News Release

The essential role of women in driving local sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa

New podcast explores the human side of conservation and the needs of local people, featuring researcher Seline Meijer

Reports and Proceedings

Taylor & Francis Group

Quote Image

image: Image of hand with quote over the top. view more 

Credit: Monchu

'Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa aren't interested in planting trees, and we need to educate them and persuade them to do so.' This is what Seline Meijer was told was the case, when she announced that she was embarking on a study to explore why agroforestry (tree planting) rates in Sub-Saharan Africa are so low.

Seline wasn't convinced. She didn't want to take a traditional, colonial position of foreign knowledge and power, and tell the Malawi farmers she was working with that they needed to change their practices. She wanted to understand what they were actually doing, and why.

"Unfortunately, colonialism plays a part in it, and that's created certain power dynamics and relationships." - Seline Meijer

For Seline, climate conservation efforts are "all about the people". Conservation is a conversation we all need to be having, because climate change affects us all. And that includes local communities. Indeed, farmers who rely on agriculture for their income and food are actually the most vulnerable to the impacts of environmental degradation and climate change.

Agroforestry is one way in which this vulnerability can be managed. Planting trees on farms increases crop yield, which in turn increases food security for the local community. Trees also benefit the environment in several ways. So why weren't farmers in Malawi planting more trees? How do they engage with trees in their landscape? And why would female farmers be more likely to plant trees than male?

"I found that if it's the woman who decides, that actually results in more trees being planted." - Seline Meijer

These questions are what Seline Meijer sought to answer through her research, and they're what the latest episode of the How Researchers Changed the World podcast explores. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Android podcast providers - or head to http://www.howresearchers.com.

###

For more information, or to interview Seline Meijer, please contact: newsroom@taylorandfrancis.com

Supported by Taylor & Francis Group

Taylor & Francis Group are proud to support How Researchers Changed the World.

As one of the world's leading publishers of scholarly journals, books, eBooks, and reference works, Taylor & Francis Group provides people all over the world with the knowledge to grow their careers, expand their education, and advance their field.

Challenge your thinking at http://www.tandfonline.com

Produced by Monchü

The How Researchers series is written and produced by Monchü. They work with world changing organisations to make the world a fairer happier place with strategy and design thinking.

Find out more at http://www.monchu.uk


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.