At first glance, a bouquet of flowers and a dead fish seem to have little in common, but on second thoughts maybe they do. Thats precisely the reason why Peter Otieno, the 38-year-old environmental chemist from Kenya, is spending a year working at the Institute of Ecological Chemistry in Munichs Helmholtz-Zentrum as a member of the Humboldt Foundations International Climate Protection Fellowship Programme. With support from the team of his host, Professor Dr. Dr. Karl-Werner Schramm, Mr. Otieno is looking for affordable, mobile, fast and reliable tests to identify highly toxic chemicals, such as carbamates or organophosphates, in water, fish and sediments. “Modern chromatographs and mass spectrometers are too expensive for us. We only have a few, mostly outdated ones with long waiting lists to use them,” says Mr. Otieno.
He has brought experimental samples with him from Lake Naivasha in the Kenyan Rift Valley. The lake is surrounded by increasing numbers of flower plantations producing for export, now that the area has become too dry for tea production. But the fertilizers and pesticides used here flow untreated into the lake, together with the waste water. Mr. Otieno assumes that they are a cause of the declining fish stocks in the lake which once nourished the inhabitants around its shores. Wild animals in the area are also dying. But, as yet there is no definite evidence provided by independent investigators of increased levels of toxins in the water, animals and sediments. Mr. Otieno is aiming for something similar to the well-known ELIZA rapid tests used in HIV primary diagnosis, since such tests also exist for identifying chemicals. “Im comparing their results with chromatographic analyses of the same samples in order to discover which sets are best suited to our situation,” he explains. He believes that only hard facts will convince his government to finally address the problems faced by the lake.
Peter Otieno has a concrete goal, just like the other participants in the International Climate Protection Fellowship Programme, which was established in 2010 by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for potential leaders in this field from developing countries. “Our programme supports scientists, colleagues from NGOs, people from the political sphere or from companies,” explains Georg Scholl, the foundations spokesperson. Apart from having sufficient scientific or professional experience, a suitable project and contact with a German partner institution that wishes to work with the fellows, the applicants personality is of key importance in the selection process. “We want to support young people with leadership potential who will presumably become good opinion leaders,” says Scholl. After all, climate protection is a global problem that calls for global cooperation. The one-year fellowship is endowed with up to 2,400 euros a month, and the fellows can bring their family with them. The fellows also become members of the Humboldt Foundation Network, the community with 24,000 members in over 130 countries.
In addition to Otieno, two other scientists from Africa are researching in Germany with the new fellowship: 35-year-old Akinyemi Gabriel Omonijo from Nigeria is working at the Meteorological Institute of the University of Freiburg investigating infectious diseases in his country. They usually occur more frequently at specific times of the year. Mr. Omonijo feeds data into complex computer models that are unavailable to him in Nigeria in order to analyze long-term chronological information on solar radiation, temperature, precipitation, humidity and wind speed. He then compares the data with the occurrence of the diseases. “Environmental factors influence people, for instance by weakening the bodys defence system,” explains Mr. Omonijo. “This study should lead to indicators and threshold values which, when exceeded, lead to a critical situation.” The goal is to create an early warning system for the government which can issue warnings and take timely preventive measures to control outbreaks of diseases.
Worku Zewdie Gebrehiwot (36) from Ethiopia is examining land utilization in a dry region on the border to Sudan. More and more people from Ethiopias economically disadvantaged highlands are being resettled in this area. Many of the inhabitants make a livelihood from processing certain tree resins. The coveted resins are then exported for use in perfumes, essential oils and medical products. “Climate change is threatening this way of life,” says Mr. Gebrehiwot. He explains that rising temperatures and increased humidity are harmful to these resinous trees. The situation is aggravated by rising population pressure. Mr. Gebrehiwot is working with the help of aerial images at the Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing at TU Dresden. His aim is to discover how far land utilization in the region has already changed and how this is affecting the living conditions of the growing population. He is using a computer programme to summarize his findings in graphic form, so that he has a good argumentation base in consultations with the Ethiopian government. This is yet another project that would no doubt have pleased Alexander von Humboldt.////
