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| Kiara Nirghin Photo: connect.citizen.co.za |
Kiara Nirghin, a sixteen-year-old girl, has just
won the regional award for Middle East and Africa in the Google Science Fair’s
Community Impact Award. This prize is for her revolutionary invention – No
More Thirsty Crops. Like the name denotes, Nirghin’s creation seeks to
address drought issues currently plaguing South Africa.
Using both orange and avocado peels, the teenager
created a super absorbent polymer (SAP) that acts as a reservoir in the earth.
The material is said to hold three hundred times more than its weight in
liquid, relative to their own mass, “keeping crops hydrated for longer at a
much lower cost.”
“I sought to create a product that can improve
soil quality, preserve water and resist drought, therefore producing a better
environment for crops to grow,” a part of her research report read. She went on
to explain that SAPs must be harmless and non-polluting with super
water-absorbing and preserving capabilities.
As stated in her research report titled ‘Combatting drought with a Low-Cost, biodegradable
Superabsorbent Polymer made out of orange peels,’ Nirghin discovered, that
naturally occurring polymers exist in most citrus fruits.
“Orange peels contain over 64 percent of
polysaccharide making it a candidate for biodegradable polymer. However, the
polymer has to be cross-linked usually requiring chemicals such as Sulphur and
Hydrochloric acid. I have explored an organic cross-linking method using UV
light and heat.
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| Image source: Google Science Fair project summary |
Nirghin’s invention doesn’t just tackle the
effects of drought, it also serves a means of converting waste into something
useful. The teenager, who is obviously delighted by the result of her
home-based experiment, says she would like to experiment further, make large
amounts of orange peel SAPs, and apply it to crops such as maize and wheat in
poor communities in South Africa. “With the use of the orange peel SAP, in
agricultural drought disaster areas food security could increase
by 73 percent.”
South Africa is currently going through its
worst drought in 35 years, with over 2.7
million households facing water shortages across the country. There
are increased job cuts in the agricultural sector as farmers sell off their
land, due to a lack of access to funds. According to reports
by The Inquisitr (SEE NEWS POST), about 15,000 of the 35,000
commercial farmers are struggling because of the latest drought.
Nirghin’s invention is sure to alleviate the
effects of drought, not just in South Africa, but in several other countries
around the world. It will also help countries manage the effects of
climate change for years to come.
In her submission, Kiara Nirghin described herself
as an individual who absolutely loves chemistry and physics. “I have
always had a great love for chemistry since I was young. I vividly remember at
the age of 7 experimenting with vinegar and baking soda solutions in
plastic cups. My natural curiosity and questioning nature has sparked my
everlasting love of science.”
NEWS POST: South
Africa’s Farmers Continue To Struggle As Drought Continues, Farm Attacks
Increase
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The number
of #farmers in #SouthAfrica. Not long the country will face a food crisis and
starvation.@UN @DailyMailUK(Twitter Alien @SAalienate Jul 19)
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As the worst drought in 35 years continues in
Southern Africa, South African farmers are struggling. With the droughts, farm
murders, and farm attacks, some farmers are considering selling their farms
because they can’t access the funds they need to continue to operate.
The Times Live reported that South Africa
has been hit with a drought for the last three years. The
drought this year is the worst drought that South Africa has experienced since
1992. AgriSA‚ an organization that represents commercial farmers, said that
15,000 of the 35,000 commercial farmers are struggling and “have their backs
against the wall” because of the latest drought.
As previously reported by
the Inquisitr, farm
attacks have continued to increase while the African National Congress
(ANC), the ruling party in South Africa, continues to lose support. The ANC-led
government has failed to effectively deal with both the farm murders and farm
attacks in South Africa, and their ineffectiveness has contributed to farming
in South Africa becoming the most dangerous occupation in the world.
“We are concerned about the fact that more and
more big commercial farmers now have their backs to the wall … they do not have
the cash flow to support their operations any longer. Agri SA had fielded
hundreds of phone calls this week from farmers in dire straits.”
International Business Times reported that
the debate over climate change continues to rage as the drought
continues in Southern Africa. The drought has caused a food crisis that has
left 50 million hungry. Southern Africa has been suffering from a deadly
combination of famine and drought for years now. Not only is Southern Africa
suffering, but other parts of the world are currently struggling with drought
too.
News 24 reported that the recent Brexit deal in Europe may actually benefit South
Africa. Critics of Brexit say that South African farmers may suffer under
Brexit because of the higher tariffs that could be imposed. These tariffs would
be imposed when South African exports are sent to Great Britain. Viccy Baker of
the consumer price comparison website Retail Price Watch said that the higher
tariffs could actually benefit local South Africans because it would make more
food available on the local market.
Great Britain will need to reevaluate its current
farm subsidies for British farmers because it has one of the most pernicious
systems of subsidies of any country. Currently, Great Britain is not even in
the top five trading partners for South Africa despite having a common
language, heritage, and culture. A change to farm subsidies will increase the
competitiveness of South African products in British markets.
Fresh Plaza reported that Microsoft’s Bill
Gates thinks that agriculture in South Africa can be turned into a thriving
business. Gates said that Africa has the potential to create an economic
opportunity by ensuring the growth in the agricultural sector.
“Right now, most African smallholders suffer from
an almost total lack of innovation. They plant unproductive seeds in poor soils
in order to produce just enough to feed their family… Doing more of the same is
going to bring even more meager harvests. The key to breaking this cycle is a
series of innovations at every step along the way from farm to market.”
Gates delivered the speech when he was in South Africa for the 14th Annual Nelson Mandela Foundation Lecture. He didn’t say how he planned to help South African farmers improve their circumstances under the current economic and political conditions.
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