Indigenous Knowledge - Tumblr Posts
A group of women in central Kenya are on their way to harvest prickly pear that will be turned into biogas.
The cactus is an invasive species which is disturbing the ecosystem.
Its encroachment hinders wildlife navigation as well as reducing grazing areas. Some animals which consume the plant's fruit can suffer from digestive issues due to its small hairs.
Now a women's group in Laikipia County has transformed the problem into a new enterprise.
We are also able to manage natural resources and that is why we are also coming with an idea of making biogas out of the cactus and also selling fruits and generate income that helps us to educate o-ur children."
The fruits from the cactus are edible if separated from their sharp spines.
The Twala women at Laikipia Permaculture therefore use all parts of the fruit, creating a range of products including jams that are then sold.
"We get the fruit from the women's group. We wash them, we grind them to separate the pearl and the seed," Serah Wangare, a juicer at Laikipia Permaculture explained.
"The seed we put them in the drier which we grind them to get the oil, the oil we give it back to the women's group which they then use to make cosmetics, the shower gel, the body lotion. And (from) the pearl we make the juice and the jam."
"...communities worked together to recover .... They showed resilience, and even though the society is traditional they’re looking to the future and taking advantage of this setback to go further."
Taking Madagascar as an example, one can cite the city of Morondava, constantly threatened by flooding, where efforts are not limited to traditional infrastructure projects, such as coastal erosion control and sanitation. These projects are also inclusive and often based on participatory consultation with citizens. Diverse groups within the community, such as women, people with disabilities, youth, the unemployed, and other categories, have been involved in rethinking their city. When collective responsibility is embraced, initiatives are adopted and implemented in line with local needs.
22 minutes of gorgeous video in link
The documentary Ola Ka Honua (2023) tracks the work of the Auwahi Forest Restoration Project, which aims to preserve, revitalise and expand the endangered forest. With its title translating to ‘the Earth lives’, the film explores the connection between the land and the residents and visitors who have volunteered to restore it. Using gorgeous 3D and rotoscope animation, the filmmaker Jilli Rose, based in Australia, illustrates what Auwahi once was, and what it may become again someday thanks to this ongoing community-driven initiative. In doing so, she and her subjects hint at the potential for similar grassroots ecosystem restoration efforts worldwide.
