Nature Briefs
In these quick updates, meet a TNC staffer who volunteers his time restoring Maine landscapes with fire and discover how a proposal to sell off public lands was defeated.
At 673 kilometers in length, central Africa’s Lake Tanganyika is the longest in the continent, and it harbors more than 250 species of endemic cichlids, a diverse family of fishes. Despite that aquatic abundance, Clement Mabula, TNC’s agricultural officer in the region, is quick to point out, “There are more farmers than fishers!”
Clement works at the nexus of those two sources of food and income, leading trainings to help local people learn climate-smart agricultural practices that bolster crop yields and support healthy fish habitat. “For example,” he says, “I demonstrate how to use improved agricultural practices like mulching, composting, ridging, agroforestry and not farming near the lake. These improve soil health and retain moisture, which better shield crops from drought and reduce soil erosion during heavy rains. The practices also keep excess sediment out of the lake, protecting fragile fish breeding sites and overall water quality.”
A staggering 20,000 people have been trained so far, including maize farmer Nusura Sadiki. “In the beginning, I was farming two acres, I would harvest eight sacks,” she says. “After learning new practices, I farmed two acres and got 43 sacks.” Nusura’s increased income allowed her to purchase additional farmland, demonstrating to family and neighbors that change can lead to better outcomes for people and nature.
HEAR MORE from Nusura and meet other women who are working for their communities around Lake Tanganyika.
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