High-water marks
By Frank van Steenbergen Postcard from Klotten on the Mosel River in Germany. With the statue of St Maximinus in … Continued
The WaterBlog
The road to community empowerment: Koti Kebele’s community
This blog is part of a dossier on locally-led adaptation, featuring insights and lessons from the Reversing the Flow (RtF) program. RtF empowers communities in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan to build climate resilience through direct funding and a community-driven, landscape approach. Reversing the Flow (RtF) is an initiative launched in October 2024 by ORDA Ethiopia, with financial support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), and technical MetaMeta. This project empowers communities in six watersheds of Koti Kebele, Yilmana Densa, North Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, to address environmental and socio-economic challenges. The project aims to restore degraded lands, improve livelihoods, and promote sustainable development. Koti Kebele comprises six watersheds: Chinchiho, Kurfi, Dewol Washaye, Dawit Degami, Adafit, and Yibaba Gomengie. Spanning 2,735 hectares, these watersheds are home to 1,285 households, including 65 female-headed households. Despite its potential, the area faces significant challenges such as land degradation, erosion, deforestation, and socio-economic issues like youth unemployment and limited opportunities for women. The… Continued
Previous posts
Safeguarding fresh water lenses in saline Sindh
Mohammed Chandio and Frank van Steenbergen Access to safe water services in rural Sindh (Pakistan) is among the most problematic … Continued
Hidden threat: heavy metal accumulation on agricultural land along highways
By Rukiye Oca (MetaMeta Anatolia) While mobility brings many goods, it also comes at a price. One such cost, often … Continued
Soil Pollution from Roads
By Ellie Yu (MetaMeta Research) Soil is a crucial resource for humans, providing a vital environment for plants to grow … Continued
Roads and insect biodiversity
by Miltiadis Vitsas (MetaMeta Research) Roads and insects Roads serve as vital infrastructural arteries that facilitate regional development and enhance … Continued
Liberia: The Compelling Case for Water Management with Green Roads
By Taye Alemehayu (MetaMeta Research) This write-up makes the case to integrate the development of road with water and land … Continued
The Key Steps of the Miyawaki method to plant a mini-forest
By Jean-Baptiste CHAUDRON at Restore Forest Everyone has already felt the interest of learning new things. When it comes to a … Continued
Why soil preparation is so important for your plantation?
By Jean-Baptiste CHAUDRON at Restore Forest Soil is the base for all plants and trees. It is also the home of … Continued
Rodent Management: Women’s Roles and Resilience
By Anushree Mitra and Meghna Mukherjee Introduction: Severity of rodent damage Picture this: you meticulously save your hard-earned money, stashing … Continued
The untapped potential: local water management in Bangladesh
Frank van Steenbergen & David Mornout Water is, of course, at the heart of agriculture. The quantity and quality of … Continued
The everlasting shepherd
By Frank van Steenbergen It is of millennia: the movement of flocks of sheep from the lowlands in Southeastern Anatolia … Continued
Rodents in South East Anatolia: Taking Stock
By Kübra Elmas, Rukiye Oca, Luwieke Bosma and Sukru Esin Rodents are a big problem for farmers in Turkey as … Continued
The Jesus Well
by Frank van Steenbergen In the Ulu Mosque in Sanliurfa – the city of prophets in Southeastern Anatolia – there … Continued
Traditional rat trapping methods in Madhya Pradesh, India.
Authors: Anushree Mitra and Luwieke Bosma Rodents, mainly rats and mice, have been a common enemy of farmers across the … Continued
Call to action: Let’s work together to curtail rodents harmful impact on food production in India.
Authors: Dr. Neena Singla (Punjab Agricultural University), Luwieke Bosma and Anushree Mitra (MetaMeta Research), and Dikhyani Konwar (PRADAN). The issue … Continued
Enhancing Micronutrients levels in Crops: Promising Results from Chickpea Iron and Zinc Spray Trial in Baluchistan
Reinier Veldman (MetaMeta) and Mohammad Abdul Salam (SPO Pakistan and FBLN Pakistan) As part of the Newarbi-project (New Water Rights … Continued
The oyster and the pearl
By Frank van Steenbergen The Kizilkoyun funerary in ancient Urfa has 133 burial chambers carved into the limestone rock. The … Continued
Re-enter the arena: The challenge with water in Cartagena
By David Mornout Nestled along the stunning coastline of the Mediterranean Sea, the historic city of Cartagena in Spain enchants … Continued
Maasai and their local climate
A pastoral community finding ways to combat the biggest threats of climate change. By Ishani Sonak (MetaMeta) and Femke van … Continued
Drying Mountain Springs in Nepal
By Saroj Yakami It is a cause of high alarm – springs are drying in high mountain areas and there … Continued