As a prefix, geo is derived from a Greek word which loosely translates to “earth”
usually in the sense of ground or land. Geosciences would therefore
include all sciences that deal with the earth and to this end, the list
is long – geology, mineralogy, paleontology, stratigraphy etc.
Talking
of how geosciences, used in the context of development has brought
about positive and sustainable change, the earth is the foundation upon
which development depends. Development is either driven by resources
from the earth or by land as a resource like in the case of agriculture.
Success of a development process and sustainability of the same
requires meticulous intervention of a geoscientist to define the balance
between society’s demand for these resources, their sustainable use and
need to sustain healthy ecosystems.
Success
stories of how geosciences have played a fundamental role in
development dates back to many years ago. In the early 1930s, a small
village in western Kenya was the scene of a gold rush fueled partly by
the reports of the geologist Albert Ernest Kitson. In its place now, we
have a beautiful town called Kakamega which is the economic hub of the
region. Elsewhere, gold has transformed South Africa and its commercial
hub Egoli – the city of gold to a heaven for gold diggers and investors
to its undisputed status as the continental economic heavy weight –
thanks to geoscientists.
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| Water has brought happiness to these women (Hudson Wereh Shiraku) |
Courtesy
of geoscientists, Kenya is tapping into geothermal energy and
generating electricity. With the potential of 2000 MW, there is a total
of 127 MW installed capacity and the plant meets 11% of the total
national electricity supply (MoE, 2008). As a result, geothermal use in
Kenya has led to significant socio-economic benefits for the country; a
workforce of 493 persons is deployed at the Olkaria power stations
considerably contributing to poverty reduction. In Naivasha, a
geothermal heat resource is being used in a horticultural farm to
control night-time humidity levels in order to reduce the incidence of
fungal diseases – a successful instance where Geoscience has drawn from
other fields to create a positive change.
Away
from home, geothermal power has also been successfully exploited in
northern African countries, using geothermal fluid for irrigation of
oases as well as heating and irrigation of greenhouses.
In
Israel, the fact that agricultural production continues to grow despite
severe water and land limitations is no accident. It is due to a close
and ongoing cooperation between researchers, extension workers, farmers
and agriculture-related services and industries. Geoscience has been
tapped into by agriculture to ensure availability of water and suitable
soils for farming.
Finally, in Kenya we have what has been humorously referred to as “Oil Mania”.
Kenyans have run a mock with oil exploration all over the country since
oil was recently discovered in the north western town of Turkana.
Though we have to wait for some studies to determine its economic
feasibility, prospects are high and surely geoscience is an important
ingredient of development.
In
view of all these success stories, what would my neighbor who
threatened to disown his son for wanting to pursue a course in geology
against his wish for an educational course do? I suppose he would cover
his face in shame.
