Bags full of hope for tanzania
The snow-covered Kilimanjaro, herds of elephants in national parks or impressive savannah landscapes – these are the pictures many people think of when they hear the name Tanzania. But the African country also has another side that tourists rarely get to see. In many rural areas people are suffering from malnutrition – there is a lack of vitamins and trace elements, the infant mortality rate is high. Since 2015, nutritionist Dr. Constance Rybak and her team have been developing solutions that could be exemplary for large parts of Africa. The first signs of success are already visible.
Amphibian theatre
For two years, ZALF researchers observed amphibians in a habitat in which one would usually not expect them: in the field. The results show that intensively used agricultural landscapes are also important habitats for the animals. However, the more intensive the work on the fields, the more frequently agriculture and nature come into conflict. The increasing use of glyphosate seems to exacerbate the situation. However, the ZALF team shows that there are ways to better protect amphibians.
The eyes of the landscape
Kettle holes are usually identified in the field by their vegetation, which clearly stands out from the surrounding area. There are more than 150,000 of these small water bodies in north-eastern Germany alone. Researchers at ZALF are investigating these biotopes, not least because they tell us a lot about the state of the landscape.
Plants at the limit
The summer of 2018 was exceptional. People sweated at record temperatures, forests burned, agricultural harvests withered and there was no fodder for cattle. Climate anomalies like these could become more frequent in the future. An international team led by the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) is investigating the precise effects of heat and drought and providing information on how agriculture needs to adapt.
Interview with Michael Stübgen
Helping Communities to help themselves: Offering young people a perspective – that is the key.
