Category Archives: Humanitarian Assistance

. . . And Then the Rains Came: Coping in Kajaga Village

Posted on 27/04/2013 by

Unusually heavy rains have caused havoc across much of east Africa, displacing thousands of people and damaging important infrastructure… In Burundi, flood-affected areas include the northwestern region of Bubanza, Bujumbura City and the plains of Imbo along the shores of … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-East, African rice, Climate Change, East central Africa, Humanitarian Assistance, Livestock, Mud brick houses, Rusizi River ^ Wetlands | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

The Social Life of Beans in Burundi – Part 2

Posted on 09/03/2013 by

Part 1 of this blog discussed the different steps used by smallholders here in Burundi in cultivating, harvesting and processing beans.  Below, a few more notes on these steps – together with thoughts on the challenges of emergency seed distribution following … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-Central, Agriculture, Burundi, Food, Food Aid, Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika2, Humanitarian Assistance, Imbo Plain, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Thanksgiving – and A Military Coup – in Sudan

Posted on 21/11/2012 by

Reposted for Thanksgiving 2012: In 1988 I became COP (Chief of Party) of the field component of a large natural resource management project in Western Sudan that was funded by USAID (US Agency for International Development).  Situated south of el-Obeid, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Environment, Food, Food & Politics, Humanitarian Assistance, Research & Development, Social Life, Sudan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Cuisines and Crops of Africa, 19th Century – The Limits of Pastoralism as a Lifestyle

Posted on 06/11/2011 by

  [First posted  24 Oct 2009  Revised 04 November 2011] With the Horn of Africa so much in the news now, I am updating and reposting several links that focus on limited resources in the area. Summary: The importance of the relationship … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-East, Breeds of livestock, Colonialism, Cuisine, Environment, Explorers & exploration, fat-Tailed sheep, Food, Horn of Africa, Humanitarian Assistance, John Hanning Speke, Kenya, Livestock, Middle East, Nomadic lifestyle, Pastoralism, Somali, Somalia, Sourcd of the Nile, Swahili coast, Third World, Wild honey | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

“Efforts of Missionaries among Savages”

Posted on 30/10/2011 by

[First posted May 2010, Updated 30 October 2011] David Livingstone captured the imagination of Europeans and Americans in the 19th Century, many of whom saw missionizing as THE way to ‘civilize’ African populations. I shall content myself with showing to you that even … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-General, Agriculture, Colonialism, Crop harvests, Dark Continent, European colonizers, European explorers, Explorers & exploration, Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika2, Humanitarian Assistance, Living here, Race, Religion, Research & Development, Technology, Third World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Batwa Pots in Burundi: Traditional Clay Pot Cuisine, Pt. 2 of 2

Posted on 26/10/2011 by

[First posted in 2009, Updated 26 October 2011] Pt. 1 of this entry explained how Batwa pots are made, and noted that as metal and plastic enter the market, the pots are being increasingly marginalized – thus further undermining the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-General, Batwa, Burundi, Cuisine, Food, Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika2, Humanitarian Assistance, Recipes, Third World | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Batwa Pots in Burundi: Traditional Clay Pot Cuisine, Pt. 1 of 2

Posted on 25/10/2011 by

 [First posted in 2009, Updated 25 October 2011] The Batwa pygmies of central Africa were the earliest inhabitants of the area, being later joined by Bantu agriculturalists who migrated over time from West Africa. As hunter-gathers, theirs has been a … Continue reading →

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Posted in Africa-General, Batwa, Burundi, Colonialism, Cuisine, East central Africa, Environment, Explorers & exploration, Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika2, Humanitarian Assistance, Pottery production, Technology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments