China, UN providing rainwater harvesting education for African nations
A Chinese expert said Friday he hoped more African countries could tackle water shortages in the future with the help from China.
Li Yuanhong, president of Gansu Provincial Water Conservation Research Institute, said his organization had offered consulting services and helped design and build water storage and purification facilities in several countries including Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Algeria and Niger.
Li’s institute is helping to carry out an ongoing training program in northwest China’s Gansu Province for rainwater-harvesting technologies for seven African countries…
Bob Muzyamba, Secretary General of Zambia’s Rainwater Harvesting Association, said his country was hoping to promote rainwater-harvesting technologies, especially in its arid south.
“We did start doing some demonstrations of rainwater harvesting, and the concept itself is growing,” he said.
Gansu Province, one of the driest Chinese provinces, reports an annual precipitation of about 300 mm. It began collecting rainwater for irrigation purposes in the 1980s.
The province has so far trained more than 200 rainwater-harvesting engineers from more than 70 countries.
I’ve just about given up trying to pound understanding of rainwater runoff retention into local politicos. In New Mexico it’s generally illegal to impede the course of rainwater going downstream – even if it’s running off a paved parking lot and you’re just trying to get it to soak into a local aquifer.
We’re about 4 centuries behind other desert regions.
I agree, it’s crazy that our “advanced” country is so far behind the rest of the world concerning rainwater harvesting. On a brighter note, the super dry conditions are pushing states like California to legalize practices like recycling greywater (we’re getting closer). Would you mind re-posting this post on our rainwater harvesting community site? You are also welcome to also publish any further blog posts concerning water harvest on our site (our members would really love it!) Thanks and keep it up!!
Water Harvest Online
August 5, 2009 at 11:09 am
Nice blog Stefan, maybe Microsoft with all their billions, should be doing what you yourself are doing, but no, more expansion and profit are it’s apparent expediency. Much of the blogging on this site, seems to be more about academic materialism than compassion. Do you believe this is why these sites are shallow in numbers, the same ones saying the same things seemingly going nowhere. Keep up the good work their are millions trying as you do to make life better for others. Google and Microsoft, not included ?
zorki
February 27, 2010 at 1:54 am