A homemade drip-irrigation system. Photo: Care of Creation (flickr)

Flood irrigation: that's how poor farmers in developing countries usually water their crops. It's wasteful and too water-intensive to work in the dry season, but until recently there haven't been other viable options — a traditional drip irrigation system could cost thousands of dollars.

But social entrepreneurs like Paul Polock and the California-based company, Driptech are working to change this by helping poor farmers set up low-cost drip irrigation systems. Driptech can sell their irrigation system for $30 in places like India, China and Ethiopia, because they use cheaper materials and have developed a new (top-secret) method for punching the holes in the irrigation tubes, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

As Business Week notes, the technology could be transformative:

Experts say low-cost irrigation could alter the economics of food. Subsistence farmers may be able to grow excess crops they can sell. Countries that rely on food imports could see their dependence on outsiders decline.

The innovation has allowed poor farmers to save "water, labor, and time — all while growing a valuable dry-season crop that greatly increased their annual income," boasts Driptech's website.

Driptech plans to relocate their manufacturing facilities to the countries where their products are sold. The company's blog notes that this "will help support the local economies while cutting out transportation costs and headaches."

Selling redesigned products to the poor can be a profitable business model, as some companies in India have also discovered. (I wrote about this phenomenon in "Selling to the Poor, On Terms They Can Afford"). In line with this trend, Driptech expects to make money while helping poor farmers start to turn a profit of their own.

Iraq's Marsh Arabs have coexisted with the wetlands' unique ecosystem for 6,000 years. Photo: Dr. Michael Izady, Ph.D. (flickr)

Southern Iraq is home to one of the largest wetlands in the world, where the tributaries of the Tigris and Euphrates meet. But a three-year drought in the Middle East, along with dams and water projects in neighboring countries, has left southern Iraq with a serious water shortage, reports the BBC.

For 6,000 years these wetlands have been home to people called Marsh Arabs. They made their huts out of the marsh reeds, ate fish they caught in the waters, and sold the milk and cheese they made from water buffalo milk, explains the LA Times. (A beautiful slide show of Iraq's marshlands and the Marsh Arabs accompanies the The LA Times article.) But now these wetlands are roughly 30 percent of their former size, says the BBC, and they are continuing to shrink.

The marsh's dropping water levels have devastated the wealth of the region and the livelihoods of the Marsh Arabs. Jassim Asadi, of the nonprofit conservation group Nature Iraq, tells the LA Times the marshes used to supply two-thirds of the fish consumed in Iraq. Now people buy bottled water and frozen fish imported from Iran. “It is an economic disaster,” Asadi says.

Though the drought is "the most immediate cause" threatening the wetlands and their inhabitants, regional water politics cannot be ignored, the BBC says. The Tigris and Euphrates flow through multiple countries, and the rivers are the main water source in the area. A BBC video helps break down the situation:

About 70 percent of Iraq's waters originates outside the country, in Turkey, Syria, and Iran... These countries already have ambitious damn and irrigation projects, limiting how much is left for Iraq. And yet more damns are planned — further reducing the flow into the marshes.

Some scholars and politicians remain hopeful that diplomacy and cooperation amongst the different Middle Eastern countries will allow for more equitable water management. But as things stand now, there is no immediate fix on the horizon.

Thomas Benke (center) works with Sichuan Research Institute of Environmental Protection chemists and OFSSA staff to set-up the Gas Chromatograph. Photo: Courtesy of Thomas Benke.

Four years ago, a petrochemical plant on the border of China and Russia spilled 100 metric tons of the toxic chemicals into a tributary of the Amur River. The river is the main drinking supply for a town in Russia named Khabarovsk, and it put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk.

Naturally, Khabarovsk turned to Moscow for help. But they also contacted a group of friends in Portland — including my dad.

My dad, Thomas Benke, has been involved in the Portland-Khabarovsk Sister-City Association, or PKSCA, for many years. And his actions after the toxic spill showed me that sister-city associations can be a means for not only cultural exchange but also serious global cooperation.

PKSCA implements a wide reach of humanitarian programs in Khabarovsk that include solid-waste management, emergency services, educational exchanges, hospitals, orphanages, and village schools. And it, along with Oregon Fujian Sister State Association (OFSSA), has responded to disasters such as chemical spills and earthquakes. My dad has volunteered for both. One of his main motivators has been to help preserve the environment. (He holds degrees in chemical engineering and environmental law.)

There is an undeniable synergy between a clean environment and economic development. The old idea that there must be some trade-off between economic development and environmental protection in developing economies is gradually being replaced by the realization that the foundation of economic development — a healthy workforce — thrives on clean air, clean water and an unpolluted landscape.

My father explained to me that soon after the spill in Khabarovsk, he traveled there to deliver and introduce a Gas Chromatograph, a device for testing drinking water in disaster areas. The device was purchased by the City of Portland. In May 2007, PKSCA followed up by inviting two chemists from the Vodokanal (Khabarovsk Water Bureau) to work with the Portland Water Bureau and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Most importantly, PKSCA set up a training session at SRI Instruments in Los Angeles — the company that built the Gas Chromatograph. SRI Instruments' contribution was substantial — they built a specialized device that could detect the contaminants in the Amur River and provided free repair for the device.

Not only did PKSCA quickly respond to the water crisis in Khabarovsk, but by providing further training sessions in the United States, they also sustained and fostered a stronger more informative relationship between Portland and Khabarovsk officials, as well as sister-city board members.

On May 12, 2008, an 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Sichuan Province, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing nearly five million. Immediately, Fujian Province requested assistance from its Sister State, Oregon, for whatever aid they could provide. Below, Thomas described the international and OFSSA response to the crisis.

The world responded with cash and supplies. The people of Oregon donated cash generously through several local and international non-profit organizations. The Oregon-Fujian Sister State Association, because of its unique relationship with Fujian Province, resolved to do more — to donate emergency response tools that would leverage Sichuan Province’s capacity to respond.

The pre-existing relationship of trust between the two jurisdictions allowed Fujian province to request help from Oregon. The Sister-Province relationship made all the difference — we were able to overcome the cultural issues of pride and face that might have otherwise required Fujian province to decline aid. It's all about overcoming the formidable cultural barriers, and I think that that's the key.

It's the difference between your neighbor, somebody in your community coming in and offering help as opposed to a stranger from someplace you know nothing about.

When my dad first explained sister city associations right after the toxic spill four years ago, I thought he was obsessed with his involvement in both organizations. Now about to graduate from college, I plan to follow his lead and hope to work internationally for an NGO.

A view of Chesapeake Bay from above. Photo: Crazy Diamond (flickr)

The Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound are so polluted that they should be "put in the intensive care unit," according to a recent Frontline episode.

Poisoned Waters reveals that immense amounts of pollution have affected the ecosystems of both estuaries in their most basic capacities. On the surface, Puget Sound and Chesapeake Bay may look pristine and beautiful — but underneath, the effects of toxic waters are visible and disturbing.

In Chesapeake Bay, the once-thriving oyster industry has practically disappeared, although the state government recently developed a plan to revitalize the oyster population. Frontline reports that the crab industry is headed towards the same fate. David Kirwar, a Chesapeake Bay crabber, says that he only catches about half of what he did 25 years ago, describing the situation as a "tragedy." Local journalist Tom Horton said that overall "you're talking about billions of dollars of economic impact with oysters, crabs, shad, striped bass; the decline in the fisheries have just been dramatic."

Frontline says pollution caused by urban sprawl, agriculture, animal farms, and industrial sites are just some of many factors that are "slowly eating away" the bay. Jay Manning, Director of Ecology for Washington State, tells Frontline, "It's about the way we all live. And unfortunately, we are all polluters. I am; you are; all of us are."

The Mekong River. Photo: tashandsmoked(flickr)

Before it reaches the sea, the Mekong River travels more than 2,500 miles through Tibet, China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is estimated that more than 60 million people depend on the river in some way. But the dams are changing the river and impacting the people who depend on it.

For better or worse, four dams are already in place and 11 are on their way, most of which will be in China.

China is working to reduce their dependence on coal, and get more power from renewable sources like hydroelectricity, according to IRIN, the UN news agency, which reports that "governments downstream claim the hydroelectric dams will cut electricity costs."

The dams currently generate over 3,000 megawatts of electricity, says Radio Free Asia. A Portland General Electric representative told me that's enough electricity to power a city about the size of Portland, Oregon — with a population of 575,000 people — for an entire year.

Besides energy, the dams also help to regulate the rivers flow. As IRIN reports, supporters are saying this is a pretty impressive perk, since the region's unpredictable rains often times cause a flood or drought.

But others, including locals, don't think so highly of the dams.

According to the Foundation for Ecological Recovery, the river's fishing industry alone is worth up to $3 billion annually, and the existing dams are already decreasing that profit. Mekong fisherman Ouy Chai tells Al Jazeera that "before you could catch 10-20 fish in one day and now you can fish all week and not catch anything." His wife says, "I'm scared. What will be left for our children and grandchildren to eat?"

In the same vein, many environmentalists are saying that the dams are harsh on the environment, causing erosion and harming biodiversity. Nguyen Huu Chien, head of the environment and natural resource management program at Can Tho University, tells Radio Free Asia that "it is like a blood vessel in the human body. When we build dams, it is like a blockage in the veins: it will definitely affect other areas."

Despite the protesting and petitioning efforts of those against the dams, IRIN reports that two new ones are currently underway.

Idle mining cars on a train track in La Oroya, Peru. Photo: Max Opp (exoppholdsvaer) (flickr)

La Oroya, Peru, is one of the ten most polluted places in the world, according to the Blacksmith Institute, a New York-based global health agency.

The pollution is caused by a smelter owned by Doe Run Peru, which melts and purifies metals from the mountains surrounding La Oroya. The process is highly toxic: It's estimated that the smelting process emits 890 tons of sulfur dioxide every day.

Today, the area is plagued by acid rain and pollution, among other health and environmental problems. A recent article by the New York Times cited a 2005 study by Saint Louis University that estimated that 97 percent of children under six in La Oroya have lead poisoning, which can cause seizures, anemia as well as problems with the brain and kidneys.

Financially, however, the community needs Doe Run Peru since the majority of residents rely in some way on the smelting plant to earn a living, says the New York Times. About 3,000 people work in the actual plant, and other thousands make a living from selling food to workers and cleaning uniforms.

Community members say they want environmental conditions to improve, but cannot afford to see the jobs go elsewhere. They share their opinions in this video from the U.S. environmental law firm Earthjustice.

Chile's salmon industry is worth $2 billion and the fish are one of the country's top four exports. Chile is the biggest supplier of salmon to the U.S. and second to the world. But in the past year, a flue-like virus called Infectious Salmon Anemia (ISA) has spread through the country's salmon fisheries, sometimes infecting entire salmon stocks.

Hoping to curb the devastating effects of ISA, the Chilean government has stepped up controls and passed stricter regulations for antibiotic use and addressing overcrowding. But, compliance is costly and the industry complained of having trouble securing loans at a time when most banks aren't lending. To help fulfill the new requirements, the Chilean government announced a $120 million bailout for the salmon industry.

New Tang Dynasty Television, an independent, non-profit television broadcaster based in New York, reports on at the toll the virus has taken on the industry and what the future for the industry looks like in the following video.

By the summer of 2008, the price of rice had increased five times from the average price in 2005. Photo: Thatcher Cook for Mercy Corps

The following post is from One Table, a Mercy Corps campaign to fight world hunger by investing in the world's women.

Today almost a billion people worldwide are unable to buy or grow enough food to avoid malnutrition. That's 120 million more than were hungry in 2006.

What happened? Basically, the world saw dramatic spikes in food prices. But there were many underlying causes of what's known as the global food crisis:

• Drought and other climate-related problems that resulted in smaller harvests
• Changing diets — rise of the middle class in India and China and an increased demand for food, especially meat, which requires large amounts of grain to raise
• Diversion of crops from food production to the production of biofuels
• High fuel prices during 2008 — if it costs more to transport food, prices go up
• Declining investments in agricultural productivity — total agriculture development aid to poor countries plunged from $8 billion in 1984 to $3.4 billion in 2004. At the same time, the developing world's cities have been ballooning with people who do not grow any of their food
• Export bans and restrictions last year in several major grain-producing countries like China as governments sought to lower food prices for their own citizens, with the result of reducing the global supply on hand.

While food prices have come down from their highs of 2008, they remain substantially above historic levels. Many economists feel this trend, which most severely affects those who can least afford it, is likely to continue for some time.

The economic, health and societal costs of the global food crisis have been severe. One of the first things Mercy Corps did to figure out how and where to direct our efforts was to survey the communities where we work. We discovered that within communities Mercy Corps serves, roughly 70 percent of income is spent on food, and 80 percent of the population had been affected by rising food prices over the past year. The survey also confirmed something we already suspected: that families were coping with higher prices by eating fewer meals, selling off household belongings, going into debt and removing children from school so that they can work.

In addition to being a record year for food prices, it's also been a record year for our food security team, allowing Mercy Corps to aggressively respond to this crisis. We now have 17 programs in 13 countries designed specifically to respond to this on-going problem. Through support from donors including USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gap Foundation, the Hunger Site, and private individuals, our Food Crisis Response employs a strategy designed to ensure that the groundwork for increased prosperity in the future is laid — even while addressing the immediate problem of accessing sufficient food.

Food distributions, much of which are specifically targeted to improve child nutrition, are taking place in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, in the Central African Republic, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Nepal, Niger, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Uganda and again Zimbabwe, Mercy Corps is helping hungry households to access food by providing employment opportunities, agricultural training and inputs (such as seeds and tools), and helping people establish and grow small businesses.

Combined, these programs are reaching almost 1.5 million individuals who have been directly impacted by higher food prices. Overall, Mercy Corps’ Crisis Response will lead to a sustainable increase in income for these people, leading in turn to greater food security over the long-term.

Bangladesh is facing a severe health epidemic due to high amounts of arsenic in the ground water found in wells which are the primary source of drinking water. Photo: Shawn (flickr)

"The largest mass poisoning in history," according to the World Health Organization, is in Bangladesh, where there's arsenic in the groundwater used by more than half of the population.

Arsenic is a colorless and odorless element that can occur naturally in soil. Excessive and long-term exposure can cause various cancers and skin abnormalities. Bangladesh has the highest levels of naturally occurring arsenic in groundwater in the world, reports Al Jazeera. But this wasn't discovered until the mid-90s, after humanitarian agencies dug a lot of wells to prevent locals from drinking water from dirty ponds.

More than 70 percent of the population in Bangladesh live in rural areas and get drinking water from wells.

With more than 30 years of exposure, Bangladeshis are now facing health problems that include skin lesions, lung cancer, heart disease and kidney failure. But these conditions are often undetected because arsenic poisoning isn't always physically visible. Only 30 percent of Bangladeshis have access to basic health care, so the actual measure of the impact arsenic poisoning is likely under-reported. Even without an accurate measure, the WHO considers the scale of the health epidemic even larger than the 1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, which led to more than 100,000 people being diagnosed with fatal cancers.

The Bangladeshi government and development agencies are investing in water filter systems and trying to spread the word about the dangers of drinking from the groundwater wells. But getting rural communities to stop using their primary source for cool, clean-looking water is easier said than done, reports Al Jazeera. Installing household water filtration systems is not affordable for most villagers. Boiling water is still an option, but it's extremely difficult to change daily practices of people who already have limited resources and are unable to see and understand the effects on their health.

The following trailer from the documentary Arsenic: The Largest Mass Poisoning in History shows the devastating effects of Bangladesh's poisoned groundwater.

It's been six years since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. In recent months, stability has improved, but the gains will unravel unless progress is made toward strengthening the economy.

The financial crisis and lower-than-expected oil prices have changed things considerably for the Iraqi government. Last month, parliament made big cuts, revising the budget from $79 million to just $58.9 billion.

A major portion of this budget was supposed to be allocated toward rebuilding the infrastructure that has been devastated during the past six years. The New York Times reports that infrastructure projects are being put off, including the cancellation of a $600 million General Electric contract to lay electric cables and upgrade switches to allow the grid to increase electricity output.

Unemployment is also a big issue. A UN report released in February shows that unemployment is estimated to be around 18 percent. An additional 10 percent are underemployed, working part-time.

Adding to the frustration of locals, the government hasn't been able to meet basic needs like providing safe drinking water, electricity and education. The Iraqi Environment Ministry estimates that 36 percent of Baghdad's drinking water is unsafe as raw sewage, which still runs down Baghdad streets, mixes with drinking water. Furthermore, the demand for electricity still exceeds supply.

People expected things to go differently. Just last year, the Iraqi government was flush with cash. Record high oil prices prompted the government to offer big raises to employees. Now the shortfall has left the Iraqi government struggling to pay salaries for government employees and hundreds of thousands of new security troops.

But a shaky Iraq could force the Obama administration to adjust their plans. The Times points out that unless the economy strengthens and security gains continue, President Obama's timetable to withdraw troops could be delayed.

A stable Iraqi economy and an adequately prepared Iraqi military are crucial if American combat troops are to withdraw by August 2010, as aides to President Obama suggested this week. And illustrating just how closely the two countries are still intertwined, a faltering Iraq could also complicate Mr. Obama’s plan to lower the American deficit with billions in savings that would come from such a withdrawal.

Although the progress on the security front has given in a sense of normalcy, but the financial crisis has made it even more urgent for the government to develop a long-term strategy for stabilizing the economy, creating jobs, attracting foreign investment, which will ultimately mean prosperity for the Iraqi people.

According to Hazim al-Nuaimi, a political analyst in Baghdad, “The only thing that has changed is that now there's a light at the end of the tunnel. But it seems six years is not enough to be able to reach that light.”

Have you heard of "appropriate technology?" It's a movement that helps the world’s poorest people with affordable, simple and practical inventions that address every day problems.

Some examples include:

• The Q-Drum, a circular drum that allows women and children to transport water by pulling a rope attached to the jug as it rolls on the ground, instead of carrying it on their heads.
• The Lifestraw, a portable, filtered drinking straw that allows water to be safely sipped from rivers, lakes and ponds.
• The Solar Home Lighting System, which allows children to study at night using solar-powered screens instead of electricity.

"We need to see the poor as customers rather than charity recipients," says Paul Polak, one of the notables in the appropriate technology movement. "We need a revolution in how multinationals design, price and market their products. There is a huge virgin market out there!"

Explore photos and videos of more inventions at Design for the Other 90%, the website for an exhibit currently touring U.S. museums.

Istanbul, Turkey. Photo: shioshvilli

Officials attending the World Water Forum in Turkey this week issued a statement that essentially said there's not enough water to waste.

That much was clear to one Canadian reporter attending the conference, who found that her press pass wasn’t enough to get her access to bathrooms with running water — reserved only for VIPs.

But it was less clear to two protesters from a California group, who were hosed by local police with water cannons — presumably the most “cost effective” way to respond.

But the water in those cannons is especially precious to Turkish residents, who are running out of water, according to Al Jazeera.

Turkey has experienced periods of extreme drought in recent years, and multinational companies have a stronghold on increasingly scarce water resources. Most locals drink bottled water, but that’s not a luxury everyone in Turkey can afford.

During the conference, Turkish engineers demonstrated against large firms that they say benefit cities by exploiting rural resources. Their view is that water talks need to focus on conservation, not privatization.

"We believe our drinking water should be managed so we don't need to buy it in bottles and it's freely available," lawmaker Ufuk Aras told Al Jazeera. "We were not born on this earth to help companies add to their profits."

Global Citizen Corps leaders host a fundraiser for World AIDS Day. Photo: jessicaphansen (flickr)

On last year's World AIDS Day, Sam held an afterschool open-mic event to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS. Rachel got 200 people to sign a letter asking for more government attention on AIDS — and sent it to Barack Obama. Lily had a candlelight ceremony in memory of those who have died from the disease.

So who are these youth?

They're all members of the Global Citizen Corps leadership program — a national network of high school students that are committed to ending global poverty.

Global Citizen Corps leaders build awareness in their communities by organizing informative events at their schools that focus on issues like climate change, HIV/AIDS, world hunger, and access to education.

Dozens of teens are making a difference. Jaime wrote an article her high-school newspaper to raise awareness about global poverty. Kate hosted a "blackout" at her school, cutting off the water to show students how climate change can impact people's lives.

Global Citizen Corps is looking for more dedicated and compassionate youth to join the program. Students gain access to Mercy Corps resources and agree to host informative events at their school or in the community. Leaders will also have the opportunity to lobby for access to education in Washington D.C. and participate in the annual leadership summit in New York City.

The 2009-2010 High School Leadership Program is now accepting applications. The deadline is April 15, so apply today.

Cambodia depends heavily on water for the growth of rice which is one of the country's main exports. Photo: Fredalix (flickr)

Why would two countries with the same average rainfall have varying amounts of accessible water? Japan and Cambodia both receive around 160 cm of rainfall per year but the average Japanese person uses nearly 400 liters per day while in Cambodia the average person will likely use one-tenth of that amount. "The scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty and inequality," says a UNDP report, "not in physical availability."

Developing countries depend mostly on agricultural production as a means of income, but because agriculture accounts for roughly 70 percent of our world's water use, people in these countries heavily dependent on agriculture are left with little water for personal consumption.

In contrast, industrialized countries can use more of their water for personal use as they are able to import much of their food from other parts of the world. In Japan, agriculture makes up only 1.4 percent of GDP while in Cambodia 31 percent of GDP is dependent on the productivity and output of agriculture. This means that a water shortage in Cambodia would be far worse for the citizens and economic growth than in say, Japan.

Kyrgyzstan's Toktogul Reservoir is the country's largest source of hydroelectric power. Photo: Andrei Shevelov.com (flickr)

After months of forced power blackouts, Kyrgyzstan’s residents are bracing for the cold winter months ahead — and are turning the heat on their government to stop the cutoffs.

With its high-peaked mountain landscape, the former Soviet republic relies on glacial melt to generate hydroelectric power, its main energy source.

Kyrgyz officials have rationed electricity since April, blaming the region's semi-drought and an an unseasonably cold spring that did not melt enough mountaintop snow to refill the reservoirs. The latest UN appeal for humanitarian aid in Kyrgyzstan backs this claim.

Some residents hesitate to blame Mother Nature for the crisis, pointing instead to poor government management.

"We don't live like this, this is Bishkek," a young woman in the cosmopolitan capital told Eurasia.net during a period of blackouts. "We believe this is caused by corruption."

The World Bank's Raghuveer Sharma calls the situation a result "not only of a period of water shortage, but also of poor management of the sector, or rather of the water resources that Kyrgyz energy depends on."

The Kyrgyz government is responding to the criticism, making sure power was restored in Bishkek and firing the country's energy minister in late November. But blackouts are continuing in rural areas — sometimes up to eight or ten hours per day. And the energy sector of the government says it will continue to ration electricity through the peak winter heating season.

While the cold may not be as bad this year as last year, electricity stoppages will create much more suffering, especially in urban or semi-urban areas where residents have less access to natural fuel sources, says Kevin Grubb, former Kyrgyzstan deputy country director for Mercy Corps. Grubb, who lived in Kyrgyzstan in 2006 and 2007, says, "More people among the vulnerable populations will die from exposure — as we saw to some degree last year — especially among the elderly and poor, and newborns and infants."

Even before the coldest months arrive, local businesses say they've already been crippled by the outages. "All manufacturing depends on electricity, so everyone has suffered," political analyst Syrgak Abdyldaev told the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. "The rolling power cuts are increasing the level of discontent among all social strata, and there are more and more unhappy people."