The chair of the African Union, Azali Assoumani, said on Friday that proposals by Russian President Vladimir Putin to provide grain to Africa were not sufficient, and that a ceasefire in Ukraine was needed.
Why does Africa, a continent with suitable climate and ample lands for crops need to import food from…Europe? Shouldn’t it be the reverse? Surely more than 4000 years of African agricultural history can be tapped into to ensure at least some food security for grains? Or are Africans not up to the challenge? Oh, I’m a racist? Or are African leaders too corrupt, inept and just plain lazy to develop their own agriculture? The world, wonders.
This is just a nieve view. Africa is a diverse and very large continent, with many different lands.
Sure some countries have fantastic and stable agricultural lands, particularly near the equator. Other countries suffer large multi year droughts that can rapidly and negatively impact large populations. These populations then heavily depend on imports, and relief from a country like Ukraine, Russia, or the US that all make easily transportable grain.
The US has had a similar problem during the dust bowl of the 1930s. This is not an African only problem.
Africa has been getting steadily worse over the last several decades. Countries that used to export food to the rest of the continent, like Zimbabwe, are now impoverished and people there depend on aid to survive. Even the “best” countries are just staying level, but the continent is not succeeding as it should and shows no signs of doing so.
Why does Africa, a continent with suitable climate and ample lands for crops need to import food from…Europe? Shouldn’t it be the reverse? Surely more than 4000 years of African agricultural history can be tapped into to ensure at least some food security for grains? Or are Africans not up to the challenge? Oh, I’m a racist? Or are African leaders too corrupt, inept and just plain lazy to develop their own agriculture? The world, wonders.
This is just a nieve view. Africa is a diverse and very large continent, with many different lands.
Sure some countries have fantastic and stable agricultural lands, particularly near the equator. Other countries suffer large multi year droughts that can rapidly and negatively impact large populations. These populations then heavily depend on imports, and relief from a country like Ukraine, Russia, or the US that all make easily transportable grain.
The US has had a similar problem during the dust bowl of the 1930s. This is not an African only problem.
Africa has been getting steadily worse over the last several decades. Countries that used to export food to the rest of the continent, like Zimbabwe, are now impoverished and people there depend on aid to survive. Even the “best” countries are just staying level, but the continent is not succeeding as it should and shows no signs of doing so.
Technology, capital, corruption
There’s a way to talk about shit without doing this. Also remember Africa got fucked over by Europe so why is that surprising?