Monthly Archives: September 2012

Water

Water Poisoning Issue leads to vulnerability of local livelihood in Mongolia

Reported by Sisira Saddhamangala Withanachchi (Future of Food: Journal on Food, Agriculture and Society) and Ankhbold Tsogtbayar (Department of Political Science of National University of Mongolia)
Mongolia is considered a vulnerable country in the climate change scenarios. Currently, Mongolia is covered by around 30% of Gobi desert area. The rest of the country contains semi-arid or arid areas. Geographically, Mongolia is a land-locked country with low precipitation. It is estimated that annual mean temperatures have increased by 2.1°C since the 1940s (Batimaa et al. 2011:2). As a result of climate change, Mongolia experiences extremely cold weather. In the winter period, annual precipitation increases between 12.6% and 119.4%. In the summer period it has warmer weather by which annual precipitation declines from 11.3% to 2.5%. Also, in summer, most of its regions experience 13% to 90.9% increase in evapotranspiration (Batimaa et al. 2011:3). Because of the lack of surface water availability, 80% of drinking water has to be pumped from groundwater sources (Batimaa et al. 2011:2). Due to the impact of climate change in Mongolia, the water availability deteriorates rapidly. Mainly, groundwater resources are over-exploited in the hard winter period (almost seven months in a year), for household consumption, animal husbandry, agriculture and industrial purposes (Tsogtbaatar et al. 2009:30-32).
As a country, Mongolia has rich mineral resources, which are directly used for many industrial products by industries in developed countries. Multinational companies have established mining plants in many parts of Mongolia. Economic liberalization accelerates the trend of investment by foreign mining industries. Nyamosor Tuya (2005) mentions that 60% of industrial output is from mining in Mongolia (Tuya 2005:69: Tsujimura 2007). This mining industry, while boosting the Mongolian economy, affects the ecosystem heavily. It means that the factor for the economic blessing is creating insecure human wellbeing in the country side. Leakage of chemicals and discharging of waste water in surface water and groundwater lead to emerging water pollution and direct effects economic development and human wellbeing (Tsogtbaatar et al. 2009:25-35). In our field research last week with the research team of the National University of Mongolia about Environmental Flow Assessment in the Orkhon River in Mongolia, we interviewed local people, including herders and farmers, and governance officers such as governors, local parliament members, environmental protectors, natural inspectors and water security officers in the river basin.
In the first photo, the mixing of the contaminated Orkhon River water with one of tributary of the main Orkhon River can be viewed. This water is being polluted by the mining industries in the upper catchment areas of the Orkhon River. The mining industry was started in 1993. Most of them were given license by Aimag Government without proper Environmental Impact Assessment and without people’s hearing. We were not allowed to enter to the upper mining industry (see second photo). This mining industry is located directly on the natural source of Orkhon River. Local people express their concern about arbitrary mining industries activities. They always struggle with these companies. They told us that these lands belong to them and they do not want to escape from their homeland. We can be witnesses on how these companies block the natural water flow and by washing mining material with arsenic and other chemicals. The local people living downstream and governors also complain that the extremely bad situation of poisoning the Orkhon River Water leads to the decrease of water quality. The speaker of local council of Olziyt Sum clearly reveals that many local people get sick e.g. from rashes on the body due to usage of the contaminated Orkhon River water. Orkhon River water is one of main sources of the water recharging of groundwater (Aquifer). Due to this fact, the quality of groundwater is also threatened by the contaminated river water. This is a dilemma of local water governance issue. Many local governance stakeholders are concerned about the lack of proper attention on effective water management at local level displayed by Aimag and the Central Government in Mongolia.
Another threat is decreasing water quantity as a result of climate change. It is a significant factor when comparing local people views about water quantity over last 20 years. However, the local people’s right to drink pure water, to food security and the right to secure their homeland are being violated in these areas as the negative consequences of arbitrary and profit-oriented mining industry. Now the opportunity is being given to new Democratic and Green Party alliance Government, called “Justice Coalition” in Mongolia. People in Mongolia are waiting what it meant by real Justice: real human wellbeing with environmental protection? Otherwise, Multinational Companies and local mining companies get rich by giving little compensations to Mongolian people, a practice which is highly criticized. Even in the development plan of Mongolia, balanced development with other parts of the country is neglected. The uncontrolled neo-liberal economic policies lead to a development that is confined to Ulaanbaatar alone, the capital which is home to 2/3 of the whole Mongolian population. Also, another issue is that wealth – mainly from mining profits ¬– is accumulated only by the few while the majority of the country is poor. A rhythmic idioms about Mongolia sounds: “Mongolia is not only Ulaanbaatar and is not only few rich people”.

Special thanks to Prof. Dr Soninkhishig Nergui in the Department of the Botany in the National University of Mongolia and the group members in the field work group.

Sources:
Batimaa,P. Myagmarjav B., Batnasan,N. Jadambaa, N., Khishigsurenthe, P. (2011), Urban Water Vulnerability to Climate Change in Mongolia, Water Authority, under the Government of Mongolia
Tsogtbaatar, Jamsran, Janchivdorj, Unurjargal, Lunten Damdinbazar and Erdenechimeg, Badamgarav (2009), The Groundwater Problem in Mongoli, Technical Document in Hydrology | No. 2 UNESCO Office Beijing, 2009, pp.25-38
Tsujimura, Yutaka, Abe Maki, Tanaka, Tadashi, Shimada, Jun,Higuchi, Satoru, Yamanaka, Tsutomu, Gombo Davaa, & Oyunbaatar, Dambaravjaa(2007), Stable isotopic and geochemical characteristics of groundwater in Kherlen River basin, a semi-arid region in eastern Mongolia, Journal of Hydrology, Vol. 333, pp. 47–57

Knowledge and Food Systems, Scientific community

GMO Corn could cause Cancer

According to a new study released September 19th, 2012 and published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology by a research team from the University of Caen under leadership of Professor Gilles-Eric Séralini, Monsanto’s GM-Corn NK603 was found to cause cancer in lab rats. In a two-year study in which rats were fed genetically manipulated maize, the animals developed tumors as well as damages to liver and kidney.
The study, conducted with a trial group of 200 rats, is the first long-term assessment of health risks from GM corn. It was financed by the Ceres foundation and conducted under strict secrecy. GM corn is a multi-billion dollar business, especially in the US, and seed monopolist Monsanto is the central player. NK603 is a crop that is Roundup-tolerant; Roundup is Monsanto’s brand name for the universal herbicide glyphosate.
France is now thinking of banning NK 603, which cannot be grown under European law but is permitted as animal feed. This would mark a major drawback for Monsanto in Europe.
Sources: Greenpeace Magazin; arte journal website; science.orf.at

Food Sovereignty

Seminar on “Food Sovereignty in the Classroom”

On September 14, FOFJ.org staff member Sören Köpke had the opportunity to take part in a day seminar on “Food Sovereignty in the classroom”. It was held by Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) and the Association of Development Initiatives of Lower Saxony (VEN).

The question central to the seminar was how to properly present topics related to food sovereignty, food security and flaws in the food system in the context of school education. The seminar was aimed at NGO representatives from environmentalist and development NGOS and is the first in a series of seminars to train people in education for sustainable development. Seminar participants came from youth networks and youth organisations as well as educational initiatives, but there were also two teachers present.

Dagmar Israel from Deutsche Umwelthilfe started the day with a round-up on current trends and problems in the food system. She introduced DUH’s program “McMöhre” (McCarrot) which is aimed at promoting healthy and tasty food in schools. Afterwards, participants split up in groups to prepare a vegetarian lunch together.

After the food preparation, Georg Krämer from Welthaus Bielefeld took over. He provocatively tested participant’s knowledge of current issues in food security with a little quiz. His aim was to point out contradictions and ambiguities that necessarily pop up when one tries to build an opinion on the complex aspect of modern food production, trade and consumption. Krämer insisted that educators who work with students in schools should not chose a confrontative way of presenting their messages. Students must not be overwhelmed by these messages, they can’t be forced towards the educator’s moral position. It is the task of NGO representatives who work with students to facilitate learning processes, not to disperse a clear-cut opinion. This led to some discussion, but in the end it was agreed that contacts between educators and students should be based on respect for each other’s opinion, not on some idea of “neutrality” and not on “advertising for the cause”.

The final session of the day looked at what to expect when working in schools. Here, very concrete ideas and demands were discussed. It became apparent that communication between teachers and NGO representatives is key to enable good sessions for all involved.

The seminar was a frutiful first step to addressing issues which arise when NGOs work with schools. It was a great opportunity for networking between local initiatives. We are looking forward to similar events in the future.