Grassrooots Development: Exercise 4

 

Map 1

    In the interactive map above, you will notice three placemarks. Each placemark represents a project or organization that was an Equator Prize Winner in a selected year. The three case studies I have selected are Solar Freeze, Shashwat, and Asociación de Apicultores de la Reserva de Tariquía (AART, Tariquía Reserve Beekeepers’ Association). By clicking on each placemark, you will find a description of the project, photos, and links to the case study website. In today's blog post, I will be describing each case study, discussing their goals and accomplishments. 

    The first case study I will be discussing is Solar Freeze, characterized by a blue snowflake in the map above. Solar Freeze is located in Machakos, Kenya. It was founded in 2015 and won the Equator prize in 2019. Solar Freeze developed a system to produce mobile, cold storage units, powered by solar energy. This project gives small-scale rural farmers a more efficient way to harvest and store crop. This method represents a grassroot project because it is a community approach that is addressing local problems  Solar freeze reduces post-harvest losses by an incredible 90 percent. This allows farmers to grow high-value crops, while increasing their income and reducing greenhouse gases. The results of solar freeze are helping achieve two main target sustainability goals of no poverty and zero hunger. 

    The next case study I will be evaluating is Shashwat, indicated by a green fish on the map. Shashwat was the Equator Prize Winner in 2012. Shashwat was founded in 1996, is located in Maharashtra State, and is a grassroot initiative focused on a localized problem caused by the construction of the Dimbhe dam. The construction of this dam displaced several tribal communities, submerging 11 villages and destroying farmland of another 13 villages. The organization helps the local communities develop fishing activities in the dam reservoir and specially adapted agriculture practices. The organization provides the communities with fishing supplies and helps develop agriculture practices on the steep slopes. Shashwat is helping accomplish the important sustainability goals of zero hunger and quality education. 

    The last case study I will discuss today is Asociación de Apicultores de la Reserva de Tariquía (AART, Tariquía Reserve Beekeepers’ Association), indicated by the yellow tree on the map. AART was founded in 1998 and won the Equator Prize in 2008. AART is located in Tarija Department. Like the other projects mentioned, AART is a grassroot initiative focused on a localized problem, organized by the community. This association works within the Tariquía Flora and Fauna National Reserve, two protected areas covering 610,000 acres of forest.  The association works with locals, educates them on modern beekeeping techniques, and is responsible for the purchase and commercialization of the honey from the local families. The process of beekeeping offers sustainable use to the forest. AART limits the process of unsustainable forest logging, while providing income to local families. This accomplished the sustainability goals of no poverty and climate action.