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BACK
ISSUES
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Mad
in Africa
by Rupert Pate |
"Not
all endangered species in Kenya have four legs". Michael
Mugo and his two companions, Bob and Martin, are heading
up a local Kenyan conservation initiative and myself and
fourteen other Madventurers are here for five weeks to do
what we can to help.
Conservation is one of many activities that Madventurer
gets involved with on its expeditions. This particular project
involves working with ASACDOK, which is an abbreviation
for the rather convoluted, Arid And Semi Arid Conservation
And Development Organisation Of Kenya. Today is day one
and Michael is explaining what we will attempt to achieve
over the course of the next 5 weeks.
One of ASACDOK’s major concerns is that the Sahara
desert is moving south at 11kms per year turning what was
fertile workable soil into infertile unworkable sand. This
is happening mainly because of ignorance by the farmers
as to how to use the land’s resources sustainably.
Being ‘green’ is for the most part a philosophical
luxury reached by societies living in relative financial
wealth. In other words, conservation concerns normally only
come to the fore in a environment where you are not worried
by questions such as: where will my next meal come from?
It is for this reason that indigenous developing world conservation
organisations are rare. ASACDOK is different and so has
attracted the attention and support of Madventurer.
Education is key for ASACDOK and they set about doing this
by establishing ‘conservation clubs’ in schools.
Children at the school are then encouraged to join these
clubs where they learn how to grow trees. Once the trees
are mature they are sold by the clubs at the local markets
at a cheap non-profit making price. The revenue raised is
enough to buy more seeds, tools etc. making the clubs financially
self-sufficient.
ASACDOK careful chooses the species that it domesticates.
Prunus Africana is a rare species that has been earmarked
for domestication. The bark from this tree is a valuable
remedy against a prostate disorder, called benign prostatic
hyperplasia. Unfortunately Prunus is being harvested unsustainably
at a staggering rate. According to research carried out
by ICRAF under the current conditions, Prunus has 5-10 years
at best before it is extinct. ASACDOK, with the help of
Madventurer, is trying to raise awareness about this problem
and slow the depletion rate down by growing the species
in the school nurseries.
More information
Madventurer
Adamson House
65 Westgate Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 1SG
UK
T: +44 (0)191 261 1996
F: +44 (0)191 261 9010
E: team@madventurer.com
W: www.madventurer.com
Madventurer: bringing together development projects and
adventurous travel
Winner of the Shell Livewire UK Award for Sustainable Development
2001 |
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