NEWS AND REVIEWS FROM AFRICA: Editor Gordon Abiama

MAY 2012 Edition of Earth Rights Review is now available, a part of our Land Rights Program.

It is our great pleasure to announce to you the second editon of our monthly electronic newsletter, Earth Rights Review - May 2012

Our aim of these monthly publications is to consolidate and to build a strong advocacy network on land issues, especially in Africa, that strikes at the root of human existence.

Earth Rights Review is a project of Africa Centre for Geoclassical Economics, Nigeria. The e-newsletter will always endeavor to throw light on many of today's baffling questions about distribution of wealth, land rights and much more.

To learn more go to our Land Rights Program webpage for updates and to engage in discussions on this very important issue.

ECO-VILLAGE MODELS WILL BE PROMOTED AT RIO+20 EARTH SUMMIT CONFERENCE - GAINING POPULARITY WORLDWIDE

Implementing Sustainable Development in an Integrated Manner: 

From the Local to Global Level for Rio +20

Rob Wheeler, UN Representative for the Global Ecovillage Network, US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development, and Commons Action for the UN, will be attending the upcoming Rio+20 Earth Summit as well as many others from the Global Ecovillage Network coming in from all over the world.  Earth Rights Institute is part of the EcoEarth Alliance and  has continued to be engaged with the movement for eco-villages. Popularity for this form of development is rising.  

ERI has presented at international conferences and forums on climate change, sustainable development and leadership to include community directed initiatives as they have shown to be the most successful and positive impact on local communities. Our recent efforts has been to integrate into the global development world of academics, local governments and NGOs education that is a holistic sustainable community design.  Our educational program is based on four core pillars: the social, worldview, ecological and economic dimensions of sustainability.  Models such as eco-villages and sustainable villages provide the experience and expertise needed to give practical application to this global education.   We have expanded our work to include exploration of potential local trade systems among these sustainable communities with our Beyond Fair Trade Initiative for Senegal.  

Please join us or support us to bring about a brighter future for all!  Please promote our work and let all attendees to the Rio+20 Summit know about the work of the Global Ecovillage Network!   

THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY ON HOLD DUE TO THE POLITICAL UNREST AND BOMBINGS GOING ON IN NIGERIA.

Eco-Health and Wellness Program for Kwara State, Nigeria

photo: Kaiama Health Care Providers

A Pilot Model for Kaiama and Baruteen District

ERI have been working as an NGO in Nigeria since 2004. Our director, Annie Goeke, has been recruited to further expand our work in the country to develop an Eco- Health and Wellness Campaign in the state of Kwara, southwestern region of Nigeria.

After visiting in August for a fact finding trip, ERI is ready to start the implementation process. Beginning this Fall 2011, ERI is recruiting teams of volunteers, student interns, medical workers, physicians, and others with expert knowledge in the areas of public health, sanitation, women’s education, youth, and community development to send to the state of Kwara. These volunteers and experts will participate in this campaign.

This program will initiate various programs addressing health, wellness, sanitation, and pollution, as well as empower young adults in becoming health and wellness advocates in their communities and provide ideas in economic capacity building projects addressing health and wellness.  The major diseases are malaria, typhoid, TB, HIV/AIDs, and arthritis.   

Partnerships are being formed with Nigerian academics,NGOs, relevant government agencies and local leaders.  Together, this community-based program will engage the local communities to bring about a brighter and healthier future.  

BEYOND FAIR TRADE (BFT) Initiative

Feasibility Study and International Forum, Senegal

For the past few months, ERI interns, Kayla Casavant and Hristo Maroko have been busy moving forward our BFT program.

Here is some of the latest information reported by HRISTO MAROKOV

ERI INTERN FROM UCLA - PROGRAM DIRECTOR SENEGAL FOR SUMMER 

With extensive assistance from the Senegalese Government – Agence
National des Eco-villages we developed this fair trade model. The
model includes four major operational cells: the producers of raw
materials, the cooperative (established around “green” storage
facility), the transformation groups, and the micro-finance
organization. They are to interact within the warehouse receipt system context. This is vastly popular agriculture warranty system used worldwide, which allows agriculture producers to eliminate to some extent the seasonal fluctuations of the crop prices. Mainly, it makes small producers to act as large producers allowing them to wait for better price on their production.  

The pilot cooperative is to be formed from interested parties
(producers and ANEV) around the new storage facility site at
Diamnadio. The Micro-credit Organization (MO) represents the link between the producer and the cooperative. The cooperative does not pay in cash the producer but issues a bond. Later, this bond is cashed by the producer at the Micro-credit organization. They are also the link between the women working on transforming the raw products. As to the transformation process, it will be funded by the MO and guaranteed with raw and processed production.
For rendering this entire model related products marketable, they are
to be “Eco-village” labeled. 

Why we can name it “Beyond Fair Trade”?
The “green” storage facilities, the inclusion of marginalized social
groups in the transformation groups along with the “green” packaging
of the processed products and the non-profit financial organization
participation is giving to the model the environmental and social
sustainability aspects.

The first step toward implementing this model would be extensive
research on the raw and transformed products with respect to each
village, as well as on on producers’ economic capabilities. We have
been working on questionnaires which will be soon available. 

 For further information:

Visit the Beyond Fair Trade - Senegal Website

and Earth Rights Intern in Senegal, Kayla's blog

EARTH RIGHTS  Advocacy and Policies 2010

Land Rights and other economic initiatives

Co-Director, Alanna Hartzok- Annual Report

 A primary mission of Earth Rights Institute is to promote policies and programs which further democratic rights to common heritage resources. Our Land Rights and Land Value Capture online course now has nearly 500 people enrolled from 76 countries. Modules include land rights and poverty, land prices and the law of rent, and the economics of war and peace. The course describes how the policy of land value capture or taxation is a key to new economics policy that addresses a number of issues including affordable housing for all, funding infrastructure, promoting land reform, and improving the environment, especially when combined with green taxes. Course graduates receive a certificate and are eligible to develop policy research and implementation projects in partnership with ERI.

  Our pilot implementation project was launched in Pretoria, South Africa, and was coordinated by Tunde Dairo. Eighty people enrolled for the online course and participants conducted research, as well, a public forum was held. The project was funded through a grant from the International Union for Land Value Taxation (IU), and helped us build a clear direction for future projects.

 In November we launched a project in Caracas, Venezuela, led by Dr. Quisia Gonzalez, a land and human rights professor at the Henry George School of Social Science. Our Caracas parnters, The Prout Research Institute was Quisia's host organization for the time she was there. Our funding partner organizations for this project are the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation and the IU. Before leaving for Caracas, Gonzalez and Alanna Hartzokwere interviewed on the Harold Channer  Show, which now can be viewed YouTube  

Click the link for more information or to enroll in the ERI LAND RIGHTS COURSE