Happy Mbewe is a young Muslim faith leader and member of our Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT) Malawi group. He recently presented at our online eco-footprinting workshop series with our FLEAT members sharing innovative solutions to some of the challenges he faced in his new home. Below we outline a few solutions that he shared.
“Trying at home, Living the talk”
This is one approach I am using to contribute to nature conservation and upgrade my home environment. The idea came after noticing that my new home has a number of problems and urgent solutions were necessary. Having learnt a lot from a number of nature conservation workshops, I was able to apply the following interventions.- Happy Mbewe, Malawi.
PROBLEM ONE
The house has no drainage structure to protect the foundation of the house from rain drops and runoff. The rain drops from the roof and the ground run-off gradually erode away and expose the foundation of the house.
SOLUTION
Planting green hedges alongside the house.
DESIRED OUTCOMES
PRINCIPLES APPLIED IN PLANTING THE HEDGE ROWS
PROBLEM TWO
Lack of access to fresh and nutritious vegetables, due to increasing food costs. Water that could be used to help grow a backyard garden is being wasted.
SOLUTION
Growing a backyard garden.
DESIRABLE DELIVERABLES
PRINCIPLES BEHIND GROWING THE BACKYARD GARDEN
The garden is being grown following the principles of Integrated Household Farming (IHF). IFH is the growing of crops and rearing of small stock around the home for good nutrition. Integrated homestead farming is an approach that aims to improve household food security and reduce micronutrient deficiencies. Its goal is to enhance the production and consumption of diversified nutritious food while also generating income for households. The backyard garden has the following features;
What's next?
My next plan is to raise small livestock, preferably birds in order to satisfy the dietary needs of the home. The birds will also provide manure to the backyard garden. The birds will in turn feed on the remains from the backyard garden. In this way I will be able to make a splendid interdependent ecosystem within the home setting which is green and climate smart. - Happy
Keep an eye on our website and social media for updates as we follow his journey!
SAFCEI (Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute) is a multi-faith organisation committed to supporting faith leaders and their communities in Southern Africa to increase awareness, understanding and action on eco-justice, sustainable living and climate change.
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