Biovision - Swiss Science Cooperation in East Africa
Biovision is a NGO (Non Governmental Organization) that is operating mainly in Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania and has its roots in Switzerland.
With the cash award he recieved with the World Food Prize, Dr. Herren in 1998 established BioVision, a private foundation that funds and promotes science-led sustainable development projects in sub-Saharan Africa. Herren continues to serve as the chairman of BioVision.
Dr. Herren is also co-chair of the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science, and Technology and president of the International Association of the Plant Protection Sciences.
He remains a leading proponent for the development of biological controls and other ecologically sound management methods throughout Africa and the tropics. His interests and present activities cover areas from sustainable development - including plant, animal, and human health, conservation, and poverty - to the development and dissemination of system dynamic simulation models in support of informed policy formulation. These targets are concurrent with the direction that BioVision takes in their activities in Africa.
The official website of Biovision
Hans Rudolf Herren - Founder of Biovision
Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren (born 1947 in Switzerland) is an internationally renowned entomologist, agriculturalist, and development expert. In the 1980s he almost single-handedly developed a non-chemical biological control for the mealybug insect, which at the time was threatening cassava production across Africa. In doing so, he averted disastrous famine and saved upward of 20 million lives. For this achievement, he was named the 1995 World Food Prize.
BioVision Projects in Kenya
Natural Crop Protection and Yield Increases and much more!
Kenya is a focus country for BioVision. Since 1998 BioVision has been supporting various projects there, which implement ecological health promotion and agricultural methods.
icipe is active in over 30 African countries and is the main partner organisation of BioVision.
Malaria Control Malindi
Stop Malaria - Combating malaria in Malindi, Kenya
Every year around two million people die from the effects of malaria, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa. The pilot project in Malindi is implemented in co-operation with the Kenyan research institute KEMRI and icipe. The project area includes the city, urban agglomeration and beach areas of Malindi. The steady urbanisation caused by migration to the city has led to uncontrolled growth of settlement areas. This has also caused the great increase in mosquito breeding sites: badly functioning sanitation facilities, stagnant water close to open wells and tanks, clogged sewage canals, potholes in the streets, etc. Swimming pools in tourist facilities remain unused at times and are also very significant as breeding sites.
BioVision advocates an integrated approach combining various method to combat malaria.
Malaria Control Nyabondo
Stop Malaria - Combating malaria in Nyabondo, Kenya
Every year around two million people die from the effects of malaria, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa. The pilot project in Nyabondo is implemented in co-operation with the Kenyan research institute KEMRI and icipe.
In Nyabondo, a high plateau that was previously free from malaria, simple brick production is the main source of income for many farmers. The numerous trenches and holes that cannot be drained which are left behind by this activity present the malaria mosquitoes with many breeding sites, often very close to home and work places, school houses and hospital stations.
Push-Pull Strategies - Combating Maize Insects
Dissemination of Push-Pull agricultural methods among small farmers through specific promotion of women as operators and facilitators.
The stalk borer and striga weed are the main destroyers of maize in Africa. When they occur simultaneously, whole crops can be destroyed.
icipe has found a combined ecological solution to the problem: the moths are fought with the ichneumon fly. This fly lays its eggs in the larvae of the moths. The ichneumon fly larvae eat the pest from the inside out. 50% of the stem borer larvae can be eliminated in this way.
The bean plant Desmodium is used to deal with the remainder. This crop is planted inbetween the maize. Its scent expels the parasites from the field (Push). At the same time it destroys the poisonous weed striga, enriches the soil with nitrates and protects the ground from erosion. Napier grass is planted around the borders of the maize field. The stem borers are attracted by its scent (Pull), and finally remain caught on the sticky blades of grass outside of the maize plantation. This allows the maize to be protected naturally and markedly increases the crop yield. Since the successful application of Push and Pull methods in the pilot projects of icipe was proved, BioVision has been supporting a cross-national project to spread these organic measures to the Lake Victoria region.
Mwea Tsetse Control
Combating the tsetse fly organically through vector control methods in Kenya
In the region around the Mwea natural reserve, BioVision supports a demonstrative model for sustainable tsetse control. The project is run with scientific accompaniment and under supervision of environmental advisers (Eco-Trainers). Co-operation takes place with Kenyan nature protection authority Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), icipe, and local authorities, inclusive of the local population. Environmentally friendly colour and scent traps control the tsetse fly population and stem the spread of Nagana disease among farm animals in the affected areas. In this way the population are given an instrument to simply and effectively protect their cattle from infection transmitted by the tsetse fly. In combination with income-generating measures it should be possible for the population to pay for the making and maintenance of the tsetse traps themselves.
Mwea Income Generation
Protection of the environment und promotion of ince generating activities throuhg the sale of honey and natural silk in Mwea, Kenia.
Nature conservation does have a chance in Africa, when it helps the people living in the area surrounding the national park. Quality of life for local communities in the Mwea nature reserve is improved through co-operation with the Kenya nature protection authority KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service). In practical courses, interested men and women farmers learn more about the importance of protecting biodiversity and commercialisation of local products. Course participants learn how keeping of honeybees and wild silk worms can be improved so that they are lucrative sustainable sources of income.
Cabesi - Beekeeping and Income Generation for the Pokot people, Kenya
West Pokot is a marginalised region of West Kenya in which the natural resources are increasingly overused due to a lack of alternatives. The main reasons for the growing poverty there are drought and lack of training for the local population, alongside the absence of adapted technology. As a first step to improve the living conditions in Pokot, local self-help groups are supported and trained in the production of honey and beeswax in oder to create new sources of income. In addition, the introduction of camels in place of less drought-resistant cows in promoted. Camels arean ideal method of transport in the remote, inaccessible Pokot lands.
Medicinal Plant Products
Protection of biodiversity in mountain and coast forests through generation of new sources of income
The forests of the Taita Hills and Tana River are a last retreat for many endangered species of plants and animals in Kenya. They are home to over 3500 bird species and medicinal plants scarcely researched. Clearing and felling threatens the ancient rainforest and its unique biodiversity. Growing overuse of the forests is lessened through the creation of new sources of income for the local population. BioVision supports the initiative of the international insect research institute icipe that generates income independent of the forest and sensitises the local population to the economic value of the forest. Farming families that live near the forest grow healing and aromatic plants in plant beds on their farms. Plant extracts are used by icipe and partners to create, among others, %u201ANaturub', a balm for colds, joint pain and insect bites. BioVision supports the use of distillation facilities for further processing the raw plant material.
FiBL System Comparison
The contribution of organic farming to sustainable development.
This project will analyse in a long-term study, the contribution made by ecological agricultural methods to securing nutrition, combating poverty and protecting the environment in the tropics.
Special focus is given to the relationship between organic farming methods and yield, quality, and shelf life of field crops. Extreme weather conditions such as droughts and floods are particularly taken into account as they have a great influence on harvests.
The findings from these analyses will be passed on to interest groups, state and private advice teams, as well as directly to farming families.
Farmer Communication
Farmer Communication-Information, tips and tricks for Kenyan farmers
The lack of practise-oriented information in the fields of agriculture and health is one of the main causes of slow development in Kenya and many African countries. Over 70% of the Kenyan population are small-scale farmers who have scarce access to relevant information. BioVision informs them on possible ways out of the poverty trap with a practical newspaper: The Organic Farmer (TOF) is published monthly and is distributed free of charge to interested farmer groups in Kenya. 100,000 farmers already receive concrete guidance and practical tips on securing and increasing their harvests through simple, environmentally friendly means. This information will be disseminated through the mass media (radio, daily newspapers) as well as with flyers and pamphlets. Farmers also get the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge and practical experience in courses on organic farming.
Lake Victoria "MS BioVision ll"
Knowledge dissemination and farmer training on Lake Victoria
The icipe research station at Mbita Point is home to many important field studies on improving and spreading ecological methods of plant pest control and integrated control of malaria. Thanks to its position on the shores of Lake Victoria the station offers an ideal starting point for cross-national projects (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda) and serves as a base for international research teams. This international co-operation is very important for Africa and leads to research partnerships. The road network in the Lake Victoria region is in very bad condition; many areas are barely accessible by land, which means great importance is laid on water transport. BioVision supports the maintenance of the research ship 'MS BioVision II'', which is used to transport researchers, agricultural advisers as well as materials to the coastal region and islands of Lake Victoria.
Mully Children Family
Integrating beekeeping into the rehabilitation programme of orphans and former street children
This project supports an orphanage in Kenya, the Mully Children Family Home (MCFH) in order to teach sustainable income generation. A first beekeeping initiative started already in 2003. At that time, an apiary was established, a beekeeper trainer trained, a bee
The Tsetse Fly
Tsetse are large biting flies from Africa which live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals. Tsetse include all the species in the genus Glossina, which are generally placed in their own family, Glossinidae.
Tsetse have been extensively studied because they are biological vectors of the African trypanosomiases, deadly diseases which include sleeping sickness in people and nagana in cattle.
Tsetse are crudely similar to, other large flies, such as the housefly, but can be distinguished by four characteristics of their anatomy, two of which are easy to observe. Tsetse fold their wings completely when they are resting so that one wing rests directly on top of the other over their abdomen. Tsetse also have a long proboscis which extends directly forward and is attached by a distinct bulb to the bottom of their head.
Tsetse have existed in the modern morphological form for at least 34 million years since fossil tsetse have been recovered from the Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado.
BioVision Projects in Ethiopia
Ethiopia has been a focus country of BioVision since 2001. These projects have as their goal the widespread use of ecological methods for health promotion as well as for sustainable agriculture and land use.
BioVision works with local partner organisations and the regional office of icipe in Addis Ababa. In project partnership with Helvetas, BioVision also supports the combined program for combating sleeping sickness in East Africa.
Tsetse Rollback Initiative
In Ethiopia (Guraghe, Oromya und Benishangul Gumuz) BioVision supports implemented projects to organically combat the tsetse fly, transmitter of deadly sleeping sickness to cattle (Nagana) and humans.
Within the framework of icipe and BioVisions 'Tsetse Rollback Initiative East Africa', the tsetse fly population is decimated through the use of colour and scent traps thereby stemming the spread of the parasites (Trypanosomes).
Thanks to this method of insect control, more cows and ploughing oxen survive, which results in a marked increase in agricultural production. Milk production is also greatly increased.
BioVision has developed model projects of tsetse control together with village communities and in co-operation with national and regional instutions. The effectiveness of the tsetse traps is demonstrated and documented extensively. The data on quantity and species of the trapped insects is scientifically analysed in close co-operation with icipe. Now further regions should be sensitised to these efficient and cost-effective methods and people trained in their application.
In order to advance the dissemination of organic agricultural methods and combine them with successful natural methods in the fight against sleeping sickness and malaria, BioVision has initiated, and continues to support the Biofarm Consortium Network in East Africa.
Habitat Restaurant - Biofarm ll Marketplace
Vegetable shop and restaurant as a source of income for women from the slums
The women's co-operative 'Yeka Kifle Ketema Women Group' cultivates a large vegetable garden in the slums of Addis Ababa (see Project BV 5210-01). BioVision supports the women's co-operative in building a simple restaurant with an attached vegetable garden. In the restaurant, guests are treated to the Ethiopian national dish, consisting of Injeera (Ethiopian flatbread) garnished with meat and vegetables. With this additional economic element a sustainable income is created for around 200 women.
Organic Farming Guraghe
Organic Farming Guraghe - Courses in organic farming and school garden in Guraghe, Ethiopia
BioVision supports the co-operation and use of synergies from the regional office of icipe in Ethiopia and from the local organisation BioEconomy Association (BEA). BioVision also finances courses in organic garden farming (school and home gardens) for small farmers. An intial pilot project was launched in Luke (Guraghe, Ethiopia). In this way the current 'BioVision Tsetse-Rollback Initiative East Africa' in Luke was complemented with an organic farming element. The very successful tsetse-Project serves as a so-called 'door-opener' for the introduction of dung and compost management, organic agricultural methods as well as improvement of school education. The subsequent projects will be operated by BEA Ethiopia.
In order to advance the dissemination of organic agricultural methods and combine them with successful natural methods in the fight against sleeping sickness and malaria, BioVision has initiated, and continues to support the Biofarm Consortium Network in East Africa.
Sebeta Biofarm for the Blind
Sustainable Income Generation for the Blind/Disabled through an integrated Bio-Farming Approach.
The BioVision's partner organisation BioEconomy Association (BEA) has already provided training on integrated bio-farming technologies for some of the 'Development Organization for Disabled Persons' (DOPD) members in 2004. The training helped the organization to start a dairy farm, horticulture and nursery on a small scale as a source of income.
In view of the encouraging results from the first few training-sessions, the DOPD requested land for expansion and they were given a piece of land from 'Sebeta Special School for the Blind' to expand their agricultural activities as a source of sustainable income, nutritious food and to protect the environment. The project site is located at Sebeta, 30 km from the capital city of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa and covers an area of 1-2 hectares.
BioVision supports BEA in cooperation with the DOPD to enable 100 disabled people (a third being women) to become agriculturally and economically more productive in a sustainable way. In a first step, BEA provides bio-farming trainings and small material inputs. Eventually the DOPD farm shall serve as a training and exposure site for neighbouring as well as regional farmers with disabilities.
Sleeping Sickness
Sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease of people and animals, caused by protozoa of species Trypanosoma brucei and transmitted by the tsetse fly."Sleeping sickness," Medline Plus, retrieved May 28, 2008. The disease is endemic in certain regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, covering about 36 countries and 60 million people. It is estimated that 50,000 to 70,000 people are currently infected, the number having declined somewhat in recent years. Three major epidemics have occurred in recent history, one lasting from 1896?1906 and the other two in 1920 and 1970. In 2008 there was an epidemic in Uganda."Uganda: Sleeping Sickness Reaching Alarming Levels," New Vision, May 11, 2008.
BioVision Projects in Tanzania
Tanzania is a central country in Swiss development co-operation which receives support from numerous bi- and multi-national donors as well as from Non-Government Organisations.
Since 1996 BioVision has concentrated its work in Tanzania on preservation of biodiversity and conservative use of natural resources.
To fulfil this aim BioVision co-operates with the Eastern Arc Mountains Conservation Endowment Fund EAMCEF.
Eastern Arc Conservation
The 'Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya' (EACF) belong to the 25 global biodiversity hotspots recognised by Conservation International. The greatest threat to these ecosystems is from commercial vegetable cultivation. This results in destruction of natural resources as well as overused and leached land caused by pesticides and fertilizers.
To protect the biodiversity of these ecosystems whilst meeting the work and income needs of the people, appropriate alternative methods of vegetable production are imparted in this project. The focus point is that of tomato production. To sensitise the population to the relationship between ecology, biodiversity, agriculture and income, training manuals and accessible information materials are developed.
Medicinal Plant Products
Protection of biodiversity in mountain and coastal forests through generation of new sources of income.
The forests of the Usambara Mountainsare a last retreat for many endangered species of plants and animals in Tanzania. They are home to over 3500 bird species and medicinal plants scarcely researched. Clearing and felling threatens the ancient rainforest and its unique biodiversity.
Growing overuse of the forests is lessened through the creation of new sources of income for the local population. BioVision supports the initiative of the international insect research institute icipe that generates income independent of the forest and sensitises the local population to the economic and ecological value of the forest.
Farming families that live around the Usmabara Mountains grow healing and aromatic plants in plant beds on their farms. Plant extracts are used by ICIPE and partners to create, among others, 'Naturub', a balm for colds, joint pain and insect bites. BioVision supports the use of distillation facilities for further processing the raw plant material.
Malaria - An Illness that Kills ... and could be eliminated easily
Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. Each year, there are approximately 515 million cases of malaria, killing between one and three million people, the majority of whom are young children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria is commonly associated with poverty, but is also a cause of poverty and a major hindrance to economic development.
Malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases and an enormous public health problem. The disease is caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Only four types of the plasmodium parasite can infect humans; the most serious forms of the disease are caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, but other related species (Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium malariae) can also affect humans. This group of human-pathogenic Plasmodium species is usually referred to as malaria parasites.
Malaria parasites are transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasites multiply within red blood cells, causing symptoms that include symptoms of anemia (light headedness, shortness of breath, tachycardia etc.), as well as other general symptoms such as fever, chills, nausea, flu-like illness, and in severe cases, coma and death. Malaria transmission can be reduced by preventing mosquito bites with mosquito nets and insect repellents, or by mosquito control measures such as spraying insecticides inside houses and draining standing water where mosquitoes lay their eggs.
Although some are under development, no vaccine is currently available for malaria; preventative drugs must be taken continuously to reduce the risk of infection. These prophylactic drug treatments are often too expensive for most people living in endemic areas. Most adults from endemic areas have a degree of long-term infection, which tends to recur and also possess partial immunity (resistance); the resistance reduces with time and such adults may become susceptible to severe malaria if they have spent a significant amount of time in non-endemic areas. They are strongly recommended to take full precautions if they return to an endemic area. Malaria infections are treated through the use of antimalarial drugs, such as quinine or artemisinin derivatives, although drug resistance is increasingly common.
