Faces and stories MORE FUN IN THE CLASSROOM FARID EL-HOUZIA After living in Germany for 20 years, Farid El-Houzia returned to his native Morocco. With assistance from the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM), he founded a start-up where he uses robots and digital tools to get children excited about learning through play. You can find this and other ‘Faces and Stories’ online at www.giz.de/stories Scan the code with your smartphone to watch the video.

RE P OR T Women’s harvest A visit to northern Mali p. 18 OVE R VIE W Smart solutions Rethinking agriculture p. 22 GUE S T A R T ICL E Food waste vs. hunger By Jessica von Blazekovic p. 23 E S S AY Fix the system! By Jemimah Njuki p. 24 INF OGR A P HIC Hunger – no end in sight Food and nutrition in figures p. 30 IN T E R VIE W ‘Not enough food and not healthy enough’ With Agnes Kalibata p. 32 B ACKGROUND The bigger picture By Albert Engel p. 34 E X A MP L E S OF GIZ ’ S WORK Many paths, one goal A selection of GIZ’s projects p. 35 IN FOCUS: FOOD AND NU T RITION Served up A world without hunger. Is it a distant dream? In spite of all efforts, millions of people still do not have enough to eat. How can we change this? L A I R O T I D E 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 . ) T H G I R , 4 P ( R E U A N U R B M NE WS What’s happening in the world News, projects, facts and figures from around the globe p. 6 REP OR T A prickly solution How Namibia is controlling bush encroachment and creating jobs. p. 10 . I T , ) T F E L , 4 P ( H C S Z T N E R N A I L U J : N O I T A R T S U L L I , ) P O T , 4 P ( F I A L / R E G E A J E T L A M : . 4 akzente 1/21 S O T O H P

News IN FIGURES > 91 hours This is how long the EU summit in Brus- sels lasted, from 17 to 21 July 2020 – making it the second-longest in history after the 2000 summit in Nice. The issues were complex, ranging from a recovery fund to deal with the consequences of the pandemic to an agreement on the new Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). 40 million The number of words that the EU Coun- cil Presidency Translator, a machine translation tool, has already translated into 24 languages. It translates to and from all EU languages, and is publicly available to anyone interested in using it. The translation system was specially developed for the German EU Council Presidency and is based on artificial intelligence. 1.8 trillion The volume, in euros, of the historic fi- nancial package assembled during the German EU Council Presidency: agree- ment was reached on the EU’s financial framework for the next seven years and a recovery fund to tackle the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, the EU funds are protected by a new rule-of-law mechanism. Using knowledge REPORT GIZ presented its evaluation report in Berlin. The report assesses 215 project evaluations, and the outcome is positive: evaluations are now of a better quality and are more comparable. Systematic auditing of effectiveness is an important part of GIZ’s work. Managing Director Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven put it like this: ‘Our aim is always to be transparent, develop our instru- ments and improve our services in the long term. We want to know what works and to learn as an institution.’ Source for all figures: bundesregierung.de https://www.giz.de/en/aboutgiz/516.html 6 akzente 1/21

News Sustainable fishing AGREEMENT Good news for the Ohrid trout: in future, fisheries in Lakes Ohrid and Prespa will have to comply with sustainable principles. In early December 2020, the governments of Albania and North Macedo- nia signed an agreement ensuring sustain- able management of fish resources in these bodies of water, which straddle national boundaries. The two lakes are among the oldest in the world, and are of enormous ecological value. Biodiversity there is greater than almost anywhere else in Europe, and includes endemic species, such as the Ohrid trout and the Prespa barbel. Fishing is im- portant in providing a livelihood for local residents around the lakes. Fish stocks have recently declined, reducing the fishers’ in- comes. Working with the Institute of Inland Fisheries in Potsdam-Sacrow, GIZ support- ed the partners during the negotiations on the agreement. GIZ is implementing a re- gional project on the conservation and sus- tainable use of biodiversity there, on behalf of BMZ. The negotiating partners agreed to coordinate their sustainable management measures in both lakes in future, and to co- operate with each other more closely in the context of the efforts both countries are making to join the EU. To work towards this they set up a new joint body, the Joint Fish- ery Commission for Lakes Ohrid and Prespa. What causes hunger IN COMPARISON In 2019, 135 million people around the world were affected by acute food and nutrition insecurity – the most extreme form of hunger. The main causes were conflict, extreme weather events and economic crises, in that order. 24 million Economic crises 77 million 34 million Conflict Extreme weather events Snacks ‘made in Nigeria’ INNOVATION Pacific Ring West Africa (PRWA), a company in Nigeria, had an idea for a new tasty treat: Cassanovas, chips made from cassava, which they hope will conquer the world market. The cassava for the chips is grown in the local region. Since the end of 2019, GIZ has been supporting the involvement of local farmers in the product’s value chain as part of a development part- nership between the Nigerian company and develoPPP.de. The chips are now being exported to Europe, and are part of the product range of the Edeka re- tail chain, among others. The smallhold- ers participating in the scheme receive training in good agricultural practice and entrepreneurial skills at a Green Inno- vation Centre financed by BMZ. Setting up cassava chip production has created 300 jobs, mainly for women. Further- more, 1,500 smallholders are generat- ing higher yields and earning a stable income. To date the company has come through the coronavirus crisis well and has been able to make up for short- falls caused by temporary disruption to its supply chains. ’ s e s i r C d o o F n o t r o p e R l a b o l G 0 2 0 2 ‘ , k r o w t e N n o i t a m r o f n I y t i r u c e S d o o F : e c r u o S 8 akzente 1/21

A PRICKLY SOLUTION The bush is spreading in the expanses of Namibia. Farmers are facing up to the challenge and are harvesting the biomass. This creates jobs and secures the survival of small-scale farms. A visit to the north east of the country reveals how thorny twigs are turned into animal feed. TEXT LEONIE MARCH PHOTOS TIM BRUNAUER

Report W ‘When I was your age there were none of these bushes around here,’ Chief Ruben Uazukuani says to his twelve- year-old son Rusuvero as he opens the gate to the pen. His cows are already waiting. They walk off into the bush landscape and are soon out of sight. ‘You used to be able to look out over the savanna from here and you would see grass growing everywhere,’ explains the small- holder. Now his cattle struggle to search for food, as the bushes, some of which grow to the size of trees, have re- placed the grass. In quite a few places the growth is actu- ally so dense and thorny that the cows cannot get through at all, or not without injuring themselves. Ruben Uazukuani chops off the bush wood just above the rootstock. It is then crushed in a hammer mill. Harvesting and processing is labour-intensive work, so he employs people to help. The project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Experts call this bush encroachment, a problem that affects many regions of Namibia. The bush has now expanded to cover as much as 45 million hectares of land. That is roughly the area of Ger- many and Austria combined. And the problem is growing: by around three per cent a year. The main reason is decades of overgrazing, ex- plains GIZ staff member Johannes Laufs: ‘The whole process is ac- celerated by climate change, because with high levels of CO2 in the atmosphere the bush grows better than grass.’ The consequences for agriculture are devastating. With support from the Bush Control and Biomass Utilisation project, which is managed by Laufs, Na- mibia is responding to changes to its climate and is trying to boost its resilience. This is a matter of urgency, as bush encroachment has been accompanied by serious droughts in recent years. ‘Many small- holders from our region lost their livestock and were forced to move to the cities,’ Uazukuani recounts. He himself has been working in the capital Windhoek for a number of years now. It is only at week- ends that he makes the approximately four-hour journey to Okamat- apati, where his family farms several thousand hectares of land that he has rented from the state. 12 akzente 1/21

‘Our aim is to restore the balance of the ecosystem.’ PROGRESS KASHANDULA, General Manager of the De-bushing Advisory Service (DAS) in Namibia Read the full interview at akzente.giz.de/en ingredients such as molasses, salt, urea or phosphate to provide the livestock with proteins and minerals at the same time. As well as the basic formulation, there are other special mixtures, for pregnant fe- males, for example. Dresselhaus has documented everything in pre- cise detail. He is pleased that his livestock put on weight faster, so can then be sold all the sooner. That saves costs. Moreover, he was able to create additional jobs for people harvesting and processing the bushes. During the drought he was nearly overwhelmed by enquiries, with demand for surplus bush feed from his production extremely high at the time. The various farmers involved now swap tales of their experienc- es, and have also persuaded those who were initially sceptical, such as Ruben Uazukuani. To begin with he could not believe that his cat- tle would ‘eat twigs’. But he was soon convinced. ‘This scheme kept my herd alive. Without the bush feed they would not have survived the last drought,’ stresses Uazukuani, as he returns to his small farm after harvesting the bush. Between the small buildings, opposite the cooking stove where the women are preparing the midday meal, lies the mixed feed which he had already spread out in the sun on plastic sheeting the previous day. What’s good for the bull is good for the farmer The pure shredded bush can be stored for some time, he explains, but the finished mixture has to be fed to the animals quite quickly. He fills a bucket and carries it to a trough. A young bull comes trot- ting up straight away and tucks into the feed. It is clear that it tastes 14 akzente 1/21

IN FOCUS FOOD AND NUTRITION A world without hunger. Is it a distant dream? In spite of all efforts, millions of people still do not have enough to eat. How can we change this?

In focus: Food and nutrition Aissata Mahamane (top) with her grandchildren in a vegetable field, Zainabou Cissé harvesting rice (centre, in the red and black dress) and Fadimata Moulaye surrounded by her animals 18 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition up and the seedlings are transplanted after only eight days. They are planted in well- dug soil, individually, widely spaced and in a grid pattern. Although this involves more work, it means that the plants then no longer compete for nutrients as they did when several were planted together. SRI also uses less water than conventional rice-grow- ing methods because the plants are irrigated in a much more targeted manner. Thanks to the introduction of this method to Mali, Zainabou Cissé has seen her harvests almost double, she reports jubilantly. Local crops mean greater security This not only boosts the household budget – it also enhances safety and security. When enough rice can be grown locally, there is less need to undertake the hazardous shop- ping trip to neighbouring towns or even Timbuktu. The risk of being attacked by bandits is high, particularly on long-dis- tance roads. They set up roadblocks, threat- en travellers and force them to hand over their money. ‘Every trip is terrifying,’ admits Cissé. But she is not going to let that get the better of her, even if insecurity has been the dominant issue in the region for years now. ‘We can’t give up. We must find a way to live with it,’ she says. In northern Mali, sections of the Tua- reg population rebelled against the state at the start of 2012. A military coup followed, and the north of the country was occupied by two terrorist groups. In spite of interna- tional military missions and the 2015 peace agreement, the region remains unstable. An- other coup followed in August 2020. Aissata Mahamane, who also lives in Alafia, does not care to look back either. ‘They were hard times,’ she says brusquely when asked about the 2012/2013 crisis. ‘Women were often raped and we were afraid to work in the fields.’ That has now changed for the better, says the 60-year-old. The re- gion is no longer controlled by terrorists who resort to violence to impose ‘their rules’. In retrospect, Aissata Mahamane can only shake her head – also about the way they used to farm. ‘Back then, we only grew onions and tobacco.’ Like the other women in her cooperative, she gave little thought to a balanced diet. That changed in 2019, when a training session about growing a variety of nutritious vegetables gave them new ideas. Mahamane, who has five grown-up children and also looks after her seven grandchildren, has since completely overhauled her own kitchen garden. ‘Now I grow potatoes, cab- bage, pumpkins, tomatoes, aubergines, on- ions and lettuce,’ she explains. Some of the vegetables were new to her. The training course also gave her the opportunity to try out new recipes. She likes cooking potatoes and pumpkins best. ‘Pumpkins are very nu- tritious, so they are good for malnourished children,’ she explains. The vegetables are not only for her own family though. Her harvests are now so good that she can sell some of her produce. Customers come to her kitchen garden di- rectly. She also supplies two markets. The extra income is welcome as she funds her grandchildren’s education. She pays the equivalent of almost EUR 23 per child Left: Aissata Mahamane with other women from her cooperative. Since attending training, they have been growing particularly nutritious vegetables. Top: Fadimata Moulaye gives her grandchildren milk from her goats every day. 20 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition hire companies to work out how and when the machines can be used most efficiently and least expensively. During a pilot phase, the app saved farmers up to 10 per cent of their costs for the rice harvest. It also reduced post-harvest losses, which in Asia are estimated to be in the region of USD 3 billion per year, by two per cent. — Smart solutions Four examples of how information and communications technology is improving agriculture in de- veloping countries and emerging economies. Information in every drop MEXICO One of the main criticisms levelled at fish farms is that they damage water quality through the excessive use of fertiliser. Thanks to a smart new solution developed by a group of young entrepreneurs from Mexico, however, aquaculture busi- nesses can now maintain their farms in tip-top condition. Their system monitors water quality continuously and records the data in real time, including pH levels, temperature, oxygen content and up to 14 other indicators. If the readings point to any deterioration in water quality, farmers can then take prompt action and prevent the spread of bacteria. Aqua- culture operators have permanent access to their data through the app and an online platform. The system automatically generates a warning message if the maximum permitted values are exceeded. — Digital harvesting assistant ASIA Farmers usually club together to hire the expensive machines they need to harvest rice rather than purchasing their own. EasyHarvest is a new online app that can help them match up when they need a machine and when that machine is available to hire. The app, which can be used on a smartphone or computer, allows farmers and equipment Fair distribution NIGERIA In 2012, the Nigerian Govern- ment introduced an electronic voucher system for smallholders in response to frequent cases of attempted fraud. Digital vouchers are now sent to farmers by mobile phone and can be used to buy fertiliser and seed. The new system ensures that everyone receives the correct subsidised products. It is used by around 20 million people, roughly 90 per cent of the target group. According to one study, the e-vouchers have helped to boost the maize harvest, and consequent- ly farmers’ incomes, by over a quarter. — Sharing knowledge by radio ETHIOPIA Lysine and tryptophan deficiency is a common problem among people with maize as a staple ingredient in their diet, and one which affects women and children especially. Quality Protein Maize (QPM) is a hybrid that contains particularly high levels of these amino acids in order to prevent deficiency. In Ethiopia, a special radio series was created to inform people about the bene- fits of growing and eating QPM. Four local stations broadcast 320 episodes of an information programme in four of the country’s key maize-growing areas, delivering valuable knowledge straight into the homes of 66 per cent of smallholders. Interest in visits to test sites increased as a result. — 22 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition 24 akzente 1/21

‘Ironically, those who produce our food are among the hungriest.’ Ironically, those who produce our food are among the hungriest. There are 500 million smallholder farms worldwide. They produce about 80 per cent of the food consumed in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa; women com- prise 43 per cent of the agricultural labour force on these farms. Despite their impor- tant contributions, smallholders and farm workers often suffer from malnutrition and have no access to healthy diets. They literally go hungry next to the field. There are also concerns about the grow- ing inequities within the global food system. Smallholder cocoa farmers in Côte d’Ivoire, for instance, are poorer now than they were in the 1970s or 1980s despite the fact that the chocolate industry is worth more than USD 40 billion a year. Smallholder farmers only capture about six per cent of the turn- over of the industry, even though they pro- duce a large proportion of the yields. Harmful to the climate The current food system also adversely af- fects the environment and the climate. As a matter of fact, agriculture generates between 10 and 14 per cent of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Na- tions (FAO) estimates that the social costs of emissions associated with current dietary patterns will exceed a staggering USD 1.7 trillion per year by 2030. But that’s not all: this shattered system has had to cope with the additional burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused shocks to both the supply and the demand side throughout the world. On the supply side, disruption to food and input supplies between and within countries, the closure of markets and shortages of labour are reducing access to food. On the demand side, the loss of jobs and increased domestic care work (like home schooling), particular- ly for women, are reducing peoples’ pur- chasing power. So, we are facing a severe crisis that has been worsened but not caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes it all the more urgent to remedy the situation. But what will help? What really needs to be done to end hunger and other forms of malnutri- tion in the world, while transforming the sys- tem to provide all people with affordable and healthy diets in a sustainable way? Ensure a minimum A report entitled ‘Ceres2030’ shows that changes in agriculture will only work if some basic minimums are ensured: produc- ers need to have at least a minimum level of income and education; they need access to networks and resources such as extension services and robust infrastructure including improved markets and roads. Against this background, it makes more sense to engage in multiple actions rather than single interventions aimed at individu- al objectives. That means, for example, im- proving farmers’ livelihoods by promoting crops that are both in demand and climate- and pest-resistant, while facilitating their ac- cess to markets. In Kenya, for instance, there is increasing demand for sorghum, not least on the part of the brewing industry. Sorghum is higher in nutrients than maize and also climate-resistant. Nonetheless, it is not widely grown in the country. Evidence also shows that membership in farmers’ organisations leads to higher in- come. A comparison of data from 24 coun- tries, mostly in Africa, indicates that mem- 26 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition In the Global South, small and medi­ um­sized enterprises are very common and play a critical role in the food system. Al­ though they have mistakenly been referred to as the ‘missing middle’ in developing countries, they are in fact very much pres­ ent, active and dynamic in the food­produc­ ing industry. And they have an even greater potential: millions of them are needed in transportation or processing, and they can promote inclusion of the rural poor. In Africa and South Asia, midstream activities already represent a substantial por­ tion of the agri­food sector, ranging from 25 per cent of the GDP in countries like Rwan­ da to 60 per cent in middle­income coun­ tries like Egypt and Indonesia. In Africa, up to 64 per cent of domestic food supplies are handled primarily by small and medi­ um­sized enterprises. Additionally, gender and equity matter for the way we feed the world – first as a hu- man rights issue because women deserve the same access to nutrition as men. And sec- ondly, because the system can only be fixed if women’s role in agriculture is strength- ened. If women have equal rights, they can boost production significantly. The future must be just and equitable. Communities, households and individ- ual men and women must be enabled to produce enough food for their own popula- tions using environmentally sound process- es, while also being able to participate in lo- cal, regional and global food trading sys- tems. Trade agreements such as the new Af- rican Continental Free Trade Area agree- ment include a gender objective that recog- nises the full, equal and meaningful partici- pation of women in an integrated continen- tal market. That is very encouraging for the fight against hunger. Equal pay and access to financial services It is critical to guarantee land rights to wom- en and transform finance systems (beyond microcredit) so that that they serve female smallholder farmers, owners of small busi- nesses and other women actors in the food system. For women workers in the food in- dustry, it will require gender standards that include workplace dignity and equal pay (with monitoring and accountability mech- anisms) – whether it be large farms, food factories or the service industry. In the Unit- ed States for instance, women working in food processing made 74 cents to the dollar compared to men in 2019. And the situa- 28 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition Hunger – no end in sight With the goal of zero hunger at risk, could the pandemic also mark a turning point in our approach to global food security and nutrition? Terminology 101 Hunger describes the subjective feeling that people experience after a certain time without food. It is mostly equated with the terms food shortage or chronic calorie deficit (undernourishment). Malnutrition encompasses undernutrition, overnutrition and hidden hunger (a lack of vitamins and minerals). Undernutrition is the result of a lack of food and/or poor health and hygiene conditions that prevent the body from properly absorbing and using the nutrients in food. Overnutrition occurs when the intake of food energy continuously exceeds requirements. Source: GIZ The double burden of malnutrition Overnutrition and undernutrition are both found at every level of society in a third of the world’s poorer countries. Developing countries and emerging economies now account for roughly two thirds of all those who are overweight. Sources: FAO Statistics, BDI Happy without meat The number of vegetarians is growing worldwide. In 2020, India was the global leader in this respect, with vegetarians making up 38 per cent of its total population. Source: Statista A heavy price to pay According to estimates, if we do not take action to change our global food systems, the health costs linked to unhealthy diets could reach USD 1.3 trillion per year worldwide by 2030. Source: SOFI 2020

In focus: Food and nutrition ‘Not enough food and not healthy enough’ Agnes Kalibata is a food and nutrition security specialist and a former Minister of Agriculture in her home country, Rwanda. She currently leads the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa and is the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to the Food Systems Summit that will be held in September. In this interview, she explains why it is essential to look at these systems as a whole. Interview: Friederike Bauer Due to the coronavirus pandemic more people are starving again. What do you foresee for the near future? The UN estimates that an additional 130 million people are going hungry because of the pandemic. That is a nightmare because it adds to a situation that was already grim before the outbreak. COVID­19 happened on top of a pre­existing crisis. It used to be said that the Earth could feed all people if the system was working prop- erly. Does this paradigm still hold true? There is no doubt that the world can pro­ duce enough food for the roughly 7.7 billion people living today. It is a matter of access to, and the quality of, nutrition. Right now our food systems are not delivering, not provid­ ing enough food for everyone. And the food people do get is not healthy enough. Plus, we are stressing the environment. Therefore, we need to transform the whole system and make it more sustainable in various ways. The first UN Food Systems Summit will take place in September. What tangible re- sults are you hoping for? We have set ourselves five objectives: en- sure access to safe and nutritious food for all; shift to sustainable consumption pat- terns; boost nature-positive production; advance equitable livelihoods and build re- silience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stress. But it is just as important for me to get the message out that our food system in its present form is broken. Get the message out to whom exactly? To everyone: those involved in food produc- tion, marketing, distribution and sales just as much as end consumers. Each of us makes a decision three times a day if we are lucky. Shall we eat meat? Shall we eat wa- ter-intensive vegetables from other parts of the world? These are little decisions by themselves but taken together they influ- ence the system. You did not mention waste. How big a problem is that? It is an enormous problem. The food we are wasting is equivalent to one trillion dollars a year. Food waste also contributes eight per cent to harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Just imagine! If we could solve the waste problem, we could feed many more people without creating additional emissions. Talking about emissions, climate change is already under way. What impact will that have on the availability of food? We talk a lot about the pandemic, but deal- ing with climate change is also critical. There will be more droughts and cyclones, which will influence the availability of wa- ter. Agriculture depends heavily on a steady supply of water. The challenges are not the same everywhere, but they have to be tack- led everywhere. Otherwise the food crisis will get worse. 32 akzente 1/21

In focus: Food and nutrition The bigger picture Investing in good nutrition is one way to leverage sustainable development. GIZ’s work in this area is based on establishing networks and finding digital solutions, with a focus on women and young children. By ALBERT ENGEL Food and nutrition security is a human right – and one with far­reaching im­ plications. Ensuring that all children, women and men have a nutritious diet is a crucial step towards sustainable development. By contrast, the consequences of malnutri­ tion are devastating and can lead to those af­ fected falling ill and becoming weak. A coun­ try in which many people cannot work be­ cause of their poor nutritional status cannot realise its full economic and social potential. Food and nutrition security plays a key role in development cooperation and is therefore an important aspect of GIZ’s work. The links between famine relief, tran­ sitional aid and long­term development were clear to us even back in the late 1980s. To initiate the fundamental changes re­ quired, we need to take a broader view and ask the right questions. Who has access to land and water? Under what conditions are smallholders able to produce their crops and access markets? How much do people know about nutrition and hygiene? What invest­ ments will make the most impact? We learned a great deal from those early and predominantly local development projects. We know that long­term success depends on working at every level – local, regional and national – in our partner countries. Between 1990 and 2014, we made tre­ mendous progress. Worldwide, the number of people suffering from hunger declined. Since then, however, the figures have gone back up. Today, one in every nine people goes to bed hungry. The situation has been exacer- bated over recent years by wars, conflicts and the resulting movements of refugees, by cli- mate change and population growth, and now by the coronavirus pandemic. In 2014, Germany launched a special initiative entitled ONE WORLD – No Hunger in order to strengthen its existing Digital solutions have proven to be invalu- able during the COVID-19 pandemic, al- lowing national and international experts to collaborate on data evaluation projects de- spite restrictions on travel. Digital tools gen- erally make it much easier for us to compile and record information. When it comes to measuring the results of our food security projects, we use internationally recognised indicators. However, we also aim to break new ground, for example with the develop- ment of the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women indicator, which involves asking women what they ate the previous day. If the food they consumed included at least five out of ten defined food groups (e.g. veg- etables, nuts and products of animal origin), it can be assumed that they have a good diet. GIZ was one of the first organisations to use this indicator in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Another important new indicator, large- ly developed by the German humanitarian aid organisation Welthungerhilfe, is the Child Growth Monitor. A mobile app can be used to identify signs of malnutrition. Instead of using scales to weigh a child or a special tape to measure the upper arm circumference, the Child Growth Monitor relies on photographs taken using an everyday smartphone. Al- though the app was developed before the coronavirus pandemic, it is currently proving extremely useful as it allows health care teams to continue monitoring the development of boys and girls while maintaining the required distance to prevent the spread of infection. We continuously adapt our work to the new challenges we face, review our approaches with a critical eye and explore different paths where appropriate, with the ultimate goal of helping more children, women and men to eat healthily as a prerequisite for sustainable development. That is what drives us. — . ) 4 3 P ( H C S Z T N E R N A I L U J : N O I T A R T S U L L I ALBERT ENGEL is Director of GIZ’s Evaluation Unit. He has previously held various positions at GIZ, including Director of the Rural Development and Agriculture Division. albert.engel@giz.de activities around the world. BMZ invests around EUR 1.5 billion in the priority areas of food security and rural development each year. These are areas in which GIZ and its predecessor organisations have spent decades forging a network together with its partners. More recently, our work has focused on pregnant, breastfeeding and young women. Studies show that the first thousand days of a child’s life are crucial to its future develop- ment. Good nutrition in early infancy (and indeed before birth) prevents severe devel- opmental disorders that can lead to a vicious circle of poverty and undernutrition, with consequences that can even affect subse- quent generations. Well-nourished and healthy infants and young children are im- portant to the future prosperity of their so- ciety. In Tajikistan, for example, where one in every five young children is undernour- ished, we are working with the country’s Ministry of Health to ensure that young women learn more about nutrition. This project has involved training health advisors and developing an e-learning tool. 34 akzente 1/21

Report THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD Stray dogs, muddy paths and dangerous crossings are just some of the challenges Ukrainian children face on their way to school. Now those living in the city of Zhytomyr have a safer journey – and the entire community is thinking about mobility. TEXT EUGENIA KUZNETSOVA PHOTOS MARIA VARENIKOVA The sun has just come up, but the day remains grey and gloomy. Fields of wheat rustle in the wind beside the unpaved road, which is overgrown with weeds. Valeria, a 16-year-old schoolgirl, is walking along hand-in- hand with her younger brother Nikita. They take this route to school every day – roughly three kilometres there and three kilometres back. But next year, once Valeria has left school, Nikita will have to make his own way across fields, narrow bridges and busy roads. ‘In winter, it’s already getting dark by the time we set off for home,’ says Valeria. ‘It’s cold, and a bit scary sometimes.’ There are no school buses in this part of Ukraine. Valeria and Nikita live in Veresy, a village in central Ukraine that has now been absorbed into the municipality of Zhytomyr as part of the municipal reform process. Their secondary school is on a busy road on the outskirts of the city. It is one of four local schools taking part in Get to School Sustainably, a project being implement- ed by GIZ as part of the Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI). The German Development Ministry is one of the partners supporting TUMI to boost sustainable urban mobility and mitigate climate change. TUMI ran competitions for a pilot project, and Zhytomyr is one of 20 cities in total around the world that were selected to take part. Once it received the funding, the Ukrainian municipality immedi­ ately set to work on a mobility plan for the selected schools. School principal Olena Kulinitsch says, ‘I think it is important to involve everyone in dialogue. This was the first time we had been invited to a discussion of this kind as partners.’ Schoolchildren and their teach- ers discussed the problems and worked with engineers and local au- thorities to plan improvements. It was a radical change in the usual pattern of communications in Zhytomyr. Those involved worked together to set up local mobility com- mittees and walked to the four pilot schools, which are spread across the city. They were keen to assess for themselves the difficulties chil- dren faced and to use them as the basis for setting the project’s prior- ities. One mobility committee, for example, immediately got the lo- cal animal protection organisation involved to tackle the stray dogs that barked at children on their way to school. It was the first time this issue had ever been highlighted. The project emphasises the importance of seeing safety issues through the eyes of a child. Experts followed the children to find out what worried them most as they made their way to school. And there 38 akzente 1/21

The city’s mobility committees listened to school pupils to identify particularly dangerous spots. Above right: Vitja and his mother on their way to school; cycling alone would be too dangerous. Below: The city now has interactive speed displays. Find out more about the mobility programme in a video on the akzente website: akzente.giz.de/en The project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): were some quite surprising findings: the adults were sometimes un- able to see a problem, but the children showed them how unpleasant or even dangerous it felt to walk or cycle. Guided by the children’s insights, the mobility committees identified dangerous junctions, lo- cated sites where speed bumps could be installed to reduce traffic speed, and categorised the most problematic spots on the school routes. ‘TUMI is encouraging us to develop an overall mobility strategy,’ says Deputy Mayor Svitlana Olshanska. ‘We want a com- prehensive strategy, not just solutions to specific problems.’ Some minor changes were made immediately, such as making crossings safer and removing obstructive trees. Other measures will take longer, though – and will require investment. ‘Cycle paths would be cool.’ The children also helped the planners identify the best places for speed restrictions, speed bumps and digital speed displays. These ‘smiley face’ signs, which display drivers’ speed accompanied by an appropriate facial expression, are something entirely new for Zhyto- myr. Two have so far been installed near schools. And by the time the project is completed in 2021, there will be new pavements, further improvement to crossings, and more speed control measures. 40 akzente 1/21

GROWING TOGETHER They build bridges between development cooperation and the promotion of foreign trade and advise local, German and European companies in 30 countries. A successful mentoring programme in South-East Asia illustrates what Business Scouts for Development do. TEXT MATHIAS PEER PHOTOS AUNG NAING OO AND TIM WEGNER 42 akzente 1/21

Perspectives ‘We made valuable contacts.’ PWINT PWINT SAN (29), mentee and co-founder of the Hydro Plant start-up in Yangon ‘Most people in Myanmar earn their living from agriculture, but it’s far from easy. The soil is often too dry, for example, and many farm- ing methods are now simply out of date. I saw first-hand how diffi- cult many families find it to produce enough food when I was in- volved in a UN food security programme in Thailand after complet- ing my MBA. The programme took me to a lot of villages in my home country. Since then, my ambition has been to find technological solu- tions to help farmers improve their financial situation. I joined forc- es with two other young entrepreneurs as part of a start-up support programme. In just a few months, we developed a device to make farming smarter: it’s a controller fitted with a number of sensors that can measure temperature and humidity, for instance, or gauge how dry the soil is. We use this data to calculate the level of automatic ir- rigation or whether to turn on a fan if it’s getting too hot in a green- house. The settings can be adjusted using a smartphone app. The sys- tem not only saves a lot of the manual work involved in irrigation but also helps to optimise yields, for example by precisely regulating greenhouse temperatures. Mushroom growers are just one example of businesses using our device: it means they can continue producing at times of year when it is usually too hot to grow mushrooms. And the technology can also be used outdoors to monitor soil moisture and control how much water is needed for the crop being grown. Our mentor, Manfred Gand, helped us enormously with devel- oping the product. Initially, we planned to manage the device solely by smartphone. But Manfred encouraged us to fit it with its own dis- play – and he was right. That makes it much easier to use. For a while, we met Manfred several times a month. He also put us in touch with many valuable contacts, such as electronics suppliers with a good reputation for quality. And I think he learned something from us, too: he was often surprised how quickly we were able to get our ideas up and running with limited resources.’ — 44 akzente 1/21 The project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

INTERVIEW ‘I have been particularly im- pressed by progress in the area of vocational training.’ programme, Experts are working in around 30 devel- oping countries and emerging econo- mies as part of the Business Scouts for Development building bridges between the private sector and development cooperation. Why is this role so important? Our aim is to make full use of the pos- itive influence that private sector en- gagement abroad can have. To achieve that, our experts help in gaining ac- cess to often difficult markets, thereby creating new jobs locally and promot- ing value chains – and contributing to better living conditions across the country. But they also advise on im- proving environmental and social standards and make entrepreneurs aware of relevant funding programmes. And they support companies with making their plans for expansion as sustainable as possible. What have been the programme’s big- gest successes to date? I have been particularly impressed by progress in the area of vocational training. In cooperation with compa- nies and local vocational training fa- cilities, our experts have achieved a lot, especially in Latin America and Elke Peiler works for GIZ’s Business Scouts for Development programme. Until recently, she was responsible for ExperTS, the programme that organised the mentoring initiative in Myanmar. She also completed an assignment abroad for the programme herself. Asia, and have helped launch some new apprenticeships, for example in mechatronics. In a number of coun- tries, the experts on our programme have also organised energy-saving workshops where employees of local businesses have formulated specific ideas for reducing emissions that they were able to implement directly in their own companies. Participants rep- resented a wide range of different sectors, so the programme has had a direct, positive and measurable impact on the climate. You used to work on the programme yourself, as an expert in the food indus- try. What was your experience? I worked for the programme in Tunisia and found the work I did there really rewarding. For example, I was able to support Tunisian companies with ex- porting products such as dates and ol- ive oil to Germany. That created jobs, but I was also able to help main- stream organic food production stand- ards more sustainably across the country. It’s something special to see your work having such a direct impact. ExperTS has been running for a decade already, but the programme is changing in 2021. How exactly? We are combining ExperTS with other programmes doing similar work, such as one that has been supporting en- trepreneurs in Germany in their deal- ings with developing countries and emerging economies. We’re now called Business Scouts for Development and we create synergies to enable our ex- perts to respond even more quickly and flexibly to enquiries. But of course their work in the individual countries of assignment will continue under the new structure. — Contact: Elke Peiler, elke.peiler@giz.de 46 akzente 1/21

Info EDITOR’S Digital Picks Thank you, Earth! ACTION Campaigning for environmental protection is what Earth Day is all about. Every year, on 22 April (and beyond), individuals around the world take part in Earth Day activities. For further informa- tion and inspiration, visit the Earth Day website. Get involved! — www.earthday.org EARTH DAY 2021 Zero hunger Don’t panic?! TALKS How can we end global hunger? What impact does climate change have on our food? And what is the connection between nutrition and learning? This collection of TED talks provides answers and inspiration. — www.ted.com/search?q=feed+the+future PODCAST Talk less, act more? The ‘How to Save a Planet’ podcast does both. Each week, Alex Blumberg and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson introduce experts and initiatives in the area of climate change and ask, ‘How bad is it?’ The declared aim of the podcast is to keep airing until we have saved the planet. — www.gimletmedia.com/shows/howtosaveaplanet Economic zeitgeist Just give me some peace BLOG Developing Economics tackles current phenomena in development economics, ranging from post-growth and ‘angrynomics’ to the economic impact of the pandemic on developing countries. Longer analysis pieces are intended to stimulate further debate within the academic community. — FORUM Germany’s peace and security policy needs rethinking, and the PeaceLab discus- sion forum invites participants to do just that. PeaceLab seeks to identify specific and practical suggestions for the future direction of Germany’s peace and security policy to enable it to tackle global challenges. — www.developingeconomics.org www.peacelab.blog 48 akzente 1/21

Education work and women’s empowerment in a tribal society From: Peer Gatter › To: all akzente readers Today, 9:21 am Salam from Islamabad! in schools. As manager of the FATA Development Programme in Pakistan, I’m responsible for a region that I last travelled through 25 years ago as a journalist – the tribal districts along the border with Afghanistan that used to be called the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It was only in 2018 that this territory, now referred to as “Merged Areas”, was integrated into neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and incorpo­ rated into regional development plans. We are supporting this process. As the province is not a residential location, for security reasons, I use armoured vehicles to travel back and forth between Islamabad and Peshawar, where our team meets representatives of health authorities and education agencies. One of our programme’s priority areas is improving the services provided at health centres and Dialogue forums are held between the state and civil society, where I meet tribal elders and employees of the “Gender Desks” that we have set up. Again, unfortunately for security reasons, I do this in Peshawar and not in the tribal areas. We focus specifically on promoting the participation of women, who traditionally have little say I’m very grateful to my Pakistani colleagues for their openness and warmth. Thanks to their great commitment and expertise, the cooperation between us is extremely effective. I specialised in Islamic studies and political science at university, and am fascinated by the culture of the Indus region. Besides relics from the Buddhist period and the Mughal era, there are also modern functional buildings from Pakistan’s founding years to admire. On weekends I go walking in the nearby Islamabad National Forest. The wooded Margalla Hills rise up just behind my house – from up there you have a tremendous view over the city, and there is a range of wildlife to marvel at, too. As an enthusiastic ornithologist I’m attracted by the Himalayan Bulbul and the Laughing Dove, but also the troupes of monkeys and herds of wild boar. There are even said to be leopards in Pashtun tribal society. here. Best regards, Peer Gatter akzente 1/21 GIZ is always looking for experts for its projects. Why not visit our ‘Jobs and careers’ page: www.giz.de/careers.

Food and nutrition security [fˈuːd ənd njuːˈtrɪʃən sɪkjˈʊəɹɪti] is a human right. It is achieved when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Source: European Parliament As a service provider with worldwide operations in the fields of inter- national cooperation for sustainable development and international education, GIZ works with its partners to develop effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions. GIZ is a public-benefit federal enterprise and supports the German Government and a host of public and private sector clients in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.