Cosmos Education is assisting the following project through the donation of basic research needs (e.g. computer) and a small grant. The project leads are Nzeyemana Felicien (Burundi) and Incigul Polat (Turkey).
PILOT PROJECT : ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION IN BURUNDI
INTRODUCTION
Environment is a precious gift from the nature that we¹re ever been granted by the all nighty. We have to keep it safe from any hurm. Unfortunately that is not always so since there many environmental conflicts particulary in Africa As BURUNDI is in the middle of Africa, it is then affected by diverse problems accuring in it¹s neighbourg countries such us war, migrations Š We can surely avoid a lot of environmental conflicts in monitoring then biginning in Burundi.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
Burundi is a tropical country of Africa. It has 27834 Km square and is surrounded by Indian ocean at a distance of 1100 Km and by Atlantic at a distance of 2100 Km. It is on the shore of Lac Tanganyika and this one has approximately 33.000 Km square. Country of South hemisphere, Burundi is situated between 2°20¹ and 4°27¹ of south latitude and between 28°50¹ and 50°53² of East longititude. Burundi is near of equator. It is a stickler for the 30th meridian which pass through Saint-Petersbourg, Kiev, Alexandrie, the middle of Soudan in North hemisphere and the middle of Zimbabwe in south hemispere. Burundi is constituted by 5 ecologic regions : MIRWA, IMBO, DEPRESSION DE L¹EST, CRETE CONGO-NIL and PLATEAUX CENTRAUX. Mirwa is a region of mountains. Imbo is a plane Crête Congo-Nil is constituted by high mountains over 2000 m of altitude. Plateaux centraux are areas of intermediary altitude while Depressions are lower lands.
- War : refugees from neighbour countries or inside the country increase needs in wood like above. The installation of sites of refugies will destroy again our environment Deforestation is also a consequence of war strategy; army or rebellion burn the forests.
- Unsustainable industrialization : wood combustion, tea factory , four turnels, backery Š Vegetation in Burundi is mainly destroyed by formers, growing domestic animals (people burn vegetation to have tender one) draught, erosion. Land is badly and heavy exploited since people are not aware about modern and adequate technologies. This made some kind of vegetation disappear.
- Unsustainable industrialization : wood combustion, tea factory backery Š Industries preferably are implemented near water ressources particulary near our great gift of the nature : TANGANYIKA LAKE. This cause water pollution and air pollution as they use ancient technologies : hydrocarbon In some regions, water ressources is decreasing. For example in the northern areas of Burundi : Northern Lakes are disappearing and people dying from hunger. Some rivers become streams. In these region deforestation was phenomenally great. Biodiversity has been deepenly affected by pollution and other sorts of hum : some kind of birds or animals disppeared or went to find new space, aquatic life becomes impossible. For the question to know if there is any studies and NGO in the domain, there are just three NGO and a ministry having in charge environment. Have them the work effective ? We think we need to explore that domain. For the local contribution the ministry in charge of Youth has accepted to make offices at our disposal. Any way, we worked I and my team on it. We found that, since Burundi is very small country, a global study would be better. But areas which are very important in point of environment degradation are MIRWA, CRETE CONGO-NIL and IMBO. Both Mirwa and Crête areas have high altitude. Mirwa are under have the stress of population and very poor in term of vegetation covering that is why erosion appear menacingly the town of Bujumbura the lake TANGANYIKA thus the all IMBO region. Crête is covered with a thick forest of about 40.000 hectares but it is now disappearing because of burning and wood exploitation.
WHAT CAN WE ACHIEVE ? - We must sensitize all people in general to saveguard our environment and young people specially on their responsability in environment protection. - We want to build an independent network of communication. - To create through all primary school nature clubs - To spead through all secondary school clubs of environment - To encourage youth to work for master degree in environment management. - To train monitors in environment skills.