Vetiver Grass Technology for Small Tropical Islands.

 

Currently there are a number of initiatives using various vetiver applications, especially for soil conservation, pollution control, and slope stabilization. Most are funded locally and by small UNDP and other regional grants. A lot can be done with a little money and by folks whom are committed to working with local and mostly poor communities. Here is a video that June Slinger, CEO of Eco Strategies Grenada, sent me about a vetiver program in Grenada, Caribbean. -- https://vimeo.com/589975013 that she is responsible for. Well produced (18 minute)

 

On the other side of the world a Vetiver pilot program is launched and funded for Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The attached (39 minutes) video is a recording of the project launch meeting held early this week by Zoom. It includes a useful presentation by Robinson Vanoh who is the Vetiver Coordinator for the South Pacific Islands. Robinson is a committed and experienced in Vetiver. He lives in Papua New Guinea , and is an Assistant Director of TVNI. He will also be the external advisor to the program. Paul Oana, CEO of Pacific Exchange (a local NGO) is project manager. We wish them and the participants good luck

https://youtu.be/hO9wcrMrbXY

 

Both of these programs are short term pilot/start up vetiver projects that are small enough to be funded through regional and local aid offices. If successful they should be able to attract funds for scale up operations and projects.

 

Haiti -- Vetiver Latrine update by Roger Gietzen

In 2016 while doing community development work in a rural farming region in Haiti, I became aware of the serious sanitation problem.  Open defecation is the norm and diseases such as Cholera are active.  The locals suggested building a single community latrine for them, but I soon learned that wouldn’t work.  The traditional latrines are made from cement block which is not easily transported to a region like this, where there is no road access.  I learned from other organizations, that even if I could build one, it was not a real solution.  The “community latrine” is too far from most homes to actually get used regularly.  Plus since it is not owned by anyone, it is also not cared for by anyone.  In fact, in many communities the cement structure is so far superior to normal buildings that it is repurposed as a storage depot.

The real solution is to build household latrines.  But as a small nonprofit that is focused on regenerative agro-forestry, Global Freedom Project was not able to build a standard cement latrine for all of the families here, which the materials alone cost at least $250.  Luckily I discovered the work of Owen Lee, who a few years before me had encountered the same problem in Haiti and solved it by building the vetiver latrine.  After some back forth communication with him, I was able to get the idea of how to make this ultra inexpensive biological pit latrine myself.  The cost for materials alone, can be as low as $25!  If you want a detailed guidebook that explains how the latrine works and how to make your own, go this link and you’ll find it translated in multiple languages:  https://www.global-freedom-project.org/resources/.

Over the course of 3 years I was able to train a team of skilled workers how to install these simple, yet effective “toilets” as they are called in Haiti.  We set a goal of making about 300 and succeeded.  Midway through this project, I reported an update here:  https://vetivernetinternational.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-vetiver-latrine.html, where I discuss some of the modifications the people made, so that the latrine was more acceptable.  I also talked about the biggest challenge I faced, which was a lack of recognition of the importance of the vetiver grass.  Some families pulled the grass slips out and planted ornamental plants.  Others removed them and build a privacy shelter.  In other cases, the kids trampled the grass beyond recognition.  In all cases, the biggest problem was that the families were unaware that this was potentially a major problem.

Vetiver grass serves multiple important purposes.  The roots stabilize the pit walls, so no concrete blocks are needed.  The roots also digest the waste and as leachate passes through them, it is cleaned.  The grass hedgerow that matures in the first year, makes a thick privacy wall that really does keep prying eyes away.  To help convey these important messages, I created an infographic in Haitian Creole that the installation team could use to educate families before they built the latrine.  That simple action solved the problem.  When families realized their latrine pit risked collapse without vetiver, they took efforts to protect it.

I have considered reviving this project, but have hesitated due to the lack of a clear goal for the next step.  Even with the first project there was supposed to be a defined community of about 300 families, but as we reached that predetermined number, I realized there was always another neighbor next door.  I felt that although the recipients loved their toilets, they didn’t appreciate the amount of efforts needed to make this a reality for them.  I wasn’t sure how to make this project more sustainable and ensure the recipients participated more.  Recently I got inspiration from another project that specializes in household water filters.  They have found that charging a small fee (the equivalent of about $5 USD) for their $100 filters, substantially improved how well the family cared for that item.  The chances that the filter, once paid for, was still operating years later were much higher.  I believe this would be true for the vetiver latrine as well.

Another change I am considering, is devising an elevated a precast cement toilet seat, which could be attached to the slab that covers the pit.  That was the most common modification made by families during the first project.  Some elderly people are not able to use the toilets without them because of bad knees.  The combination of paying a small amount for the latrine and adding an elevated seat would likely increase the longevity and popularity of the vetiver latrine. 

It is my wish that someday the people of these communities become more empowered and rise above their current challenges.  Maybe in this lifetime they can have access to running water at their homes and have flush toilets, in which case the vetiver latrine will become obsolete solution.  But in the meantime, it’s important to have an immediately available solution.  Diarrheal illnesses are active and the basics such as clean water, sanitation and healthy nutrition are the foundation for which further progress can be built on.  I am happy to have discovered an answer to at least one of these problems and hope that it becomes a more widely used form of sanitation in Haiti and elsewhere.

We constructed 365 "vetiver toilets" and had only two failures. The failures were due to the pits filling up with water before completion, before the vetiver had been planted and the concrete tops put in place.

Roger Gietzen January 2021

 

THE VETIVER LATRINE

THE VETIVER LATRINE from Roger Gietzen (see: http://www.healthy-mind-body.com/humanitarian/vetiver_latrine.html for details of vetiver latrine design and its construction)

"It's now been three years since I started installing vetiver latrines in Haiti.  For all those who helped me with that project, I want to thank you again.  You know who you are.  Here is an update on my progress: 

175 latrines have been installed in the two communities I serve.  They are providing sanitation where there was absolutely none.  The people are happy and likely healthier.  There was not a case of cholera this last year, whereas in the previous years there was always 1-2 during the rainy season. But these numbers are too small to draw conclusions from.

China Central Government Encourages to Control Rice Stem Borer with Vetiver.

The website of China Central Government issued the following statement by Mr. Xu Sunda, the Xinhua News Agency on 7 April 2019 in Hangzhou.

"The Zhejiang Provincial Plant Protection and Quarantine Station issued official document titled "Complete Green Protection Technology of rice Insect - rice striped stem borer - Chilo suppressalis." It provided farmers with Complete Green Protection Technology, including agricultural protection, ecological regulation, biological control, physical and chemical control.

It suggests that rice should be planted in large areas, instead of in small pieces of field with different rice vareities as Bridge Field, and it recommends farmers to plant vetiver grass along border roads and field bunds. The vetiver clumps should be planted spacing 3-5m in order to effectively attract female adults to lay eggs in vetiver plants to reduce their eggs in rice.

Rice striped stem borer (Chilo suppressalis Walker) is one of the most important insect pests of rice in China, and its damage commonly led to significant yield loss. The resistance to insecticides became higher and higher in recent years, because of long term and incorrect use of insecticides. The pest seems hardly to controlable by insecticides. In the area where single-harvested rice is intercropped with double-harvested rice (a year), the damage by stem borer is more serious, So farmers started to plant more one-harvested rice, which seriously influenced food security.

To solve this problem, the crop protection institutions paid attention to control rice stem borer comprehensively, through improving strategies of pest management and technology extension. They promote "Green Plant Protection" and have got outstanding results. According to statistics the injury degree of stem borer has reduced in Zhejiang Province in 2018. Compared with that in 2017, the injury rice area and the loss of rice yield caused by stem borer decreased by 14.98% and 15.61% respectively in 2018.

Since 2007, directed by Prof. Lv Zhongxian of Zhejiang Academy of Agriculture Sciences, systematic and comprehensive researches have been done on stem borer control by planting vetiver, which concerned almost all important aspects and received great achievements."

More details of the research is at: http://www.vetiver.org/CHN_JIA-2019%20Vetiver-Lu%20YH-.pdf

Effluent crisis in densely populated countries – one possible solution – Vetiver System

Vetiver constructed wetland still working
after 12 years

Each time I open up Google Earth and look at various locations in India I see densely populated rural and urban centers, and know that many of them have no formal waste disposal systems, and are unlikely to have such facilities in the foreseeable future. In the mean time the problem multiplies as the population continues to grow.  The options are: (1) do nothing - not acceptable (2) wait for government to do something - slow and huge funding constraints (3) look for solutions that may not be perfect but will at least move towards some mitigation of the problem, (4) find solutions that depend heavily on community involvement. and supporting voluntary organizations. The problems if not at crisis level now, will be a crisis in the foreseeable future - that means soon – it also means that options 3 and 4 have to be given serious consideration.

The Vetiver System supports Community Resilience at a time of uncertainty - Part 2 - Water

Figure 1: water oozing from spring line (PC- Anno Farms)

This is the second article about using the Vetiver System to help build community resilience in these uncertain times when many communities can expect little support from government or others to deal with increasing problems created by climate change, continuing poverty, and very limited financial resources. 

As noted in Part 1 most rural people in the tropics and semi arid areas are poor, and, even when out of poverty, most are unable to manage the environmental crises that currently, and in the future, will confront them. Most communities worry about being able to make a decent living from their small farms or businesses, they worry about the quality and availability of their water supply, they worry about potential disasters that may isolate them from neighboring communities and services, they worry about educating their children, and they see continuing and unabated health challenges often linked to environmental and social mismanagement.  These concerns are magnified because most communities lack access to low cost technologies that might help them overcome some of their problems. The Vetiver System (VS) is one of a number of technologies that can help them. VS is low cost, relatively simple to understand, safe, and over the past 30 years is well proven.

The Vetiver Grass Technology, (VGT) used for decades by farmers in south India as a tool for soil conservation, was reintroduced and "institutionalized" by John Greenfield of New Zealand whilst he was working for the World Bank in India in the 1980s.  At that time the objective was to establish VGT as a more appropriate erosion control technology than the traditional engineered contour bunds. Later VGT formed the basis of a number of other applications that collectively are known as the Vetiver System (VS), these will be reviewed in future posts to this blog.

This article discusses the application of VGT for sustained and improved water supplies that meet community needs. The availability of water and its quality has become of prime importance to sustaining human and animal life on our planet. This is of primary importance to many poor communities, both in urban and rural areas. A more reliable supply will reduce risks and costs, and for farmers assure crop and livestock benefits. VGT hedgerows as noted in part 1 will increase soil moisture and will enhance groundwater. Hedgerows reduce rainfall runoff by as much as 70%, and provide, by some estimates, 20% recharge of ground water.  Reduced runoff and recharge results in better down catchment flows, stronger spring flows, sustainable well water supplies, and fuller surface reservoirs. 

VETIVER SYSTEM - BUILDING COMMUNITY RESILIENCE - Managing Polluted Water

Some of the 100 volunteers

A major TVNI objective is to give, through VS, the ability for communities to build resilience to climate change and associated problems created by unregulated third party activities - as in this case the disposal of toxic organic chemicals that pollute community drinking water sources.  There is always a high tech solution available, but most of the time the latter are too costly and out of reach of the majority of communities.  In an earlier blog I wrote about VS latrines that are providing relief to rural folks in Haiti and the positive social health related benefits. This blog focuses on the potential application of VS to clean up illegally dumped phenols that have polluted community groundwater sources in Thailand and are of great health concern.  

Vetiver protects latrines and provides privacy hedge in Haiti

Millions of dollars are being spent on improving public sanitation.  Most is expensive and will only reach just a few communities - those living in rural areas get little or no help. Even in most cities in the developing world many of the poor are without any sanitation. Very low cost solutions are needed.

Indonesian environmental volunteers embrace the Vetiver System

President Jokowi's Head Advisor,
 Ret.Gen. Hendropriyono and Irma Hutabarat

Vetiver System has been used in Indonesia for at least 20 years, and in particular the East Bali Poverty Project used VS for a number of effective applications.  Other groups and companies have used VS applications ranging from soil conservation to waste water treatment.  Now there are some new players who could have a significant impact on the widespread promotion of VS.  President Jokowi is a keen environmentalist and intends to do something about the deteriorating environment.

Vetiver System - A Solution for Urban Waste Water Treatment

In most cities, towns, and villages in developing countries there is no connection to a public sewage/waste water treatment.  Where there is a connection the effluent is often discharged without treatment to near by rivers. Where there is no sewage system some properties may have septic tanks, and the majority of these leak and mis-function.  The result is that water tables, water bodies, and the local environment are polluted with consequential increases in foul smelling air, undrinkable water, and increased water borne diseases.  One such an example, described in a World Bank report on Indonesia describes the city of Palembang, South Sumatra, with a population of over a million having no direct sewage connections, and 70% of the households having septic tanks, of which 30% mis-function.

Correcting this situation with conventional costly technologies for Palembang, and tens of thousands of other urban centers in the tropics will be prohibitive and will take decades. It is essential to start installing low cost, flexible, and sustainable remedies, that might not be perfect, but are able to reduce the problems significantly.