University of Edinburgh - Green ideas take root in Africa

Farmers in African communities are being encouraged away from traditional "slash and burn" farming in a new approach of planting trees and preserving woodland. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh's School of Geosciences have been running a pilot project in N'hambita, Mozambique, in which local farmers are funded by carbon offsets. In such schemes, Western consumers pay a fee to help offset the environmental damage associated with their activities, such as taking a flight. Mat Williams, a researcher working on the project, said: "If we can encourage and assist farmers to manage the land sustainably while boosting their income, we believe that both the land and the villagers can benefit."