7 results for tag: Africa

From Agrimagined to Agreality in Africa

Nature finds ways of directing resources to where they are needed most, but if your eyes are not tuned to see these processes, they get taken for granted. Bryan Ollier has spent years honing this observational skill and has gained many lessons of how the natural world shares its nutrients. His recent work has sought to take these lessons and use them to make agriculture work with these natural processes, rather than against them.  Ollier has been partnering with Joseph Kinuthia of Kenya through their organization Agrimagined since 2021 to find innovative ways to tackle the challenges that farmers face in rural Africa. The bulk of the work ...

Conflict Puts Remineralization Project on Hold in Cameroon

Due to political conflict in Cameroon, FESCAM’s successful remineralization project is now on hold indefinitely. We have previously reported on the ongoing development of this project, including Remineralize the Earth’s (RTE) partnership with FESCAM. We hope to see the project return and thrive in the future and that the conflict in Cameroon will be resolved soon. Cameroon is a sub-Saharan country with about 60% of the population engaged in agriculture, which contributes approximately 40% of the Gross National Product. Cameroon suffers from serious soil pressures caused by unsustainable environmental practices (i.e., slash and burn ...

Spotlight on Agrogeologist Peter Van Straaten, PhD

At the II Brazilian “Rochagem” Conference, which took place in Poco de Caldas, Minas Gerais, in May 2013, Professor Peter van Straaten gave a series of talks on the use of rock dust to increase soil health for agriculture. As a pioneer in the practice of using rocks for soil remineralization, van Straaten shared his extensive knowledge with a broad spectrum of scientists and researchers who attended the conference. An expert in agrogeology, which Van Straaten defines as “geology in service of agriculture,” he has built an international network of projects that study remineralization and sustainable agriculture in Africa. His work has helped ...

Highlights from the 2013 II Brazilian “Rochagem” Conference

From May 12-17, 2013 the Second Brazilian “Rochagem” Conference convened an impressive assembly of scientists, researchers and technicians from Brazil and around the world. Joanna Campe, Executive Director of Remineralize the Earth, was invited to speak at the conference and was given the honor of presenting second on the opening day of the event. Joanna's presentation entitled “The Potential of Remineralization as a Global Movement” covered the historical context and current developments relating to ecological and social challenges that are being faced regionally and globally. Joanna helped open the conference to the long list of detailed ...

From the Canadian Arctic to the Niger Delta: Finely Ground Rock Dust to Bioremediate Oil Spills in Waterways and Farmlands

Environmental chemist Ugo Amadioha, a native Nigerian, born and raised in the Etekwuru-Egbema Kingdom in Imo State, Nigeria, recently expressed interest to Joanna Campe of Remineralize the Earth about creating a project that will adopt remineralization as a means to bioremediate degraded farmlands in the Niger Delta. He is currently Senior Chemist with Chemtech Consulting Group in New Jersey, USA and is seeking partnerships and funding for such a project. (more…)

Alleviating Hunger and Poverty in Cameroon

Remineralize the Earth is partnering with Research and Education Centre for Development (CREPD) to develop an agroforestry project to benefit small farmers in Cameroon - utilizing rock dust and intercropping nitrogen-fixing jatropha with fruit and nut trees to restore soils, increase yields, and provide food, fuel and income for local communities. (more…)

RTE Coordinator Promotes Sustainable Development in Cameroon

The African nation of Cameroon is a place of rich agricultural traditions and great natural diversity. Semi-arid regions in the north transition through the Savannah Highlands into tropical rainforests in the south. Gilbert Kuepouo, Cameroon’s Remineralize the Earth (RTE) coordinator, knows all these ecosystems as if they are old friends—he has been studying them since his childhood. (more…)