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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Magic Trees Of Niger
Cheibous peace of mind stemmed from the trees encircling him, which had been standing long before he was born. Despite appearances, these were not any old acacias. They were gao trees known as winterthorns in English with unique, seemingly magical powers.
From the peanut basin of Senegal to the Seno plains of Mali, to Yatenga, formerly the most degraded region of Burkina Faso, and as far south as Malawi: gaos are thriving in Africa. And over the past three decades, the landscape of southern Niger has been transformed by more than 200m new trees, many of them gaos. They have not been planted but have grown naturally on over 5m hectares of farmland, nurtured by thousands of farmers.
According to scientists, what has happened in Niger one of the worlds poorest countries is the largest-scale positive transformation of the environment in the whole of Africa. This is not a grand UN-funded project aiming to offset climate change. Small-scale farmers have achieved it because of what the trees can do for crop yields and other aspects of farming life.
Its a magic tree, a very wonderful tree, said Abasse Tougiani of Nigers National Institute of Agricultural Research, who has travelled all over Niger studying Faidherbia albida the gaos Latin name.
cont
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/16/regreening-niger-how-magical-gaos-transformed-land
Uncle Joe
(58,364 posts)Thanks for the thread Me.
procon
(15,805 posts)superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)"But their loyalty to their gaos could make areas around Zinder the most vulnerable to a disease that Reij and Tougiani have recently spotted killing trees near Niamey, the capital. If it spreads, the losses could be enormous, particularly in places where there is a near-monoculture of gaos."
NickB79
(19,246 posts)Gao monocultures are no exception, even if they are incredibly beneficial.
The neat thing about science is that it is true/verifiable whether you believe it or not.
Science even works when you disbelieve it.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)However, as a scientist, my conclusion was the "magic" was from the shade provided by the trees - for people, animals, land and crops.
Also their ability to grow in extremely harsh and highly variable environments.
.............
Me.
(35,454 posts)I think they do see it as such as well as a blessing, though they make no effort to discredit science. A sudden realization of a solution to a dire situation when they needed it most.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,492 posts)I would imagine that if I lived for many years in a desolate region and almost starving to death, if something came along that provided even partial relief and gave me food, I might see it as magic.
I was raised to not make fun of other cultures and their belief structures, no matter how primitive but still occasionally catch myself falling into that trap. Helps me to think of that old expression "walk a mile in my shoes".
In many ways, we're guilty of similar visions of magic, but in a modern sense. Just ask a typical citizen how their computer, cell phone or refrigerator works, LOL.
Me.
(35,454 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)So first off, good luck overcoming that.
Oddly enough, no one relevant to the story is making the argument that science doesn't work; so it seems a waste of your time to make mention of something no one has, well... mentioned.
oasis
(49,388 posts)Thanks for posting
niyad
(113,323 posts)Women in Droum have also made medicine from their gaos for generations. People come all the way from Zinder [Nigers second largest city] to buy it, said Husseina Ibrahim, a busy mother, next to a pot of boiling gao bark. Im the only one who makes this here. Its great for me, it earns me a bit of money which I pay into the womens cooperative.
Me.
(35,454 posts)as is the women's cooperative.
malaise
(269,022 posts)Thank You Me.