by Li Chen
As part of the Manzanar Project, mangroves are providing food and wealth for Eritrea.
『曼札納計劃』的目標是利用紅樹林為厄利垂亞帶來食物及財富。
When American
biologist Gordon Sato was 14 years old, his family was forced to become
self-sufficient in the
harsh conditions at the Manzanar
relocation camp for Japanese-Americans in 1942. _(1)_ He has
focused on the African nation of Eritrea, one of the poorest countries in the world with no
sustainable economy. The aim of the Manzanar Project is to
eliminate hunger and poverty while
relieving global warming. _(2)_
In turn, they gain the necessary skills to be self-sufficient in producing food and wealth for themselves.
The answer
lies in a plant
native to the
coastal deserts of Eritrea—the mangrove tree. _(3)_ The mangrove has an
extensive root system that slows the flow of water, thus protecting the coastal areas from
erosion. _(4)_ However, the main benefits for the Manzanar Project are in the mangrove leaves. Since they
are rich in protein, mangrove leaves
make for excellent
fodder for the area's
livestock. When mixed with dried mangrove seeds and a small
portion of
fish meal, the leaves
provide enough
nutrition for the animals to produce
offspring as well as milk. _(5)_
Since the mid-1980s, Sato and the Manzanar Project have planted over 800,000 mangrove trees and improved the
standard of living in Eritrea. Even so, the Project
strives to train more people to use
low-tech solutions to end hunger and poverty.
(A) The Project does this by training the locals in Eritrea to use technology to
harness its natural
resources.
(B) In addition, the
roots provide a
habitat for young fish and other sea life to
flourish.
(C) Because of this
trying experience, Sato has
been devoted to alleviating hunger with his Manzanar Project for more than 20 years.
(D) Just like the
domino effect, the
mangroves feed the animals, the animals feed the people, and the people
survive to
give back to the
community.
(E) What makes this tree special is the fact that it grows in seawater.