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- On 25th September 2018, Kenyans and conservationists across the world marked
Laureate Wangari Maathai’s 7th memorial anniversary. - Prof.
Wangari Maathai is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle for
democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. - Millions
of miles away from Kenya’s capital in a dusty village is however, another
environmental champion who has quite a lot of similarities with the late Nobel
Laureate and with her absence he is the one carrying the mantle.
On 25th September 2018, Kenyans and conservationists across the world took a minute off from their busy schedule to remember and appreciate the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Professor Wangari Maathai.
Led by
the Green Belt Movement (GBM), a grass-roots movement aimed at countering the
deforestation she founded in 1977, in collaboration with her family,
participants converge at the All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi to mark Maathai’s
7th memorial anniversary
After the
service, the participants marched through Kenyatta Avenue towards Uhuru Park,
Freedom corner.
playFreedom Corner at Uhuru Park (Mediamax)
At the
Freedom Corner, Rev. Dr. Timothy Njoya among other dignitaries were present and
addressed the participants on matters of environment, good governance, and
promotion of cultures of peace as cornerstones for sustainable development.
Prof.
Wangari Maathai is internationally recognized for her persistent struggle for
democracy, human rights and environmental conservation. In her lifetime she
addressed the UN on several occasions and spoke on behalf of women at special
sessions of the General Assembly for the five-year review of the earth summit.
She
served on the commission for Global Governance and Commission on the Future.
She and the Green Belt Movement have received numerous awards, most notably The
2004 Nobel Peace Prize.
playWangari Maathai of Kenya holding her Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Dec. 10, 2004. (Twitter)
Millions
of miles away from Kenya’s capital in a dusty village is however, another
environmental champion who has quite a lot of similarities with the late Nobel
Laureate and with her absence he is the one carrying the mantle.
Yacouba
Sawadogo is a farmer from the Sahel Region and is best known as “the man who
stopped the desert”.
Starting
around 1980 during a phase of severe drought, Sawadogo embarked on a back
breaking feat many thought was in vain to try and stop the creeping Sahara
Desert dead on its track by creating ‘a green wall barrier’ and boy did he do a
beautiful job.
Also read: Here are the eight largest forests in Africa that hold the continent’s future
playYacouba Sawadogo is a farmer from the Sahel Region and is best known as “the man who stopped the desert”. (Facebook)
Despite
facing numerous resistance from locals in the beginning, just like Wangari did
and was even called a ‘madman’ and saw his forest set on fire, Sawadogo
was determined to see his dream for a green Africa come to light and never
considered giving up. Over time, people came to admire his work.
He
successfully created an almost 40-hectare forest on formerly barren and
abandoned land which today, proudly stands and has more than 60 species of
trees and bushes.
It is
arguably one of the most diverse forests planted and managed by a farmer in the
Sahel.
playyacouba sawadogo (observers.france24.)
Sawadogo’s
remarkable success is deeply rooted on a traditional practice of planting pits
for soil, water and biomass retention (“zaï” in local language).
Zaï or
Tassa is a farming technique to dig pits in the soil during the preseason to
catch water and concentrate compost.
Trees
planted together with the crops serve to enrich the soil, produce fodder for
livestock and create business opportunities like bee keeping. This helps
farmers adapt to climate change, reduce rural poverty and prevent local
resource and water related conflicts.
playStarting around 1980 during a phase of severe drought, Sawadogo embarked on a back breaking feat many thought was in vain to try and stop the creeping Sahara Desert dead on its track by creating ‘a green wall barrier’ and boy did he do a beautiful job. (AfriZap)
Sawadogo has continued innovating the
technique over the years, increasing crop yields and successfully planting
trees.
Ever
eager to share his knowledge and pass it to the next generation he organizes
trainings to empower farmers to regenerate their land and daily receives thousands
of visitors from the region and beyond.
Those who
adopt Sawadogo’s techniques often become food secure, as zaï help to conserve
rainwater and improve soil fertility. As a result, tens of thousands of
hectares of severely degraded land have been restored to productivity in
Burkina Faso and Niger.
playZaï or Tassa is a farming technique to dig pits in the soil during the preseason to catch water and concentrate compost. (Mindship)
This has
seen farmers able to produce crops even in years of drought.
Together
with other farmer-managed natural regeneration techniques, Zaï could become an
important tool to counter forced migration and build peace in this volatile
region and for that I believe Yacouba Sawadogo should be considered for the
recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize just like Maathai.
playYacouba Sawadogo, ‘the man who stopped the desert’ (Gunther Willinger)
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