Agro-ecology enterprises are helping to cushion African farmers and smallholders against climate change, improve nutrition and generate income. Chirping birds welcome you to Bio Gardening Innovations (BIOGI) a local not-for-profit organisation and demonstration centre in Vihiga county, western Kenya. The centre is a mass of fruit trees, other exotic and indigenous tree species and vegetables, tuber crops, a rabbit hutch, a fishpond filled with collected rainwater, and a kitchen. Though measuring less than an acre, the centre resembles a natural forest teeming with abundance. BIOGI’s goals are to address challenges of climate change, deforestation and food insecurity through innovative agro-…
Justus Wanzala
Africa and wars: traditional weapons The advent of the machine gun at the end of the 19th century irrevocably changed the way wars were waged in Africa “Whatever happens, we have got the Maxim gun, and they have not,” wrote Hilaire Belloc, British writer and poet, in his essay, ‘The Modern Traveller’ in 1898. He was writing at the peak of the European powers’ empire building and the Maxim, a revolutionary machine gun that could fire 600 rounds a minute, was the ultimate weapon for the “pacification” of “hostile” tribes. Just a decade later much of Africa would consist of…
SDG 11: inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities More citizen engagement will be needed to drive greater political transparency and accountability in implementing development projects By Justus Wanzala It is midday and in Nairobi’s low income settlement of Kariobangi the April sun is intense, courtesy of an unusually long dry spell. This hasn’t gone unnoticed by Asulma Centre officials, who are keen to promote the use of solar energy for cooking and renewable and other innovative cooking appliances. The centre makes and promotes various solar appliances and improved wood and charcoal stoves. Today, omelette-making using a solar CooKit is being…
