"Sustainable?"

One of the buzz words in the US over the past decade has been "sustainable."  I have heard it used to describe everything from food packaging to shopping center development.  I suspect that for sellers of almost any product in the US, having a label that promotes the "sustainable" virtues of the company or product is worth a 10-20% markup on the price.  So, what does "sustainable" have to do with Kenya?

Kenya is a land of breathtaking beauty.  Most visitors to this land see the beautiful lakes, including the massive Lake Victoria, the seemingly endless savanna and abundant wildlife of the Masai Mara, or the tropical beaches of the Indian Ocean.  Almost every night I am awed by the sunset over the Rift Valley and Mt Longonot, and the flowers are always in bloom.

There is always something beautiful to see if you keep your eyes open!

 But - this land is under stress.  One might even ask if this land and its resources can "sustainably" support the population.

Kenya has a growing population that is now in excess of 40 million, and the unemployment rate is about 40%.  As in many stressed economies, the burden of unemployment falls largely on the young.  Many survive by doing odd jobs or working as "casual laborers," i.e. "as needed" or "prn" in medical parlance.  Looking to find a way to make ends meet, many become desperate and some have turned to cottage industries such as the production of charcoal as a way to scratch out a living.

In America, charcoal is really a recreational item.  I like to use it when camping, as it is a simple way to cook with my dutch oven.  In contrast, many Kenyans regularly cook with charcoal on a "jiko", which is similar to a small grill.  Charcoal is inexpensive and does not smoke a lot, which confers some advantage for indoor cooking.

A Kenyan jiko. The pot on top is called a "sufuria."

Often when we buy charcoal in the US, it is made from sawdust or other wood waste and sold in bags of uniform briquets.  Charcoal here is made by cutting down trees, burying them, and then burning them at a relatively low temperature over a period of a few days.  The result is a light, inexpensive product, which one can frequently find for sale in open-air markets.

Typical charcoal...I was actually given a bag of coal by a friend at Christmas!

As a result of charcoal production, much of which is illegal, and other demands for wood, there has been a significant decrease in the forest cover in our area and in much of Kenya.  At one time, the whole escarpment along the Rift Valley was covered in forest, but now almost all of it is gone.  The stretch of forest around Kijabe is one of the few remaining along the escarpment, and even that stretch is not untouched.

The Rift Valley escarpment as seen from down in the valley; note the lack of tree cover, especially on the left.

A closer view of the forest above the soccer field (aka 'football pitch') at RVA.  It was once thickly forested, but is now significantly thinned.

Sarah on a recent hike around the station; note the lack of trees in the background.  Despite the lack of trees, it was a fun afternoon!

Sometimes the fires used in charcoal production get out of hand.  It is currently the warm, dry season, and on several occasions we have seen smoke in the forest, presumably from charcoal fires that have gotten out of hand.  One particularly large fire occurred on the slopes of Mt Longonot, the volcano that we can see from our house.  On a recent Saturday, we took a hike up the volcano, and it became obvious that the fire had consumed a significant portion of the vegetation inside the cone as well.

Atop Mt Longonot, note the brown area on the inner wall of the cone that was consumed by fire.

 So why does all of this matter?  One of the major effects of the deforestation of our area is a dramatic change in our water resources.  Without tree cover, the rainfall that we get tends to quickly run down into the valley, exposing those downhill from us to flooding.  When the rain doesn't come, we are all more vulnerable to drought because the denuded hillsides can't hold a reserve of water.  For us, water shortages are an inconvenience.  But for those living on the economic edge and surviving on the produce of their shamba (garden), a water shortage can end up with you and your child severely malnourished.

The good news is that there is hope.  Our local church here, AIC Kijabe, has become involved in the issues of Biblical stewardship of the land in a couple of ways.  One of the local initiatives is the development of a beekeeping industry.  Not only does honey provide the potential for income and an alternative to charcoal production, it also depends on the forest for pollen.  The idea is that when preservation of the forest becomes an economic advantage to the community,  then the community becomes a strong advocate for maintaining and even restoring the forest.  We are excited to see where this project leads, and Ted is getting involved with it by building some demonstration beehives for his Eagle Scout project.

The other initiative is being spearheaded by an organization known as Care of Creation.  As they awaken the church to its responsibility to care for God's creation, Care of Creation is encouraging maintenance of the remaining forest and the reforestation of areas that have been cleared.  In addition, they are also introducing a curriculum known as Farming God's Way, which was originally developed in Zimbabwe.  The techniques taught in Farming God's Way have been proven to increase crop yields, decrease need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and reduce the need for irrigation.  You can read more about Care of Creation and Biblical stewardship of the earth on their website at http://kenya.careofcreation.net/.

The challenge remains.  Can this land "sustainably" support the population of Kenya now and in the future?  I am hopeful that the Kenyan church and the Kenyan people can and will accept the challenge to preserve the land to protect their future.  Please pray for the people and the land of Kenya.

Rick

Colossians 1:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.