Paris - Distributing free anti-HIV drugs in a district of Aids-ravaged Malawi helped cut the death toll by 10 percent within eight months, according to a study published on Saturday by The Lancet.
The southern African country introduced free antiretroviral therapy from 2004, thanks to help from the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and by 2006 the drugs were reaching more than 80 000 patients.
Doctors from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Malawi's Karonga Prevention Study carried out an investigation among 32 000 people in the rural northern district of Karonga to gauge the impact on Aids mortality after a free drugs clinic opened there in June 2005.
Eight months after its opening, the clinic was treating 107 patients out of an estimated 334 who were in urgent need of the drugs.
The overall death rate among local adults aged 15-59 - the most exposed group to Aids - fell by 10 percent compared with the three years before the clinic opened. In absolute terms, this translates into nine lives saved.
The authors noted, for instance, the key role of transport in helping rural patients.
The decline in mortality in Karonga was most dramatic -- 35 percent --among people who lived close to a main highway that bisects the area and who thus had easier access to the clinic.
In remote areas, though, the death rate actually went up.
Around one in seven of the adult population in Malawi has HIV, a figure that has remained roughly stable since the late 1990s, according to figures cited in the study.
Around 33 million people around the world are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes Aids, according to the agency UNAIDS.
Two thirds of them are living in sub-Saharan Africa, where many countries, especially in the south, were hit by a long delay in securing a fall in the price of antiretroviral drugs that were rolled out in the West in the mid-1990s.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Pupils pack up their bags for Malawi
Pens, rubbers, jotters, pencil cases ... just some of the things you probably packed in your kids' bags this morning as they left for school, writes Mark Inchley.
But now a Scottish charity is appealing to schools in the Borders to donate some of the same ‘bare essentials’ to youngsters from developing countries in Africa.
Scottish International Relief (SIR), whose flagship campaign, Mary’s Meals, encourage
s young people to attend school by providing daily meals for the chronically hungry, says improving education is the most effective way to help children from developing countries escape the poverty trap later in life.
Its latest initiative, the Back Pack Project, aims to provide basic clothing and educational material for schoolchildren in Malawi and Borders primary schools have been rallying in support.
SIR material aid coordinator Stephen Cox said: “It’s a very popular project because it is so simple and the children can see and understand how their giving of a backpack can help a child living in poverty in Africa.
“Both of these projects have been initiated to encourage families to send their children for an education they would otherwise not receive.”
Staff and pupils at Edenside Primary last month collected 160 back packs filled with clothing, footwear, toiletries and stationery to send to families in Malawi as part of the charity campaign.
Depute headteacher Janice Lawrie told TheSouthern: “We try and do something similar around this time every year, but this is the biggest one we’ve done.
“It really makes you think ‘golly, what a difference between how we live here and how they live in Malawi’.
“Stephen came to take an assembly and he showed us films and talked about what it’s like out there.
“You could’ve heard a pin drop. When the children were collecting they enjoyed themselves, but didn’t understand the reason behind it all.
“But the films really touched them and gave them insight into what it’s like for children in Malawi.”
An Easter Service collection at Edenside also raised £70 for the Mary’s Meals project.
“It was a fantastic effort from Edenside Primary,” added Stephen.
“Normally we get around 60 or 70 bags from schools, so this was a huge amount.
“That’s why we wanted to go and collect it personally and give the children a better sense of how they’re going to be used.
“Projects like this are hugely important and work on so many levels.
“They’re aimed at helping children over here make a direct contribution to the lives of children in developing countries.”
Other Borders schools involved include; Burnfoot Community School, Kingsland Primary, Lauder Primary, Melrose Grammar, Newcastleton Primary, Parkside Primary, Stirches Primary and Tweedbank Primary.
But now a Scottish charity is appealing to schools in the Borders to donate some of the same ‘bare essentials’ to youngsters from developing countries in Africa.
Scottish International Relief (SIR), whose flagship campaign, Mary’s Meals, encourage
s young people to attend school by providing daily meals for the chronically hungry, says improving education is the most effective way to help children from developing countries escape the poverty trap later in life.
Its latest initiative, the Back Pack Project, aims to provide basic clothing and educational material for schoolchildren in Malawi and Borders primary schools have been rallying in support.
SIR material aid coordinator Stephen Cox said: “It’s a very popular project because it is so simple and the children can see and understand how their giving of a backpack can help a child living in poverty in Africa.
“Both of these projects have been initiated to encourage families to send their children for an education they would otherwise not receive.”
Staff and pupils at Edenside Primary last month collected 160 back packs filled with clothing, footwear, toiletries and stationery to send to families in Malawi as part of the charity campaign.
Depute headteacher Janice Lawrie told TheSouthern: “We try and do something similar around this time every year, but this is the biggest one we’ve done.
“It really makes you think ‘golly, what a difference between how we live here and how they live in Malawi’.
“Stephen came to take an assembly and he showed us films and talked about what it’s like out there.
“You could’ve heard a pin drop. When the children were collecting they enjoyed themselves, but didn’t understand the reason behind it all.
“But the films really touched them and gave them insight into what it’s like for children in Malawi.”
An Easter Service collection at Edenside also raised £70 for the Mary’s Meals project.
“It was a fantastic effort from Edenside Primary,” added Stephen.
“Normally we get around 60 or 70 bags from schools, so this was a huge amount.
“That’s why we wanted to go and collect it personally and give the children a better sense of how they’re going to be used.
“Projects like this are hugely important and work on so many levels.
“They’re aimed at helping children over here make a direct contribution to the lives of children in developing countries.”
Other Borders schools involved include; Burnfoot Community School, Kingsland Primary, Lauder Primary, Melrose Grammar, Newcastleton Primary, Parkside Primary, Stirches Primary and Tweedbank Primary.
Malawi on the agenda for guild meeting - new members invited to join
The chairman of St Ives Trefoil Guild is welcoming new members to join the organisation - its next meeting is on Wednesday (May 14).
The chairman of St Ives Trefoil Guild is welcoming new members to join the organisation - its next meeting is on Wednesday (May 14).
Linda Fayers-Hallin has recently taken over as chairman. She said: "Our meetings take place in the Cabin at St Ives near Waitrose, every second Wednesday of the month from 8pm to 10pm.
"At our next meeting the speaker will be George Divine, chairman of the UK/Africa Scout Fellowship who will speak on Malawi.
"We would like to invite anyone interested in the Trefoil Guild or in the subject of our meeting to join us."
The chairman of St Ives Trefoil Guild is welcoming new members to join the organisation - its next meeting is on Wednesday (May 14).
Linda Fayers-Hallin has recently taken over as chairman. She said: "Our meetings take place in the Cabin at St Ives near Waitrose, every second Wednesday of the month from 8pm to 10pm.
"At our next meeting the speaker will be George Divine, chairman of the UK/Africa Scout Fellowship who will speak on Malawi.
"We would like to invite anyone interested in the Trefoil Guild or in the subject of our meeting to join us."
Take-off abandoned after plane fire drama in Malawi
Firefighters doused a Zimbabwean plane which was bound for Britain after its eight rear tyres burst into flames during an abortive take-off from Malawi on Thursday, aviation authorities said.
Alfred Mtilatila, chief aviation officer at Kamuzu International airport in the capital Lilongwe said the incident happened around 8:00am (0600 GMT) involving an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 which was bound for London's Gatwick airport and carrying 91 passengers.
"The Boeing 767 abandoned take-off after it struck two birds which were sucked into the turbines," Mtilatila told AFP.
He said eight rear tyres of the Boeing burst into flames and firefighters doused the blaze before it spread.
Nobody was hurt, he said, adding that all passengers were evacuated to safety. "We have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident."
David Mwenga, regional manager for Europe and America for the airline, said the pilot abandoned take-off after the giant plane hit two birds.
The plane had originated from Harare with 85 passengers. Six of the passengers had boarded in Malawi, he added.
Alfred Mtilatila, chief aviation officer at Kamuzu International airport in the capital Lilongwe said the incident happened around 8:00am (0600 GMT) involving an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767 which was bound for London's Gatwick airport and carrying 91 passengers.
"The Boeing 767 abandoned take-off after it struck two birds which were sucked into the turbines," Mtilatila told AFP.
He said eight rear tyres of the Boeing burst into flames and firefighters doused the blaze before it spread.
Nobody was hurt, he said, adding that all passengers were evacuated to safety. "We have launched an investigation into the cause of the accident."
David Mwenga, regional manager for Europe and America for the airline, said the pilot abandoned take-off after the giant plane hit two birds.
The plane had originated from Harare with 85 passengers. Six of the passengers had boarded in Malawi, he added.
English coach of Malawi resigns via SMS
Stephen Constantine, the English coach of the Malawi national soccer team, has spoiled the reputation of all European coaches in the minds of Malawi's Football Association and all Malawians by making an embarrassing resignation through a text message.
Reading some Malawian newspapers, banners scream, ‘No more English or European coaches in future, enough is enough’.
This incident happens barely a year after the German Burkhad Ziese, who once coached Ghana and Zambia, was dragged from the field of play when refused to accept termination of his services for undermining and castigating authorities.
Ziese at one time challenged to meet Head of State to talk about football, an idea Malawians widely described as silly and disrespectful considering that Office of President is a revered authority and can only talk about a subject at own discretion and not being cajoled by anyone.
Trench of defeats
Constantine, who is believed to have once coached Nepal, Vietnam, India and Cyprus where he was fired for dragging teams into a trench of defeats, last month dumped Malawi national team in Mozambique after losing a game against the Maputo snakes in African Nations Cup for local players which has just been introduced this year. He never communicated to his employers of his trip when he dumped the team and later sent text messages and emails to senior players announcing his quitting.
One of the texts according to one Russian based player Esau Kanyenda who confirmed it, read like, ‘I think there are big problems in Malawi more than I thought and I have with regrets resigned, I thank all you for being nice, hope we would interact elsewhere.”
He later sent similar messages but this time through emails to senior officials including the President Walter and his vice Moses Mkandawire Nyamilandu.
Resume duties
But barely two weeks after resigning Constantine has returned claiming he wants to resume duties and serve three months notice. He jetted in Malawi on Tuesday and looking stubborn refusing interviews with the press and ordering Malawi Airport security men to bar any reporters from getting closer to him as well as restraining any cameraman from capturing him.
But Chief Executive for Malawi FA Charles Nyirenda has said Mr. Constantine has arrived as a tourist and not as coach, because he resigned and cannot be given back the team.Constantine is in bad books with most senior players who could have supported his u-turn.
Meanwhile Malawi FA is considering recruiting two former players as coaches. The two are revered coaches at club level. Malawi meets Djibouti, Egypt and DR Congo this year in African Cup and World Cup qualifiers.
Mike's Day in Court
My Day in the Malawi Court System –
This is one African experience I never thought I’d have – but on May 2nd, I ended up as the “accused” in court. It was only for a traffic offence, but here in Malawi they don’t separate traffic court with criminal court, so I got first hand experience with part of the process that (alleged) criminals go through.
It started the day before when I stopped at the side of the road to pick up Edward, one of our workers, at around 8am. I pulled to the side of the road (but not off the road) and stopped for less than 10 seconds as he got into the vehicle. 50 yards ahead was a police officer who flagged me down and informed me that I had committed a traffic offence (contrary to section 119 of the Malawi Traffic Act). I was obstructing and hindering traffic (even though there was no other traffic that morning because it was a public holiday).
We proceeded to the Zomba police station – I had to give the officer a lift there because the traffic police don’t have vehicles when they are on duty. At the station they wrote out a hand written letter stating my offence and I got to choose to sign it as to whether I admit the charges. I was also given the “you have the right to remain silent…” speech too. In discussion with Edward, he told me that although everyone does it, it is technically illegal to stop on the road, and the police will tend to pick and choose when they might charge someone on it.
So I signed the letter admitting the offence I had committed and my driver’s licence was taken and I was given a form stating that I had a court date the next morning.
The next morning there were about 4 cases to be heard before the judge. The courtroom had rundown overused furniture likely left over from the colonial days. The carpet was musty and there were piles of “stolen goods” – copper wire dug up from the telephone lines – to one side of the courtroom. After waiting for about 45 minutes for the judge to arrive, the cases began.
The first two cases were both criminal theft cases. The first guy took about $5,000 from the local Red Cross office, while the second case was for a guy who had stolen 60 bags of maize and then sold them. In the first case the accused plead guilty so that the sentencing would be softer; in the second case was the preliminary trial and the defendant plead not guilty. In both cases the accused walked up into the defendant’s box at the side of the courtroom and would stand to hear the charges and enter a plea, and then sit for the next few minutes of the proceeding and then have to stand again to hear the verdict/sentencing.
There were about 30 spectators in the courtroom, and when it was my turn to walk up into the defendant’s box, I couldn’t help but feel the stares of everyone watching this “azungu” (white person). I was caught between making sure I heard everything the judge was saying with his African-English accent and making sure I didn’t smirk. It seemed a little unreal in a way – putting in my plea of guilty, feeling like the criminal traffic obstructer that I was.
Sarah warned me ahead of time to not do or say anything stupid (she knows me too well after almost 11 years of marriage) – so I didn’t. The temptation did arise, however, when the judge gave me the option of paying a $15 fine or doing one month in prison with hard labour. It was a tough decision, but I opted for the fine as opposed to the prison life.
I should note that when I e-mailed this day in court story to my older (but not necessarily wiser) brother, he said I should have gone for the 1 month hard labour. “Think about it” he said, “Fresh air, warm sun, exercise, free food, a chance to just get away from it all – why not?” A seemingly convincing argument, but I knew that Sarah would shoot me if I left her alone with the kids for that long….
I had to sit through one more court case after mine – this one was another traffic violation case. Apparently it is against the law here to not have a functioning spare tire on your vehicle. The defendant in this case pled guilty as I did in my case, but he got the option of only a $4 fine or 1 week in prison! I wanted to stand up and protest about my relatively harsh sentence in comparison to this guy, but again I decided to take my wife’s advice and not say anything.
After this case we all got shuffled out of the court room to go pay our fines. I didn’t have $15 cash on me so I explained that I had to go to the bank machine in town first. It was around 10:30 in the morning, so I figured I’d be able to make it back with plenty of time before lunch. I got into town to find out that the two bank machines were both not working, and there was about a twenty minute wait in line in any case. I didn’t have my bank book with me, so I couldn’t go into the bank to withdraw money (and there was a long line there too). Our worker, Edward, was with me so he suggested that we go over to the local Baptist Church in town that he attends and we can ask the pastor there to borrow some money.
I’m sure that the pastor was a little surprised to see this azungu coming in and asking him to borrow money – especially considering it was to pay a fine at the courts. I explained the whole situation, and he was gracious enough to lend me about $10 (that’s all he had on him) and Edward lent me the other $5.
We got back to the court house a little bit after 11am to find out that the cashier office was closed because they went to the bank. I knew they wouldn’t be back until after lunch so I asked the court clerk what I could do. I paid him the money and he wrote me a hand written letter (all the court proceeding documents as well as the documents written up at the police station were hand written) stating that I had paid the money and would be given a receipt later that day. Normally you need an official receipt to show the police before they will give you your licence back.
Back at the police station I presented my letter to the traffic officer and he says, “But it is not stamped with the court official’s stamp – how do I know this is not a forgery? I’m sorry but I can’t accept this.” I knew that by the time I went back to the court house, the guy who wrote my letter would be gone for lunch and considering this was my 6th stop of the morning in this whole process, I decided to go home for lunch and try to wrap all this up in the afternoon.
The afternoon did work out fine. I got to the court house and the court clerk had already processed my official receipt from the cashier’s office and off I went to the police and finally got my licence back. I then went to the bank machine (that was now working) and only had to wait in line for about 10 minutes. I got the money, paid people back and finally got into work at about 3pm.
I had two hours left in the work day, but it felt like I already worked a full day.
This is one African experience I never thought I’d have – but on May 2nd, I ended up as the “accused” in court. It was only for a traffic offence, but here in Malawi they don’t separate traffic court with criminal court, so I got first hand experience with part of the process that (alleged) criminals go through.
It started the day before when I stopped at the side of the road to pick up Edward, one of our workers, at around 8am. I pulled to the side of the road (but not off the road) and stopped for less than 10 seconds as he got into the vehicle. 50 yards ahead was a police officer who flagged me down and informed me that I had committed a traffic offence (contrary to section 119 of the Malawi Traffic Act). I was obstructing and hindering traffic (even though there was no other traffic that morning because it was a public holiday).
We proceeded to the Zomba police station – I had to give the officer a lift there because the traffic police don’t have vehicles when they are on duty. At the station they wrote out a hand written letter stating my offence and I got to choose to sign it as to whether I admit the charges. I was also given the “you have the right to remain silent…” speech too. In discussion with Edward, he told me that although everyone does it, it is technically illegal to stop on the road, and the police will tend to pick and choose when they might charge someone on it.
So I signed the letter admitting the offence I had committed and my driver’s licence was taken and I was given a form stating that I had a court date the next morning.
The next morning there were about 4 cases to be heard before the judge. The courtroom had rundown overused furniture likely left over from the colonial days. The carpet was musty and there were piles of “stolen goods” – copper wire dug up from the telephone lines – to one side of the courtroom. After waiting for about 45 minutes for the judge to arrive, the cases began.
The first two cases were both criminal theft cases. The first guy took about $5,000 from the local Red Cross office, while the second case was for a guy who had stolen 60 bags of maize and then sold them. In the first case the accused plead guilty so that the sentencing would be softer; in the second case was the preliminary trial and the defendant plead not guilty. In both cases the accused walked up into the defendant’s box at the side of the courtroom and would stand to hear the charges and enter a plea, and then sit for the next few minutes of the proceeding and then have to stand again to hear the verdict/sentencing.
There were about 30 spectators in the courtroom, and when it was my turn to walk up into the defendant’s box, I couldn’t help but feel the stares of everyone watching this “azungu” (white person). I was caught between making sure I heard everything the judge was saying with his African-English accent and making sure I didn’t smirk. It seemed a little unreal in a way – putting in my plea of guilty, feeling like the criminal traffic obstructer that I was.
Sarah warned me ahead of time to not do or say anything stupid (she knows me too well after almost 11 years of marriage) – so I didn’t. The temptation did arise, however, when the judge gave me the option of paying a $15 fine or doing one month in prison with hard labour. It was a tough decision, but I opted for the fine as opposed to the prison life.
I should note that when I e-mailed this day in court story to my older (but not necessarily wiser) brother, he said I should have gone for the 1 month hard labour. “Think about it” he said, “Fresh air, warm sun, exercise, free food, a chance to just get away from it all – why not?” A seemingly convincing argument, but I knew that Sarah would shoot me if I left her alone with the kids for that long….
I had to sit through one more court case after mine – this one was another traffic violation case. Apparently it is against the law here to not have a functioning spare tire on your vehicle. The defendant in this case pled guilty as I did in my case, but he got the option of only a $4 fine or 1 week in prison! I wanted to stand up and protest about my relatively harsh sentence in comparison to this guy, but again I decided to take my wife’s advice and not say anything.
After this case we all got shuffled out of the court room to go pay our fines. I didn’t have $15 cash on me so I explained that I had to go to the bank machine in town first. It was around 10:30 in the morning, so I figured I’d be able to make it back with plenty of time before lunch. I got into town to find out that the two bank machines were both not working, and there was about a twenty minute wait in line in any case. I didn’t have my bank book with me, so I couldn’t go into the bank to withdraw money (and there was a long line there too). Our worker, Edward, was with me so he suggested that we go over to the local Baptist Church in town that he attends and we can ask the pastor there to borrow some money.
I’m sure that the pastor was a little surprised to see this azungu coming in and asking him to borrow money – especially considering it was to pay a fine at the courts. I explained the whole situation, and he was gracious enough to lend me about $10 (that’s all he had on him) and Edward lent me the other $5.
We got back to the court house a little bit after 11am to find out that the cashier office was closed because they went to the bank. I knew they wouldn’t be back until after lunch so I asked the court clerk what I could do. I paid him the money and he wrote me a hand written letter (all the court proceeding documents as well as the documents written up at the police station were hand written) stating that I had paid the money and would be given a receipt later that day. Normally you need an official receipt to show the police before they will give you your licence back.
Back at the police station I presented my letter to the traffic officer and he says, “But it is not stamped with the court official’s stamp – how do I know this is not a forgery? I’m sorry but I can’t accept this.” I knew that by the time I went back to the court house, the guy who wrote my letter would be gone for lunch and considering this was my 6th stop of the morning in this whole process, I decided to go home for lunch and try to wrap all this up in the afternoon.
The afternoon did work out fine. I got to the court house and the court clerk had already processed my official receipt from the cashier’s office and off I went to the police and finally got my licence back. I then went to the bank machine (that was now working) and only had to wait in line for about 10 minutes. I got the money, paid people back and finally got into work at about 3pm.
I had two hours left in the work day, but it felt like I already worked a full day.
Southern Africa: Small Can Be Beautiful
Is small the new big when it comes to agriculture in Southern Africa? As rising food prices place this sector firmly in the spotlight, there are compelling examples at hand to make the case for greater investment in small-scale farming.
In an interview with IPS, Pedro Sanchez - director of tropical agriculture at the Earth Institute of the University of Columbia, in the United States - said that in Southern Africa it was possible to turn an economy around and improve food security by investing in small-scale farmers. The threat of severe food shortages in Malawi four years ago was averted when the United Nations, at the request of government, helped these farmers to obtain fertilizer, seeds and other farming necessities.
"It costs 70 dollars to grow a tonne of maize as opposed to importing it at 700 dollars. In 2006, there was a surplus of 25 percent; in 2007 the figure shot up to 45 percent. Malawi is a country that has gone from (being) a food aid recipient to an exporter of maize; the beneficiaries are Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland," Sanchez said.
The emphasis on small-scale agriculture does not equate to dismissing commercial farmers on large properties, however.
"In Zimbabwe, for instance, agriculture can be turned around in no time if the commercial farmers who have left the country are invited to come back," said Sanchez.
About eight years ago, the Harare government embarked on a controversial land redistribution programme to correct racial imbalances in ownership that dated back to the colonial era; this initiative has seen hundreds of white commercial farmers leave their properties. Critics of the programme allege that it has benefited high-ranking officials at the expense of poor, black Zimbabweans.
Besides political will and donor assistance, the proper application of technology was needed to achieve optimal small-scale agriculture, Sanchez added. Research should be carried out to determine the most appropriate use of technology under these conditions, and proper training given to farmers about how to implement it.
South Africa provides a lesson in what may occur when support is not provided.
The restitution of land in the country in bid to address the inequalities created by apartheid has increased the number of small-scale farmers, said Frik de Beer, a researcher in the Department of Development Studies at the University of South Africa.
"However, in many instances the farmers have been left to their own devices," he told IPS. "They have not had any guidance on how to produce commercially and how to get their produce to the market. Small farmers can make a huge contribution, but they need the support of the government."
The need for better use of resources on small farms is also raised in the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). This landmark study, for which the findings were presented last month, surveyed the views of governments, the private sector and civil society to help plot a course for agriculture in the future.
"Increasing the performance of agriculture requires an improvement in productivity on the 80% of SSA (sub-Saharan Africa) farms that are smaller than two hectares," states the IAASTD in its review of agriculture on the continent, noting that current methods of informing farmers about the latest agricultural techniques are more suited to the demands of commercial farming than small-scale operations.
The assessment further notes that "...integrated and participatory approaches...can increase the likelihood that appropriate technologies for production are developed and adopted by small-scale farmers."
In concrete terms, this may mean involving small-scale farmers in setting priorities for research, and drawing them into collaboration with scientists.
However Johan Willemse, a professor in agricultural economics at the University of the Free State in South Africa, cautions against seeing small-scale agriculture as a panacea.
"Studies by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund show that subsistence farmers cannot feed the cities of the world," he observed in an interview with IPS.
Willemse said the Malawian success story could be attributed in part to the fact that the country had a sub-tropical climate and no shortage of water.
"In South Africa there is a scarcity of water...South Africa cannot meet its own wheat needs and imports 1.5 million tonnes of wheat. We also import other agricultural products, as well as oil, in order to supply the urbanites with food. The only solution is to stimulate large-scale commercial farming."
Last year marked a tipping point for the planet in terms of population distribution. For the first time ever, there were as many city dwellers as people living in rural areas.
Most countries in Southern Africa are importers of staple grains, Willemse added: "And, we see prices skyrocketing. If governments do not seriously reconsider the issue of commercial farmers, the starvation figures will increase and we will see an increase of food riots in the region."
The spike in food prices has been attributed to the coincidence of several factors, including the increased use of crops for biofuels, and greater demand for supplies in booming economies - notably those of China and India. A growing demand for meat in these countries has increased the demand for grain to feed livestock, putting further pressure on food prices - as have the effects of crop failure in various states, and record oil prices that have brought with them higher fertilizer costs. High oil prices have also pushed up the cost of transporting food.
World Bank figures show an 83 percent rise in overall food prices, internationally, during the three-year period ahead of February 2008.
In an interview with IPS, Pedro Sanchez - director of tropical agriculture at the Earth Institute of the University of Columbia, in the United States - said that in Southern Africa it was possible to turn an economy around and improve food security by investing in small-scale farmers. The threat of severe food shortages in Malawi four years ago was averted when the United Nations, at the request of government, helped these farmers to obtain fertilizer, seeds and other farming necessities.
"It costs 70 dollars to grow a tonne of maize as opposed to importing it at 700 dollars. In 2006, there was a surplus of 25 percent; in 2007 the figure shot up to 45 percent. Malawi is a country that has gone from (being) a food aid recipient to an exporter of maize; the beneficiaries are Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Swaziland," Sanchez said.
The emphasis on small-scale agriculture does not equate to dismissing commercial farmers on large properties, however.
"In Zimbabwe, for instance, agriculture can be turned around in no time if the commercial farmers who have left the country are invited to come back," said Sanchez.
About eight years ago, the Harare government embarked on a controversial land redistribution programme to correct racial imbalances in ownership that dated back to the colonial era; this initiative has seen hundreds of white commercial farmers leave their properties. Critics of the programme allege that it has benefited high-ranking officials at the expense of poor, black Zimbabweans.
Besides political will and donor assistance, the proper application of technology was needed to achieve optimal small-scale agriculture, Sanchez added. Research should be carried out to determine the most appropriate use of technology under these conditions, and proper training given to farmers about how to implement it.
South Africa provides a lesson in what may occur when support is not provided.
The restitution of land in the country in bid to address the inequalities created by apartheid has increased the number of small-scale farmers, said Frik de Beer, a researcher in the Department of Development Studies at the University of South Africa.
"However, in many instances the farmers have been left to their own devices," he told IPS. "They have not had any guidance on how to produce commercially and how to get their produce to the market. Small farmers can make a huge contribution, but they need the support of the government."
The need for better use of resources on small farms is also raised in the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). This landmark study, for which the findings were presented last month, surveyed the views of governments, the private sector and civil society to help plot a course for agriculture in the future.
"Increasing the performance of agriculture requires an improvement in productivity on the 80% of SSA (sub-Saharan Africa) farms that are smaller than two hectares," states the IAASTD in its review of agriculture on the continent, noting that current methods of informing farmers about the latest agricultural techniques are more suited to the demands of commercial farming than small-scale operations.
The assessment further notes that "...integrated and participatory approaches...can increase the likelihood that appropriate technologies for production are developed and adopted by small-scale farmers."
In concrete terms, this may mean involving small-scale farmers in setting priorities for research, and drawing them into collaboration with scientists.
However Johan Willemse, a professor in agricultural economics at the University of the Free State in South Africa, cautions against seeing small-scale agriculture as a panacea.
"Studies by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund show that subsistence farmers cannot feed the cities of the world," he observed in an interview with IPS.
Willemse said the Malawian success story could be attributed in part to the fact that the country had a sub-tropical climate and no shortage of water.
"In South Africa there is a scarcity of water...South Africa cannot meet its own wheat needs and imports 1.5 million tonnes of wheat. We also import other agricultural products, as well as oil, in order to supply the urbanites with food. The only solution is to stimulate large-scale commercial farming."
Last year marked a tipping point for the planet in terms of population distribution. For the first time ever, there were as many city dwellers as people living in rural areas.
Most countries in Southern Africa are importers of staple grains, Willemse added: "And, we see prices skyrocketing. If governments do not seriously reconsider the issue of commercial farmers, the starvation figures will increase and we will see an increase of food riots in the region."
The spike in food prices has been attributed to the coincidence of several factors, including the increased use of crops for biofuels, and greater demand for supplies in booming economies - notably those of China and India. A growing demand for meat in these countries has increased the demand for grain to feed livestock, putting further pressure on food prices - as have the effects of crop failure in various states, and record oil prices that have brought with them higher fertilizer costs. High oil prices have also pushed up the cost of transporting food.
World Bank figures show an 83 percent rise in overall food prices, internationally, during the three-year period ahead of February 2008.
The Power of the Sun: Solar Lanterns Transform Lives in Malawi, Africa
Mirriam is 18 years old and lives in Malawi. She has two children, one brother and one sister. Her father died of AIDS and her mother is now also sick with HIV AIDS. Every day is a struggle: finding food for her children, caring for her mother, looking after her other sick relatives – all this with next to no income.
Yet she's now found hope in a ground-breaking project carried out by non-profit SolarAid with funding another non-profit, TRAID. SolarAid is training young Malawians to become solar entrepreneurs so that they can build and sell small solar products such as solar lanterns and solar chargers for mobile phones and radios. The project is aiming particularly at young people affected by HIV/AIDS in order to provide them with more income.
The average African household uses 55 or so liters of kerosene per year, at an approximate cost of £80 [US $158]. This contributes to health problems as the burning of kerosene inside houses is a major cause of respiratory illness, fires, burns, accidental poisonings, eyesight problems and death in the developing world. Kerosene is far more expensive and far less efficient than electric lighting: the cost of useful light energy ($/lumen hour of light) for kerosene is 325 times higher than the inefficient incandescent bulb and 1,625 times higher than compact fluorescent light bulbs.
In rural areas, the high cost of kerosene can consume much of a family's income. One lamp consumes 0.07 liters per hour with daily usage of around two hours burn time, amounting to around 4 liters per month. In the developing world, a family's lighting costs, because of kerosene fuel costs, are equal to those of a family in the developed world. Even with government subsidies, kerosene requires 10% to 25% of a villager's annual income.
The training that SolarAid is doing involves teaching your Malawians to convert a standard, medium sized kerosene "hurricane" lanterns (not pressurized or "tilly" lanterns) into LED solar lanterns. Conversion of the lanterns involves putting rechargeable AA batteries into the chimney and using 3.3V, 25mA LEDs (wired in parallel) to direct light down onto an improvised cone reflector, which sits over the top of the old wick. The reflector is constructed from locally collected materials such as aluminium foil, gift wrap, or the inside of a cigarette packet, and is configured in a conical shape to provide uniform reflection.
The torches are guaranteed for three years. Batteries are designed to be recharged up to 1000 times without "memory effect." SolarAid tests have shown a solar LED lantern can go for up to 10 days non-stop on a single battery charge, meaning the batteries could last 20 years or more if only used once a week. The batteries are recharged with one-watt solar panels, which are made locally with imported amorphous silicon and wooden frames. The PV panels do not degrade over time and are sold in the West with at least a 10-year warranty. All other components can be replaced when needed as they are sourced locally.
SolarAid is working with a number of local organizations in Mzuzu, in the north of Malawi. These partners include the Center for Appropriate Technology, which specializes in alternative approaches to technology for development, the St John of God Vocational Training Center, which has an excellent carpentry workshop for building wooden frames for the solar panels, and the Mzuzu Technical College, which will train solar entrepreneurs in sales and marketing.
Charles is one of the microsolar staff at the Center for Appropriate Technology. "It's great working on these solar panels," he says. "They're easy to build and they can provide power to villages with no electricity."
Barely 2 percent of the rural population in Malawi has access to electricity. The other 98 percent relies on expensive kerosene for lighting, single-use batteries for radios and the occasional charging of their mobile phones — amounting to 20 percent of their monthly income. One microsolar panel can answer all these needs, leading to major energy savings for rural households.
There's also a climate change angle. According to market research carried out by SolarAid in Malawi with TRAID funding, the average kerosene lamp creates around a ton of carbon over 10-14 years. There are probably around 1 -1.5 million kerosene lamps in Malawi, so replacing them with solar lanterns will lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions.
Dave and Carl are two volunteers working on this microsolar project. Just a few days ago they organized a meeting with all the key players in Mzuzu who are interested in being involved in microsolar. The feedback about their first visits to villages to demonstrate the panels was overwhelming: the villagers are really interested in buying the panels and lanterns as they can all see the energy savings, the health benefits and the educational benefits from having them.
Maxon Chitawo, from Mzuzu University's Department of Energy, is a specialist in renewable energy. He said that he thought the microsolar concept would soon take off across Mzuzu and the surrounding areas, so great is the need for safe and affordable energy.
Fiskani is SolarAid's local project coordinator. He's come up with a potential name for the microsolar panel: Mphamvu Ya Dzuma, which, in Chichewa, means "Power of the Sun" — a fitting name for a pioneering new concept.
Nick Sireau is the Director of SolarAid, a non-profit organization that has set out to enable the world's poorest people to have clean, renewable power. Solar power leads to better education, health, safety and income by allowing poor communities to cook, pump water, run fridges, store vaccines, light homes, schools, clinics and businesses, and power computers, homes and farms more effectively. SolarAid is carrying out a large microsolar program in the northern region of Malawi. To learn more about SolarAid or to make a donation in support of one or all of these projects, visit the website at www.solar-aid.org.
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