Impact of Desertification on the Livelihood and Health of the Wayuu People of the La Guajira Department, Colombia
Douglas Fernandes DaSilva PhD Candidate Education: University of Wisconsin – Madison BSc – Biochemistry University of Zurich MSc – Environmental Sciences PhD Candidate – Human Ecology
Professional: Clinical Research (12 years) Pediatric Allergy and Nutrition (Madison, USA) Public Health R&D (3 years) Health Systems Development (Mbale, Uganda) Public Health Education (1 year) Pediatric and Adolescent Health (Kathmandu, Nepal) Empowering Wayuu Women of Colombia Through Fair Fashion
@mama.tierra www.mama-tierra.org Table of Contents
1. Introduction 2. Research Question and Hypothesis 3. Methods 4. Preliminary Findings 5. Future Goals Introduction “Love their land and consider it as their mother. They are born and fed from it, and when they die, the land opens its The Wayuu People arms to receive them once again. They respect their land, demand respect for it and will fight to defend it.”
Cecilia Bula (2000) – The Wayuu and their Surroundings La Guajira Department, Colombia Northern La Guajira 2015 Northern La Guajira 2018 2015 Desertification
Is a multidimensional phenomenon with ecological, meteorological, and human variables.
It is defined as the reduction in the productivity of the land, where it may no longer support the same plant growth it had in the past. Reynolds 2001
Reynolds JF (2001). Desertification. In: Levin, Simon Asher, Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, London: Academic Press, pp. 61-78. Sectors Affected by Desertification
Environment • Low Water Supply • Soil Degradation • Biodiversity Loss
Economy • Economic Isolation • Poverty
Society • Changes in Lifestyle • Public Safety • Public Health Issues Desertification and Public Health
The poor access to water and the current state of malnutrition of the population may have influenced the reported deaths of 4’770 Wayúu children in the past 8 years. InterAmerican Commission for Human Rights 2015 1
In Colombia, there is an increased incidence of malnutrition and childhood mortality in regions experiencing desertification. Jaramillo-Mejía et al. 2018 2
1 IACHR - InterAmerican Commission for Human Rights (2015). Precautionary Measure 51/15 [Online]. Available at http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/decisiones/pdf/2015/MC51-15-Es.pdf
2 Jaramillo-Mejía MC, Chernichovsky D (2018). Impact of desertification and land degradation on Colombian children. Int J Public Health. 2018 Jul 17. doi: 10.1007/s00038-018-1144-0 Desertification Gradients of La Guajira Do different gradients of desertification affect the Wayuu? Research - Socio-Demographics - Livelihood Strategies Question - Access to Food, Water and Health Care - Natural Resources - Social Networks Wayuu people living in areas with the highest levels of desertification present the Hypothesis poorest livelihood and health conditions in comparison to people living in areas with lesser levels of desertification Methods 1. Gather data: § Environment Existing data from Colombian and international departments of statistics, meteorology and environmental studies. § Surveys and Field Measurements To assess the livelihood and health of the Wayuu people.
2. Examine data to assess livelihood and health disparities in regions presenting different levels of desertification. Preliminary Findings Climatic Influences on the Environment
Standard Precipitation Index (6-Month) 1982 - 2020
10 7.5 5 2.5
Scores 0 - -2.5
SPI Z SPI -5 -7.5 -10
Manaure 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 1’900 km2 Riohacha Manaure Maicao Uribia Riohacha Uribia IDEAM 2020 3’100 km2 8’200 km2 Maicao 1’800 km2 El Niño and La Niña - Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) 1982 - 2020 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 -0.5 -1 -1.5 -2 -2.5 MonthMean ONI Scores -
3 -3 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
El Niño La Niña NOAA 2020 Post La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: - LessVegetation
Moderate Moderate Weak Weak Season Rain ONI = -1.4 ONI = -1.1 ONI = -0.8 ONI = -0.6
Jan 2011 Feb 2011 Mar 2011 Apr 2011
La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: Season Dry Weak Very Weak Weak Weak ONI = -0.5 ONI = -0.4 ONI = -0.5 ONI = -0.7 More Vegetation More
May 2011 Jun 2011 Jul 2011 Aug 2011
La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: La Niña: Season Rain Weak Moderate Moderate Moderate ONI = -0.9 ONI = -1.1 ONI = -1.1 ONI = -1.0
Sep 2011 Oct 2011 Nov 2011 Dec 2011
Post NASA 2020 El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: -
Weak Weak Weak Weak Season Rain ONI = 0.6 ONI = 0.6 ONI = 0.6 ONI = 0.8 Take Home Message: Jan 2015 Feb 2015 Mar 2015 Apr 2015
El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: Season Dry Moderate Moderate Strong Strong Weather patterns in La ONI = 1.0 ONI = 1.2 ONI = 1.5 ONI = 1.8 Guajira are affected by the El Niño Southern
May 2015 Jun 2015 Jul 2015 Aug 2015 Oscillation events
El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: El Niño: Season Rain Very Strong Very Strong Very Strong Very Strong ONI = 2.1 ONI = 2.4 ONI = 2.5 ONI = 2.6 Stronger El Niño events trigger intense and prolonged droughts Sep 2015 Oct 2015 Nov 2015 Dec 2015 Desertification Gradients IDEAM 2015
No Total Desertification Desertification Low Medium High
Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI) Adapted from DFID 1999 and Hahn 2009
SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS (SD) - Level of education - Household income - Number of dependents SOCIAL NETWORKS (SN) LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES (LS) - Number of single parents - Give/Receive ratio - Income generation activities - Borrow/Lend money ratio - Wages vs. expenditures - Presence of outside assistance - Livelihood diversification index - Conflicts
NATURAL RESOURCES (NR) HEALTH (HE) - Average drought months - Average time to health center - Average maximum temperature - Quality of health center - Average monthly precipitation - Number of acquired diseases - Farm losses due to drought/disease - Presence of chronic illnesses - Household rates of malnutrition
WATER (WA) FOOD (FO) - Average time to water sources - Dependency on family farm - Water quantity and quality - Number of months struggling to find food - Water treatment strategies - Dietary diversity index
!
!
��� ��� wSDSDd + wLSLSd + wHEHEd + wFOFOd + wWAWAd + wNRNRd + wSNSNd "#$ LVI Desertification Gradient = ! = wSD + wLS + wHE + wFO + wWA + wNR + wSN Where: ��� WM � = weight of sub-components "#$ Md � = index of major components
Livelihood Vulnerability Index (LVI)
LVI Low Desertification LVI Medium Desertification LVI High Desertification
Socio- Socio- Socio- Demographics Demographics Demographics 1 1 1 0.8 Livelihood 0.8 Livelihood 0.8 Livelihood Social Networks Social Networks Social Networks 0.6 Strategies 0.6 Strategies 0.6 Strategies 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.2 0 0 0 Natural Natural Natural Health Health Health Resources Resources Resources
Water Food Water Food Water Food
p = 0.008 Take Home Message:
The Wayuu have a strong social structure but observe a lack of natural resources, water and basic goods and services to thrive. Such disparities are exacerbated in high desertification areas. Desertification 48% Malnutrition and No Malnutrition Malnutrition 52%
All Children Observed (n=197) Severe Malnutrition Signs:
Nutritional Edema Severe Malnutrition Signs Kwashiorkor (fluid retention) (protein deficiency) Low n=48 * Medium n=90
High Desertification Level Desertification Vitamin Deficiency n=59
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 Percent of Children
* p = 0.0002 Body Mass Index (BMI)
No Malnutrition Malnutrition Used as risk factor for the development or prevalence p > 0.05 of overweight or underweight health issues
Body Mass Ratio Analysis: 14% Severe Malnutrition p > 0.05 Dietary Diversity
Source: FAO 2018 Food guide based on nutrient requirements from Ministry of Health of Dietary Diversity Score Colombia Individual Food Groups Colombian Average Daily Dietary Diversity (FAO Standards) Recommended Daily Intake Consumption Estimates for Children (grams) (serving = eat at least once)
Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables = 100 g 1 Fruit Serving Fruits = 150 g 1 Vegetable Serving Carbohydrates and Carbohydrates = 120 g 1 Carb Serving Grains Grains = 100 g 1 Grain Serving Dairy Products Dairy = 100 g 1 Dairy Serving
Meat Poultry Fish Eggs Meats/Egg = 150 g 1 Meat Serving Legumes Legumes = 100 g 1 Legume Serving Fats and Processed Oils Fats = 50 g 1 Fat Serving
Processed Sugars Sugars = 50 g 1 Sugar Serving Dietary Diversity for Individual Food Groups
The Wayuu People’s Diet
Fruits Grains Dairy Meat Vegetables Carbs Products Legumes Fats Sugars (n=197) (n=197) (n=197) (n=197) (n=197) (n=197)
Food Groups Dietary Diversity and Desertification
Children living in high desertification areas have significantly lower dietary diversity scores
High Medium Low (n=59) (n=90) (n=48)
Desertification Level
overall: p < 0.00001 Dietary Diversity and Malnutrition
Children with malnutrition have significantly lower dietary diversity scores
No Yes (n=103) (n=94) Malnutrition p < 0.00001
Take Home Message: Dietary Diversity Score analysis can be used as a complementary measurement to BMI in order to identify the prevalence of malnutrition in Wayuu children populations. Agricultural Resources
Soil Analysis:
- Low in Phosphorous and Nitrogen
- Low in essential soil minerals and micronutrients (Sulfate, Magnesium, Manganese, Boron)
- Lack of water for agricultural practices (Fully dependent on rain) Water Resources
Closed Well Open Well Surface Water
- Depth: 80 meters - Depth: 12 meters - Rain water collection
- Appropriate for human - Not appropriate for - Not appropriate for consumption human consumption human consumption
- Only 1 well in the region - High amounts of salts and - Extremely high (6-7hr walk) minerals microorganism count (5x above limits for drinking water) (930 cfu/ml – should be ZERO) Salty water = Diarrhea Microorganisms = Diarrhea
Take home message: Malnutrition + Diarrhea = Childhood Mortality Summary of Analysis Wayuu people living in areas with the highest levels of desertification present lowest livelihood and health conditions
⎼ Water shortages and inappropriate water sources
⎼ Food insecurities due to low soil productivity
⎼ Health deterioration due to malnutrition Needs Assessment Populations living in high desertification areas need access to education and basic infrastructure to improve their quality of life Future Goals
To determine what types of innovations and policies can be implemented in a sustainable way to bring positive impacts to the livelihood and health of the Wayuu people.
To provide knowledge and relief from desertification and influence future development actions so the Wayuu people can continue to thrive within their own cultural fashion. Drylands Rehabilitation
QUESTION: Is there a threshold for land rehabilitation?
METHODS: • Develop agricultural patches in areas presenting different levels of desertification • Longitudinal study of the enablers and disablers for land rehabilitation
3-Year Budget: CHF 95’000 Sample diagram for water and irrigation solutions. Public Health Evaluation
QUESTION: What are the drivers of childhood disease and mortality among the Wayuu?
• Identify the main diseases and environmental vectors for spreading illnesses METHODS: • In-depth independent evaluation of the current healthcare capacity of the region
Health Facilities in La Guajira
Number of Health Facilities: Manaure Uribia: 2 Hospitals 6 Clinics – Population: 198’000 (90% Wayúu) Riohacha Manaure: 1 Hospital 5 Clinics – Population: 120’000 (70% Wayúu)
Uribia Maicao: 46 Health Centers – Population: 166’000 (25% Wayúu) Riohacha: 164 Health Centers – Population: 150’000 (20% Wayúu) Maicao Source: Gobierno Digital Colombia – Datos Abiertos (2018)
* 56% of the Wayúu population of Colombia live in Uribia and Manaure (~260’000 people) Policy Evaluation
QUESTION: What are government agencies doing to address food insecurity, malnutrition, childhood health among Wayuu populations?
• Evaluate current policies and identify challenges to implementations METHODS: • Influence policies and actions based on our research results • Encourage partnerships for collaboration and sustainability Sanitation Efforts
@ lafm
@ laguajirahoy The COVID-19 Efforts
Revolts Mass Theft Road-Blocks
@ diariodelnorte @ diariolaguajira
@ mama.tierra Supervisors – Prof. Dr. Hanna Kokko – Prof. Dr. Jordi Bascompte – Prof. Dr. Marcus Hall – Prof. Dr. Marta Jaramillo-Mejía
Project Collaborators – Dr. Isabelle Schluep – Dr. Lourdes Grollimund – Katherine Klemenz
With the support from: – Dr. Soraya Arregoces Escobar – Dr. Soraya Pérez Escobar – Yaniris Arregoces Mesa – Idairis Iguaran – Jose Domingo Montiel – The Polanco and Suarez Families – Constanze Falenczyk