Drought in Angola — Seca em Angola
Environmental Disasters and Civic Mobilizations — Desastres Ambientais e Mobilizações Cívicas
Uma referência recorrente sobre a presença bóer na região da Huíla remete para a introdução das carroças de bois como meio de transporte preferencial na região – as famosas “carroças estilo bóer”. Neste post recolhemos algumas dessas referências históricas.
Continue reading “Legados Bóer no Sul de Angola (2): as “carroças estilo bóer””A recurrent reference regarding the Boer presence in the province of Huíla refers to the introduction of ox carts or wagons as the preferred means of transport in the region – the famous “Boer-style wagons”. In this post we share some of these historical references.
Continue reading “Boer legacies in southern Angola (2): the “Boer-style wagons””
Article by Paula Nunes Tartari (School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg), part of an ongoing research on satellite technologies and climate change.
Continue reading “Notes on the use of satellites to combat drought in Angola”
Documentary on the development of the mining industry in Angola, produced in 1970 by Rádio e Televisão Portuguesa under the Angola 70 series. The richness of Angola’s natural resources and their economic and strategic importance are highlighted. The report begins with the mining complex located in Vila da Jamba and its situation in the mining region in southern and central Angola, and then shows the rail transport of the ore from Jamba and Matala to Porto Alexandre (today Tombwa, Namibe).
Continue reading “TV Report: Jamba and Porto Alexandre Mines (1970, RTP)”Documentário sobre o desenvolvimento da indústria mineira em Angola, produzido em 1970 pela Rádio e Televisão Portuguesa no âmbito do programa Angola 70.
Continue reading “Reportagem: Minas da Jamba e Porto Alexandre (1970, RTP)”
Today, across the roads of southern Angola, it is common to see “moto-cisterns” (moto-cisternas) – the famous 3-wheel motorcycles known as “Kewesekis” or “kupapatas”, coupled to a cistern for the transport of water – in circulation. For many inhabitants of rural areas in this region, these moving cisterns have ended up replacing the traditional use of donkeys, or even the women and children’s labor, to transport water.
Continue reading ““Moto-cisterns” and the politics of water distribution in southern Angola”Hoje, ao longo das estradas no sul de Angola é comum ver várias “moto-cisternas”, as famosas motas de 3 rodas tipo “Keweseki” ou “kupapata”, acopladas a uma cisterna para o transporte de água. Para muitos habitantes das zonas rurais desta região, as moto-cisternas acabam por substituir o uso tradicional do burro, ou mesmo as cabeças de mulheres e crianças, para transporte de água.
Continue reading “Moto-cisternas e a política da distribuição de água no sul de Angola”Guest post. This text was written by Fernando Pacheco, and was originally published in Novo Jornal, in the May 23, 2019 edition (republication revised and authorized by the author). Fernando Pacheco is an agronomist and founder of ADRA (Association for Rural Development and Environment), a non-governmental organization that has developed projects in support of rural communities throughout Angola for decades. He is one of the most qualified people to debate the issue of drought and its challenges in the country. The text offers a historical perspective and a reflection on the strategies followed in response to the drought.
Continue reading “Fighting the Drought or Learning to Live With It? By Fernando Pacheco (ADRA)”
The landscapes of southern Angola are populated by sandy rivers like this one. On the surface, one would say that they are remnants from ancient rivers once filled with water and life. However, not everything is as it seems. In the rainy season, they overflow with water, not only on the surface but also underground. This underground water often remains during the dry season, while the surface dries, and has traditionally served as an alternative source of water for local communities. In the province of Namibe, where annual rainfall is minimal or non-existent, groundwater from rivers that are born in Huíla’s mountain ranges is, in this respect, fundamental.
Continue reading “Sand rivers”As paisagens do Sul de Angola estão povoadas de rios de areia como este. À superfície, dir-se-ia que são fósseis de antigos rios outrora cheios de água e vida. No entanto, nem tudo é o que parece. No tempo da chuva, transbordam com água, não só à superfície mas também a nível subterrâneo. Esse lençol frequentemente permanece durante o tempo seco, à medida que a superfície seca, e serviu tradicionalmente como fonte alternativa de água para as comunidades locais. Na província do Namibe, onde a precipitação anual é mínima ou inexistente, a água subterrânea oriunda dos rios que nascem nas serras da Huíla é, neste contexto, fundamental.
Continue reading “Rios de areia”
