terrain and geology. In other cases, a dirt road exists which may be less passable during rainy season weather.
   Despite the promise, it seems that the building of the Trans-African Highway (TAH) alone, will not by itself lead to intra-African trade increasing. The report notes that the development of inter-African trade has not shown particular advances in the 13 Regional Economic Communities (RECs) for which data was available at the time of the report. Six of the regions showed a decrease in the proportion of exports going to Africa and only one showed an increase, The remainder were more or less unchanged. The picture was the same for imports.
   There were problems prohibiting convenient use of the TAH. Roadblocks were identified as a significant nuisance. These were justified by both legal and illegal agents as necessary for vehicle condition checks, border security etc. However, the vast majority of excessive road blocks existed to extort money from travelers, particularly trucks and buses.
   In April 2008, the conference of African ministers of transport recommended harmonization of standards along the transcontinental highways and began the process of drafting and implementing the agreement.[3] 

Source:  United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

   More recently, the leaders of landlocked countries in Africa have realised the great benefit from the Trans-African Highway that will potentially accrue to landlocked economies which suffer from lack of access to seaports. This is a further incentive to move along with completion of the highway [4].
   The emergence of the TAH will not be without its challenges as greater networks of roads will  transform the continent economically and also lead to other unintended consequences like the disruption of wildlife and natural environments as noted by a report in the New Scientist[5]. Also, although not alluded to by the report, greater road networks will obviously lead to traffic pollution and the need to control vehicle emissions. This is why in addition planning must be made from the outset to cater for carbon neutral electric vehicles. There would need to be a plan to in time install solar powered charging points along the highways with a possible view to moving towards 100% solar powered electric vehicle highways in the future.

Earth Science Events

November 18-19, 2019

Crop Science and Agriculture

VISION: 

VENUE: Bali, Indonesia

November 26-27, 2019

Global Summit on Earth Science and Climate Change

VISION: 

VENUE: Lisbon, Portugal

References and selected reading

1] Africa Develpment Bank and UNECA, Review of Trans African Highways and Missing Links Vol. 2]
https://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Project-and-Operations/00473227-EN-TAH-FINAL-VOL2.PDF
3] Mutangadura, G., Intergovernmental agreement to underpin the transafrican highway network
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTTRANSPORT/Resources/336291-1370557660583/Mutangadura-Trans-African-Highway-Network.pdf 
4]  Erdenebileg, S., Statement on: Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States at the High Level Expert Group Meeting To Validate the Report on Harmonisation of Road Norms and Standards in Africa and Discuss the Draft Intergovernmental Agreement, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 19 September 2011. Acting Director Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries.
5]  Coghlan, Andy, Africa’s road building frenzy will transform Africa - but pose environmental challenges, New Scientist, January 2014.  https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22129512-800-africas-road-building-frenzy-will-transform-continent/



*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi (Nigeria),  Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria).

NEWSLETTER #31 - SOCIETY OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENTISTS

Volume 8, Issue 2

April-June 2019

CONTENTS

Chair's Foreword

The Problem of Africa's Infrastructure Project Failures

Earth Science Events

References and selected reading

Chair’s Foreword*

Welcome to the 31^st newsletter of Society of African Earth Scientists where we visit the topic of the continent's frequent infrastructure project failures and the causes for them.

The Problem of Africa's Infrastructure Project Failures

   A brief investigation into the literature of this subject reveals that making an inventory for Africa is perhaps over ambitious, as it would promise to be vast in extent.

   The work of Nweze [1] on the failure of public infrastructure projects in Nigeria alone reveals , via the work of Oseminan [2], Nigeria to be "the world's junkyard of failed projects" and that there are 400 major failed projects in Nigeria alone as at 2016 costing hundreds of billions of Naira [3]. This number will have escalated. Reasons identified for failure by the study include: corruption, absence of project management expertise, inexperienced staff, absence of relevant skills. Other reasons identified included, incorrect project cost estimates, poor planning.

   Taking into account all projects large and small, Okereke [4] records that 11,886 Federal Government projects were abandoned in Nigeria between 1971 and 2011. This does not include state government projects which would surely make the list of failures vast. Even if other African countries have only a fraction of Nigeria's failures we see that an inventory for Africa is an unrealistic task. Instead one can focus on learning lessons from significant projects which is what Okereke attempts in his paper.

   There are positive examples on the continent of projects that succeed on budget and on time, in South Africa and Ghana. Take for instance the South African infrastructure put in place for the highly successful 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

Dadin Kowa Dam, Gombe State, Nigeria. Completed in 1984 as a hydro-electric dam project, the dam has not delivered a single watt of electric power to the residents of Gombe State to this day

   Ika and St Macary [5] cite project management as the key factor in the failure of African infrastructure projects. Sometimes, these seem to suggest the sheer complexity of project conditions requires a level of project management that is missing.

   Isaac Damoah, in his PhD thesis on this subject uses Ghana as a case study on why projects fail in developing nations [6], and his study is notable for identifying changes in government and lack of continuity as causes for project failure. These have very recently been highlighted in the press in the case of Nigeria being told by a British Court that it must pay $9 billion to a British company for failing to provide the gas for a planned gas processing plant construction in Calabar, South Eastern Nigeria [7]. This represents a catastrophic waste of benefit that might have been enjoyed by Nigerians in the form of electricity that might have been generated from the gas. In this instance there was a lack of continuity between three successive Nigerian administrations that led to the British company claim. Other factors Damoah cites in failure are political interference, poor planning, procurement processes, release of funds, and so on.

   Solutions to combat project failure offered in the literature include obvious advice such as: encouraging governments to prioritise monitoring of their projects [8], or tackle corruption [9]. There is advice to take note of unrealistic pricing at the contract bid stage, and to demand cashflow information from contractors to ensure they can operate for the duration of the project [10].

   Apart from recommending that various professional bodies and government institutions should meet their obligations by better enforcing codes of ethics or practice on their members or clients, Nweze also makes the prudent case for the review of procurement legislation with a view to plugging loopholes for abuse [11].

Earth Science Events

October 6-9, 2019

16th SAGA Biennial Conference and Exhibition "Current Informing the Future"

VISION:The conference, a staple of the geophysical community in Africa, provides a forum for engagement, idea generation and sharing.

VENUE: Durban, South Africa

October 6-10, 2019

17th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering "Innovation and Sustainability in Geotechnics for Developing Arica"

VISION: Innovative and sustainable infrastructure is crucial for Africa's economic integration. As such, the vision of improved geotechnics is a positive notion directed at the development of the continent.

VENUE: Cape Town, South Africa 

October 30-31, 2019

World Congress on Irrigation, Water Resources & Drainage Engineering

VISION: 

VENUE: Sydney, Australia

November 18-19, 2019

Crop Science & Agriculture

VISION: 

VENUE: Bali, Indonesia

November 26-27, 2019

Global Summit on Earth Science & Climate Change

VISION: 

VENUE: Lisbon, Portugal

References

1. Nweze, N., Failure of Public Infrastructure Projects in Nigeria: Causes, Effects and Solutions,Texila International Journal of Management,vol.2, issue 2, Dec. 2006. 
2. Osemenan, I., (1987). Project Abandonment. Newswatch Magazine, (1), 15.
3. Kotangora, O.O.,(1993). Project Abandonment in Nigeria. Nigeria Tribune.
4. Okereke, O.C., Causes of failure and abandonment of project deliverables in Africa, PM World Journal, Vol. VI, issue 1 - Jan 2017.
5.  Ika, L and J. Saint-Macaray, Why Do Projects Fail in Africa?, Journal of African Business, September,2014,(15(3),151-155,2014). Link: http://www.researchgate.net/publication/280213472.
6.  Damoah, I.S., An investigation into the causes and effects of project failure in developing countries: Ghana as a case study, PhD Thesis, Liverpool John Moore University, October 2005.
7. Reuters, Judge to allow firm to try to  seize $9 billion Nigerian assets in gas dispute, Aug 2019. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-nigeria-arbitration/uk-judge-to-allow-firm-to-try-to-seize-9-billion-in-nigerian-assets-in-gas-dispute-idUKKCN1V6154. 
8. Damoah, op. cit.
9. Nweze, op. cit.
10.  Murwira, D., and M. Bekker, Building an infrastructure project performancein the north-west province department of public works and roads, Acta Structilia 2017: 24(2).
11. Nweze, op. cit.

*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana /Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi ( Nigeria).

NEWSLETTER #30 - SOCIETY OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENTISTS

Volume 8, Issue 1

January-March 2019


CONTENTS

Chair's Foreword
International School Awards 2018
Enhancing PV Cell Output  Using Mirrors/Reflectors
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading

Chair’s Foreword*

Welcome to the 30^th issue of Society of African Earth Scientists Newsletter.

Firstly, we draw attention to the success of a number of African Schools from across our continent in the International School Awards, in particular, we look at the work of Corona School in Agbara, Nigeria who won an award in the Business Plan category and executed a successful Water Sanitation and Hygiene project. On behalf of SAES we would like to congratulate Corona School on their successes.

   We also take an enthusiastic look at some research into photovoltaics from around the world that suggests solar panel power outputs can be significantly increased simply using reflectors. This promises to be an effective way to reduce the costs of solar panels in terms of output per £1 or $1 spent.

   Last but not least: In 2013 SAES set a challenge to use Google Earth to measure the land area and coastline of Africa as part of Day of Earth Sciences in Africa (DESA), 20-21^st March each year. Six years later it will be interesting to revisit this activity and note if there have been any significant changes in result. The challenge to revisit this activity has therefore been set. The activity guide is to be found by searching "geodata collection activity" on the blog and we look forward to reviewing the results in a future newsletter issue.


Corona School, Agbara State, Nigeria - International School Awards 2018

Chukwunyere Kamalu with Adewale Akinwunmi (Headteacher, Corona School)

Corona School is to be commended and is featured here; not only  for its success in the 2018 International School Awards in the Business Plan category, but furthermore, because the school has made a significant achievement in successfully executing a Water Sanitation and Hygiene development project conceived and planned through an exceptional community effort involving the pupils and staff of Corona School with the help of the local community’s skilled artisans and professionals. This is particularly notable as their community in Agbara, Nigeria, suffered two past cholera outbreaks in a ten year period which led to the tragic loss of life of five members of the community with many residents taken ill.

   The School was able to spearhead a community drive to take action to improve community public health and hygiene and protect against a future repeat of the cholera outbreaks of the past, by collaborating with local project stakeholders made up predominantly of the members of the local Transformer Club and Gavel Club. These clubs helped to organise fundraising for the project for materials and labour to execute the agreed plan.

   The stakeholders together cooperated to construct: 1) A four-room public toilet and washroom facility and 2) A borehole with water storage tank and  water taps that now make water for drinking and sanitation available to the local population.

   Most importantly, the project stakeholders have been able to devise a system that will make this a sustainable provision and will enable this facility to be available for community long term benefit. The stakeholders have secured a guarantee from the local Community Development Association that it will ensure the continued maintenance of the facility; with a Committee appointed by the Community Council ensuring the continued maintenance and effective running of the facility into the foreseeable future.

Enhancing PV Cell Output Using Mirrors/Reflectors

A fair number of studies are now to be found on the internet, which demonstrate that the solar power output  of solar panels can be significantly increased by placing mirrors or reflectors in suitable close proximity.

   Arshad et al in 2014  in Pakistan [1] were able to show that the use of mirrors improved output by 32%. However, it was also the case that the use of mirrors/reflectors increased irradiance and also the temperature of the solar panels. Unfortunately, raising temperature also decreases the efficiency of the panels. This was ameliorated by applying a cooling  mechanism  and led to a 52% improvement in  panel power output.

   Naseer K Kasim et al in Iraq [2] report a gain in output power of over 48% when reflectors are applied to their solar panels. Since their trough shaped solar reflectors caused a rise in incident radiation levels which increased and thus increased the PV module short circuit current. The reflectors do cause a rise in temperature which leads to a fall in voltage. However, the percentage drop in  voltage (V) is far less than the .percentage drop in current  (I), so there remained a net increase in power P = V x I.

   Andrews, Pollard and Pearce [3] showed that a 45% increase in solar panel output was made by employing reflectors, in this case made of a sophisticated form of Aluminium.

Trough shaped mirrors attached to solar panels. From Kasim et al , 2018

   There is a surfeit of further studies supporting the examples discussed above  [4, 5, 6]. The results of these studies raise the possibility of designing suitable furniture (to accompany solar panels) that is covered in reflective material that is cheap and easy to access such as aluminium foil. Such furniture with suitable fixings and proximity would enhance irradiance and increase the PV module current and thereby the power output of the panels for relatively little cost. 

Earth Science Events

June 6-7, 2019

Zimbabwe Mineral Resources Conference

VISION: Pro- and preceded by geological field trips. Will be subdivided into two morning and afternoon sessions.

VENUE: Harare, Zimbabwe

July 11-13, 2019

World Congress on Geology and Earth Science

VISION: Providing innovative research methodologies for Earth Sciences.

VENUE: London, UK

August 4-9, 2019

70th Annual Meeting of International Society of Electrochemistry

VISION: Linking resources to sustainable development

VENUE: Durban, South Africa

October 6-9, 2019

16th SAGA Biennial Conference and Exhibition "Current Informing the Future"

VISION:The conference, a staple of the geophysical community in Africa, provides a forum for engagement, idea generation and sharing.

VENUE: Durban, South Africa

October 6-10, 2019

17th African Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering "Innovation and Sustainability in Geotechnics for Developing Arica"

VISION: Innovative and sustainable infrastructure is crucial for Africa's economic integration. As such, the vision of improved geotechnics is a positive notion directed at the development of the continent.

VENUE: Cape Town, South Africa 

 .

References, Selected Reading, etc

References on photovoltaic research

1.     Arshad, R., Tariq. S., Niaz, M., M. Jamil, “Improvement in Solar Panel Efficieny Using Solar Concentration by Simple Mirrors and Cooling”, 2014 International Conference on Robotics and Emerging Allied Technologies in Engineering (iCREATE), Islamabad, Pakistan.

2.     Kasim, N.K., Atwan, A.F., Eliewi, F.M., “Improve the performance of  solar modules by reflectors”, The Sixth Scientific Conference “Renewable Energy and its Applications”, IOP Conference Series: Journal of Physics: Conf. Series 1032 (2018) 012031.

3.     Andrews, R., Pollard, A., Pearce, M.J., “Photovoltaic System Performance Enhamcement With Non-Tracking Planar Concentrators: Experimental Results and Bi-Directional Reflectance Function (BDRF) Based Modelling. Link: https://www.academia.edu/16836963/Photovoltaics_Systems_Performance_Enhancement_With_Non_Tracking_Planar_Concentrators__Experiment

4.     Srisailam, Ch., Srihari, T., Chinna Babu, T., “Improvement of Solar Energy By Mirror Reflection Technique”, International Journal of Engineering Research and General Science Volume 3,  Issue 3, May-June, 2015.

5.     Rizk, J., and Nagrial, M.H. (2009), “Impact of reflectors on solar energy systems”, International Journal of Electrical, Computer, Energetic, Electronic and Communication Engineering Vol 2, No.5, 2008.
6.  Ahmed, S., Mia, M.M.A, Acherjee, S. and M.A.A. Ansary, "More Efficient Use of Photovoltaic Solar Panel Using Multiple Fix Directed Mirrors or Aluminium Foils Instead of Solar Trackers in Rural Perspective of Bangladesh", International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research Vol. 3, Issue 4, April 2014.

*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana /Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi ( Nigeria).

NEWSLETTER #29 - SOCIETY OF AFRICAN EARTH SCIENTISTS

Volume 7, Issue 3

July-December 2018


CONTENT

Chair's Foreword
The Sustainable Village Model: A Viable Way to Accelerate Development in Rural Africa?
Earth Science Events
References and selected reading


Chair's Foreword*

Welcome of Mr Damola Nadi to SAES Board of Trustees

In this issue we have the great pleasure of announcing the co-option on to the Society of African Earth Scientists Board of Trustees, of Mr Damola Nadi.  Damola is a young agroecologist, who will be an invaluable  addition to our board of trustees, bringing up our number  of personnel to a total of  six. The Society continues to encourage African scientists to join the board, with a special encouragement to prospective members from East Africa, which is not currently regionally represented on the board of trustees.

"Another Africa Is Possible", SAES and AAIP Networking Event and Agroecology Film Show, Thursday 15th November 2018

   In November, SAES hosted a networking event in London entitled  "Another Africa Is Possible" in collaboration with Explo Nani Kofi, the editor of Another Africa Is Possible (AAIP)  Newsletter. It included a presentation on AAIP's grassroots work addressing social justice  and historical issues in Ghana and also Cameroon, which was followed by an agroecology film showing and discussion, featuring the film "Ethiopia Rising: Red Terror to Green revolution".

Aba Hawe from Ethiopia Rising - Red Terror to Green Revolution

   Just shy of 20 people attended the networking event of a social justice organisation (AAIP) with a science organisation (SAES) - an untested and  novel combination which on the one hand introduces scientists to social justice issues, whilst also engaging social justice practitioners in the issues of environmental sustainability, energy, food sovereignty, etc.
   The discussion was notable for suggestions/proposals raised by the audience, including the idea that African and diaspora communities should acquire land on which to put the agroecology techniques learned from the film into practice. The land acquired need only be modest - a garden space, allotment, etc. This was seen as a good means of not only applying and transferring knowledge; but also of engaging youth in productive trans-formative activity, working with nature and with the land.
   The film featured astonishing statistics of achievement by the rural community of Abraha Atsbeha, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, including moving more soil than the volume of the Great Pyramids,  planting nearly a million trees in 4 years, doubling crop yields, increasing the level of the water table by 15m to such a level as to create a natural spring of freshwater flowing from the ground 24/7, reforesting a previously desertified and barren landscape, terracing many hectares and building numerous check dams, etc. which all in the end helped to increase local water retention and help regenerate the environment.

 
The Sustainable Village Model: A Viable Way to Accelerate African Rural Development?

Imagine a sustainable village model in an African setting: Dwellings which are constructed from locally sourced materials - perhaps the local clay or mud to create mud bricks. There would be sufficient land area to practice traditional African farming, with an emphasis on agroecology. The cleanest freshwater would be collected by rainwater harvesting systems. Advantage would be taken to provide off-grid renewable energy, such as solar and/or wind power, as appropriate. Sanitation could be provided by composting toilets in a sustainable way which transforms harmful human waste into soil, which can be  safely handled and spread over agricultural land as fertilizer.
  The idea is that if one could develop these model villages successfully, it would then merely be a matter of replication to  upscale and reproduce such villages in every country, thereby alleviating poverty in the poorest and most vulnerable rural communities across Africa within a short time frame; as the majority of  the poorest African people live in a rural setting.
   Several initiatives have emerged to trial the idea of the sustainable village; but a number of these are pioneered from outside of the continent, leading to the risks that come with external agency, including  the loss of independence of development.
   Whatever the circumstances in which sustainable villages (SV) are trialed, it is arguably always a positive development, because the benefits for encouraging a development trend or momentum outweigh the dangers. The results of these developments seem positive; although this is tempered  with concern over the problem of upscaling the SV model. Overall, the prevalence of SV model trials all over Africa is a good thing, which can, if managed well by Africa states for the benefit of their citizens, succeed in accelerating African infrastructural Development. The danger when this is managed by external agencies, of diverting the purposefulness of infrastructure away from meeting African needs and towards improving the climate for corporate investors, is palpable, as in the case of the Columbia University Millenium Villages Project that incorporates the usual spectres of  reliance on "improved seeds" and western industrial fertilisers. In such cases, Africa traditional agriculture and agroecology are relegated as "backward", when in fact these approaches guarantee Africa's food sovereignty and environmental sustainability.
   As the first instance of one of these initiatives, the Ecosa Institute [1] created a plan for a sustainable village in Duayee, Liberia that included elements of sustainability mentioned above, among others:-

• Agricultural, food and energy sustainability
• Rainwater harvesting for freshwater
• Paper making and other craft industries

Sustainable Village Model. Duayee, Liberia

   In another instance, Ecovillage articulates the establishment of a Pan-African village development programme aimed at eradicating poverty [2].  The programme aims to accelerate progress by targeting the poorest and most vulnerable  populations which are rural communities. They cite work in Senegal, where the government is committed to establishing 14,000 ecovillages, having established a trial of 45 villages through the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN). They also report on projects in Egypt (Sekem Ecovillage) and Cameroon, where the local NGO, Better World Cameroon, create a sustainable village model with managed soil erosion, water retention, soil enrichment, composting and craft industry.

   Columbia University Earth Institute report in a review of their African Millenium Villages experiment [3], the building of 78 millenium villages in 12 sites across 10 African countries, each representing a major agroecological zone.  In early results the research villages in Kenya, Ethiopia and Malawi have reduced malaria incidence, met calorific requirements, generated crop surpluses, enabled school feeding programmes and provided cash earnings for farm families.

   Lastly, in Rwanda, the partnership of UNEP-UNDP and REMA(Rwanda Environmental Management Authority) resulted in Rwanda's first "green" village [4]. This has been scaled up to provide over 44 sustainable village models to halt environmental degradation, provide renewable energy, livelihoods and improved infrastructure for local people. A cost-benefit analysis revealed that the village at a cost of $636,000 to construct and $22,000 per year to run, the village generated an interest rate of return of 5.8%, 7.7% and 8.9% over 15, 20 and 30 years. Based on these results, the Rwanda government decided to scale up to build 44 villages based on the original model.

   There are many more examples of the sustainable village model in Africa being blueprinted in various countries and it is maintained that this is a positive development. Cabral et al [5] in their review of  the Millenium Village project conclude that such projects at least draw much needed attention to the chronic under-investment in rural areas where the majority of poor people live. A key challenge, they note is for the Millenium Village Project to be integrated into larger African-owned initiatives, such as that of CAADP or NEPAD. How this will happen, they note, still remains unclear.

Earth Science Events

 June 6-7, 2019

Zimbabwe Mineral Resources Conference

VISION: Pro- and preceded by geological field trips. Will be sub-divided into two morning and two afternoon sessions.
VENUE: Harare, Zimbabwe


July 11-13, 2019

World Congress on Geology and Earth Science

VISION: Providing innovative research methodologies for Earth Sciences.
VENUE: London, UK


August 4-9, 2019

70th Annual Meeting of International Society of Electrochemistry

VISION: Linking resources to sustainable development
VENUE:Durban, South Africa


October 6-9, 2019

16th SAGA Biennial Conference and Exhibition
"Current Informing the Future"

VISION: The conference, a staple of the geophysical fraternity in Africa provides a forum for engagement, idea generation and sharing
VENUE: Durban, South Africa

October 6-10, 2019

17th Africa Regional Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering
"Innovation and Sustainability in Geotechnics for Developing Africa"


VISION: Innovative and sustainable infrastructure is crucial for Africa's economic integration. As such, the vision of improved geotechnics is a positive notion directed at the development of the continent.
VENUE: Cape Town, South Africa

References and Selected Reading

1. https://www.ecosa.org/model-sustainable-village/
2. https://ecovillage.org/our-work/consultancy/pan-african-ecovillage-development/
3. Sanchez, P., Palm, C., Sachs, J., et al, "The African Millenium Villages", Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, October 23, 2001 104 (43) 16775-16780; https//doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0700423104
4. South-South World, "Sustainable Development Revolution through Rwanda's Green Villages", 30th May 2018.
5. Cabral, L, J. Farringdon, E. Ludi, "The Millenium Village Project - a new approach to ending rural poverty in Africa?", Natural Resource Perspectives 101, August 2006.

*Board of the Society of African Earth Scientists: Dr Enas Ahmed (Egypt), Osmin Callis (Secretary - Guyana/Nigeria), Mathada Humphrey (South Africa), Dr Chukwunyere Kamalu (Chair - Nigeria), Ndivhuwo Cecilia Mukosi (South Africa), Damola Nadi ( Nigeria).