The work of NGOs and international bodies
Most of the people affected by desertification are poor and do not have the resources to combat desertification. Encouraging farmer cooperatives, A company that does not work for the government, eg a charity. projects and internationally-funded schemes gives assistance to local farmers. These organisations have been particularly active since the drought of the 1980s. Examples of projects include The Eden Foundation.
The Eden Foundation is an NGO set up in 1985 in Sweden. It has helped 20,000 households in the Dalli region of Niger.
The problem
Niger is one of the driest countries in the world. People are poor and their main problem is lack of food. Since 1987, Eden has been running a project helping the farmers and their families achieve a sustainable life with the resources available to them.
Tackling the problem
Eden's solution is to use trees and bushes that can grow naturally in this dry area and can also provide food. The trees and bushes need neither irrigation nor chemical fertilisers to grow, providing the following benefits:
- they stabilise the soil, holding it together and so prevent erosion by the rain
- they also shelter crops and the soil from wind, further preventing erosion and increasing the yields
- the trees produce fruit once mature which is sold or eaten by the family
The project
- The farmers take responsibility for their own welfare. They order from a list of Eden species.
- Seeds are given free and Eden shows farmers how to Where seeds are plant straight into undisturbed soil..
- Eden also advises on preventive health and other practicalities.
- Local people stated that due to Eden trees, they had food to eat even when the millet crop failed due to lack of rain.
Oxfam in Mali (Africa)
In Mali, When people only grow enough food to feed themselves and their family. and nomadic herders struggle to share increasingly scarce resources. The long-term alteration of weather patterns. and The spread of desert conditions in arid regions due to human activities, drought or climate change. are leading to recurrent droughts resulting in chronic food shortages, especially in the northern part of the country.
Oxfam is another example of an NGO. It operates in approximately 94 countries and aims to find solutions to poverty. Their work involves:
- Collaborating with cotton producers to grow a range of crops - to avoid being dependent on a single crop that could fail in times of drought.
- Working with local authorities to provide clean water and reducing waterborne diseases. It is also supporting the government in building a dam on the Niger river.