|
|
|
|
|
In
our top read this week, Mongabay's Sue Branford
examines a revolutionary method to reverse
semiarid land degradation emerging in
Guanajuato state in central
Mexico.
Land degradation is impacting
farmlands worldwide, affecting almost 40% of the
world’s population. Reversing that process and
restoring these croplands and pastures to full
productivity is a huge challenge facing humanity
– especially as climate change-induced
drought takes greater hold on arid and semiarid
lands.
In Mexico, a university-educated,
small-scale peasant farmer came up with an untried
innovative solution that not only restores
degraded land to productivity, but also greatly
enhances soil carbon storage, provides a valuable
new crop, and even offers a hopeful diet for
diabetics.
The process utilises two plants
commonly found on semiarid lands that grow well
under drought conditions: agave and mesquite. The
two are intercropped and then the agave is
fermented and mixed with the mesquite to produce
an excellent, inexpensive, and very marketable
fodder for grazing animals.
The new
technique is achieving success in Mexico and could
be applied to global degraded lands. It is, says
one expert “among the most soil regenerative
schemes on Earth … deployed on degraded land,
basically overgrazed and unsuitable for growing
crops, with no irrigation or chemical inputs
required whatsoever.” | |
|
Support SFB's
mission
Struggles From Below is
very much a labour of love; one that we feel so
privileged to be able to bring to you. But as with
most labours, it comes at a cost to produce. If
you value what we do and want to support the
continuation and growth of the publication, we
hope you'll consider becoming a sustaining patron.
Any little you could afford to donate monthly
would go a long way helping us achieve a
sustainable business
model. | |
|
What we're reading:
The zero-power sewage plant inspired
by cows
Untreated sewage leads to poor
sanitation and disease around the world. Its
effects are felt strongly in India, and Bangalore
resident Tharun Kumar turned to cows for a
solution. With help from the Biomimicry Institute,
he has designed and built 50 sustainable sewage
plants that work in a similar way to a cow’s
stomach. The system has no moving parts, so
doesn't require any power or people to operate it.
BBC NEWS
Rewilding death: The plan to restore
the necrobiome
In parts of Europe, plans to
replenish the "necrobiome" may benefit wildlife
from golden eagles and wolverines, to copious
plants, fungi and insects. BBC FUTURE
PLANET
Ancient farming techniques are
climate-proofing today’s agriculture
In the
Bolivian Andes, the low-water growing practices
used by Mayans and Aztecs are making a comeback.
REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL
If you want to tackle climate
change, start with methane
The landmark
IPCC assessment was dire. But it shows that by
slashing methane emissions, humanity can make
rapid progress in fighting climate change.
WIRED
Rewilding 5% of England could create
20,000 rural jobs
Rewilding on marginal
land could bolster employment without halting
traditional agricultural activities, data shows.
THE GUARDIAN
One to ponder:
Why are so many knowledge
workers quitting?
During the
pandemic, many knowledge workers have been
embracing career downsizing, voluntarily reducing
their work hours to emphasise other aspects of
life. THE NEW YORKER
Quote of the
week:
"Live your life as
though your every act were to become a universal
law." – Immanuel Kant
Song of the
week:
Overmono - Everything
U Need | |
That's it for today, folks. If you're
enjoying this newsletter, please do forward it on to any friends who
might be into it. All the
best, Ollie Founder &
Editor-in-Chief, Struggles From
Below | | |
Copyright ©
2019 Struggles From Below, All rights
reserved.
Our mailing address
is:
Struggles From Below, 48b Waller
Road, London, SE14 5LA
| | | |
