Desert Greening.......

[gedo_gurl]

gedo


I think Quran needs to be thoroughly translated to English, and then --we need English speaking scholars---so that the Quran can be analyzed and scholarly researched. Why don't we have essay and opeds or even Cambridge companion to Quran? I think the Arabic language is a barrier. Who is fluent in Arabic and can read Quran very well? We can collaborate together and write a scholarly best seller walaahi. All western knowledge has been take from the old Moore and Ottoman empire. And mind u--these Moores or Ottomans did not literally or scholarly translate the Quran. It is derived from their own readings of Quran and somehow incorporated into their Arabic culture. Imagine if u just sat down and studies Quran chapter by chapter using the worlds best analytical minds?

I think that's what happened! And it needs to happen again with today's technology. The Muslim population will be the largest in the world in 50 years time and we need to come up with Islamic solutions to the world's problems FAST because asking Arab tribal leaders to be the leaders of the future is just not working. The Arabic language is a HUGE barrier and people do not trust the missionaries who translated the Quran. I read a Somali Quran which was very weird (probably translated by Christian Somalis or that Jewish guy who spoke Somali) to say the least and we buried it in the back of cupboard. There are a lot of translations but the Arabs seem to own the meanings of all these words and thats why they control the commentary....leading to terrorism for Arab interests and overnight Arabisation of our kids. I would love for Harvard to look deeper into the meanings behind the Quran and I think its especially important to look into African and Asian languages for the lost root words which the Arabs themselves have changed the meaning of with their culture and history.

[original dervish]

As long as Somalia is a failed state...nothing substantial will be achieved.

[Basra-]

gedo


the problem with u is that-- u care too much about authentic ethnic languages. Why cant u be fascinated by English or Arabic? Why are u so against it? Your bantu heritage or connection has rendered you a victim of villageniimo! Come on --advance and prosper. Stop circling around the Amazonian fire and wearing leafs to hide your private parts. Embrace civilization yaaqee !


You r right on the Harvard scholars exploring. I wish there were Harvard Scholars obliging us with a depth study of Quran. I want to read Quran analysis like I read Literature. The problem also lies-- Muslims are by nature anti education. If they are educated, they will never tackle this issue because they fear blasphemy. Muslims are polar opposites. Either they are fiercely and blindly loyal like grandpakhalif or they are like blackvelvet or anzeloti or Ayaan hirsi. They want reform yet --they are not smart enough embark on the goal themselves, instead they run around criticizing Islam and what is wrong with it. How about approach Islam and Quran -academically and objectively. I believe I am the most objective soul alive. If given the chance I can make Quran--like a delicious interesting book for mass youth to be indoctrinated by making it simple and entertaining to read it. The dilemma is--I don't read or speak Arabic.

[gedo_gurl]

I love the English language, its what I read for fun/information and speak and write in even with other Somalis unless they grew up in Somalia. I think that Bantu history should not be forgotten, in fact I love the Swahili language for its merging of Bantu and Arabic, its a growing lingua franca with an acceptance of English terms for new technological advances, and it will incorporate more words from different languages as time moves on which will cement its usuage in East Africa, many Somalis are already fluent in Swahili. Africa is fascinating few people reject technology, they just can't afford it, and thats a tragedy.

Basra...you should get in touch with Arabic speaking professors, historians and researchers. I think its easy to write a book without even speaking Arabic....just listen to the Quran with the translations and look at life today, how little times have changed. Honor killings, univestigated murders, wars, lack of technology, fair laws for women's land ownership.... Muslims of today need to read the basics.

[gedo_gurl]

As long as Somalia is a failed state...nothing substantial will be achieved.

I disagree. There are towns with peace, people can own land and have houses without trouble...business goes as usual, goats don't get stolen...I think that with the right investment, several families at a go and making water security a priorty, it will be a start to settled living. We have 600, 000 people moving back to Somalia very soon from refugee camps and refugees have just arrived in Puntland as well. The government are being watched by every news outlet on the planet and every country in the West and in Africa. They need cheap solutions to the impending food crisis and those refugees will work like no-one else on earth if they are put in charge of farms like this, we can have Somali grown olive oil, apples, guavas etc even if you just sell them to relief agencies its a start.

[original dervish]

Gedo-Gurl.......insha'llah.

[Buraanbur]

I watched the whole thing and this man is better than every head of state Somalia has ever had and has ever visited Somalia. Why do people celebrate Siyaad Barre when people like this man have better ideas and more hope in Somalis and the land? Siyaad Barre chose planting dacar (aloe) over food to overcome desertification because of our culture,, but it didn't work well and it was hastily put out. One month of research and handing desert farms over to the community to produce food and create harmony would have been better.

Somali politicians don't care about actual development. In fact, at times, they hinder development. For example, farmers in Puntland were recently complaining about some GMO seeds they were given and how the crops took over their farmland. They were given these seeds under a program between the Faroole government and the EU. No one stopped to research what GMO seeds/crops are or the possible long-term impact on the region.

On top of that, there's the issue of invasive plants like Prosopis juliflora which was introduced to Somalia in the 70s/80s to combat deforestation. Instead it has contributed to land degradation and is responsible the loss of grass lands. It also depletes ground water making it inaccessible to other plants so no other plants can thrive where Prosopis juliflora grows. Permaculture is a good start but the two issues above need to addressed in order for it to be a success.

[gedo_gurl]

Buraanbur I was in a farming area in Somalia and this plant kept coming up in everyone's discussions about their farms and agriculture in general. They only keep it around because it provides shade but people are starting to chop it for firewood because they lost some vital species of native grass. They call it Cali Uraaye something else. It also has thorns which people keep stepping on as well and its very painful. They said that it was a German idea, I had no idea that Siyaad Barre worked with the Germans on deforestation.

I heard about the GMOs as well, they clog up the riverbanks and when the goats eat them, it literally comes out in their shit and grow again making it really hard to get rid of.

I think that desert greening is a solution for desert areas with scarce water supply, its easier to deal with than these invasive weeds. Somalia's leaders genuinely think that quick buck business, clan appeasing for a seat and sounding like they know what democracy means in a nice suit is more important than the farmers, local businesses, human rights, women's rights, and forget drought and food insecurity, thats what gets them more money! If you pitch the GMO's to them as a humanitarian crisis they might make some noise on it and the diaspora and international community might do the work.