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Zanzibar Airport

How Fruits, Plants and Spices Enrich Zanzibar...

The Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, known locally as Unguja, has been a central trading place for spice as well as for ivory, gold and slaves in the past. Over the centuries, Indian and Persian influences were added to the initial mix of Arabian and African culture.


In the 2000 years of trading across the Indian Ocean, fruiting plants and spices from around the world have been introduced to Zanzibar and the smaller Pemba Island 80 kilometres to the north. The growth of plantations and trade in the sought-after spices brought new settlers, increasing demand for resources such as wood for building and herbs for medicine.

Spices are still a big part of daily life on Zanzibar and in Swahili culture, not just in food but as traditional medicines and for spiritual, cultural and cosmetic use. They are also a major export and tourist attraction. In 2013, tourism overtook agricultural exports as Tanzania’s main source of income — despite official statistics excluding informal activities such as spice farm tours, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Tourism income and jobs help alleviate poverty on Zanzibar, but the industry’s impact on livelihoods and the environment is questionable. Figures from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization indicate that about 60 per cent of the island’s population work in agriculture, about half unpaid. Climatic pressures such as unreliable rain patterns and increasing temperatures also threaten agricultural productivity on the island.

- See more at: http://www.scidev.net/global/biodiversity/multimedia/how-fruits-plants-and-spices-enrich-zanzibar.html#sthash.nAIPDgye.dpuf

Abiria toka Zanzibar Ashukiwa Kuwa Na Ebola

MORE than 100 passengers on Air Namibia flight SW722 were held in isolation for almost four hours Friday morning after it was suspected that one of them had Ebola.
The passengers in the flight, from Johannesburg that landed at Hosea Kutako International Airport at 07h32, were later released after doctors carried out checks.

Chairperson of the national health emergency management committee in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Dr Jack Vries, confirmed the quarantine, but said it was a false alarm.

"The suspected passenger had an allergic reaction after eating food that contained fish. He is, however, clear now," said Vries.

He also said the passenger, who had flown from Zanzibar in Tanzania, was told to return to the hospital in case he develops Ebola-like symptoms within the next 21 days.

Vries said one should be suspicious if they have a high fever. “Ask who they are and where they come from. Those two go hand in hand. This is very serious. Ebola kills nine out of 10 people and there is no cure,” said Vries.

The Namibian understands that the passenger is Namibian by nationality but lives in Zanzibar and is in the country on holiday.q

Primus Shilongo, an epidemiologist at Windhoek Central Hospital said they conducted an assessment, asking passengers questions about where they were coming from; and whom they had made contact with.

Shilongo said they realised that the Ebola alarm was false, while Air Namibia general manager of quality and safety, Raul Sosa Riera said the crew became suspicious when they realised that the passenger was coughing, had body rashes and persistent diarrhea.

Namibia Airports Company general manager for commercial services Toska Sem said the crew communicated with the air traffic control officer before landing, hence the immediate activation of the emergency plan.

“The plane was put on quarantine and no contact was made with other aircraft for safety reasons. The Ministry of Health and Social Services' emergency committee was called,” said Sem.
- See more at: http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?category_id=1&page_type=story_detail&id=16114#sthash.DlrEOPch.dpuf