By Olusegun Obasanjo, Special to CNN
Editor’s note: Olusegun Obasanjo is a former president of Nigeria and a member of the Africa Progress Panel, chaired by Kofi Annan. The views expressed are the author’s own.
Images of starving children, epitomised in news coverage from Ethiopia in the 1980s, have given Africa a reputation for famine that does an injustice to the continent’s potential.
It’s true that a recent report by three U.N. agencies said nearly 239 million in Africa are hungry, a figure some 20 million higher than four years ago. And recent crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel certainly highlight the desperate uncertainties of food supply for millions – malnutrition still cuts deep scars into progress on health and education.
But the Africa Progress Panel and many others believe that Africa has the potential not only to feed itself, but also to become a major food supplier for the rest of the world
Consider, for example, Africa’s agricultural land. According to an influential recent analysis, Africa has around 600 million hectares of uncultivated arable land, roughly 60 percent of the global total.
And on the land that is being used, outdated technologies and techniques mean productivity is low. African cereal yields, for example, are just over one-third of the developing world average and have barely increased in 30 years. One major issue is that as much as 80 percent of Africa’s agriculture still depends on rain not irrigation.
So what should be done to increase agricultural productivity in Africa?
First, African and donor agricultural policies must focus on the smallholder farmers. Some African governments see the efficiencies of large scale commercial farming as a means to increase productivity. But Africa cannot increase its food production, create jobs and reduce poverty on the scale required without unlocking the potential of smallholder agriculture.
In addition, Africa’s rapidly growing youth population makes job creation an urgent matter for many of the continent’s governments. Already, nearly two out of three Africans depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
And in countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya, agriculture is key to reducing poverty. In these countries, agricultural growth has been shown to reduce poverty twice as fast as any other sector.
Governments must invest in infrastructure that gives these smallholders better access to markets, including storage facilities to keep produce in good quality, and new and better roads. Governments must also invest in research and development to help smallholder farmers access new techniques and technologies such as drought resistant seeds. They should encourage innovations in information and communication technologies, which may also help to involve young Africans in the sector.
Second, African government s must deal with the land grab issue, as mentioned in an earlier article for this series by my fellow Panel member Michel Camdessus.
Population growth, a burgeoning global middle class, and the search for low-carbon energy sources mean that demand for food and biofuels has shot through the roof. Spotting profit opportunity, foreign investors are scrambling for a piece of the action. They rent land, use the latest agricultural methods (plus precious water from nearby sources), export the food, and make a fortune.
Africa has been at the epicentre of global land deals. Between 2000 and 2011, for example, Africa saw an estimated 948 land deals, covering 124 million hectares – an area larger than France, Germany, and the United Kingdom combined. Many of these transactions involve countries along the Nile and Niger rivers, whose water will be used to irrigate thirsty agricultural schemes. Typically, foreign investors win concessions at low rent and with extensive tax exemptions.
Contracts are often negotiated behind closed doors without consulting affected communities. Indeed, many of these schemes have seen local communities forcibly removed from their land.
Some deals have been complicated for investors, too. In Ethiopia, an armed group ambushed workers from a Saudi-owned agribusiness project, killing five. Analysts say the ambush in April 2012 was linked to the project’s plan to use large amounts of precious water from the nearby Alwero River, upon which thousands of people depend for their survival.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we support the combination of foreign expertise with local knowledge to increase production, generate jobs, and transfer technical know-how. But what Africa does not need, and cannot afford, is the use of African land and water by foreign investors who use Africa’s scarce resources to supply food and biofuels to other countries. And for Africans, the benefits of large-scale land acquisitions have been questionable.
Africa’s smallholder farmers need protection in such deals. The African Union should develop a framework for managing foreign investment in agriculture, and governments should assess large-scale land deals and consider a moratorium pending legislation to protect smallholder farmers.
Third, governments and others must help smallholder farmers manage risk more effectively. Crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel have highlighted the risks faced by smallholder farmers, who are barely able to feed themselves and their families as it is.
Governments and donors should provide cash or food that enables rural producers to get through the difficult periods of drought, for example, without compromising long-term productivity or withdrawing their children from school. Governments and donors should help household enterprises reduce their dependence on agriculture.
Fourth, we want to see the international community devote more money and more effort to improving food security and nutrition in Africa, an issue that goes to the heart of so many other development challenges. By weakening a child’s resistance to disease, malnutrition is a major contributor to child mortality. A global study in 2008 found that an average one third of all child deaths were related to malnutrition.
The Panel welcome this year’s Camp David G-8 commitments to launch a New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. This New Alliance aims to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next decade. And we will be watching eagerly when the United Kingdom assumes presidency of the G-8 next year.
Fifth, and finally, the international community should step up their support for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Higher temperatures, increased water evaporation, less predictable rainfall, increased water stress and an expansion of drought zones is likely undermine production. Cassava and maize yields could fall by 15 percent and 30 percent respectively by 2050, for example. And research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) suggests that climate change effects alone will push an additional 1 million children into malnutrition by 2030.
At the Africa Progress Panel, we hope these risks and the enormous opportunities of a growing global market will lead African governments to invest in agriculture and raise productivity. We fear that such risks could lead to a dramatic worsening of poverty and malnutrition among vulnerable communities.
But while rich countries have been spending billions of dollars on climate change adaptation, such as flood defenses, Africa has been receiving peanuts.
One recent study for Tanzania concluded that an annual investment of $100 million in adaptation for smallholders – encompassing support for small-scale irrigation, terracing, rural roads and research – would prevent annual losses of several hundreds of millions of dollars.
Consider that while the U.K. spends $1.2 billion annually on flood defenses, African nations receive just $100 million to $200 million for climate adaptation through the specialized multilateral funds created for this purpose. This amounts to what Desmond Tutu has aptly described as “adaptation apartheid.”
African leaders and their partners must all do more to shape the continent’s mighty farming potential. One day Africa could feed the world. But first it must feed itself.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Reblogged this on forgetmenotafrica.
Africa has been exploited for it's people and natural resources throughout history which is unfortunate. The reason for this is not that Africa is it's own worst enemy it is that more advanced societies are taking advantage of less advances societies in Africa for material and financial gain with the trad-off being Africa losing precious resources. Where are the worlds oldest and largest universities? in Europe and the Americas. The educational knowledge to run advances civilization has historically been in places other then Africa. With the aforementioned there is a difference between doing what is in the best interest of a company and what is in the best interest of the local community or country you are working in. Let's take slavery for example, one can persuade or entice local tribe leaders with gold and things they want however the most likely did not understand the ramifications of what they were doing from a higher level perspective such as macro or micro economically, not to mention the long term effects of population reduction and hindering the advancement of their civilization from a third world country to a first world country...these are higher educational concepts. The saying that knowledge is power is true, it has the power do good and bad. Now that Africa is starting to have universities and some the best minds from across the globe help it, let's stop taking every natural resource we can from it and truly help it's people develop and advance. The amount of poverty and lack of advancement from a third world to first world society has to stop in Africa, it will take Africans to attain higher education in all areas of academia to ensure that policies, laws, and the governments truly do what is in it's best interest.
I could have proofread this (and should have)...been a long day.
There is the strange tendancy to only view African history after the colonial era. Africa has been highly fragmented tribaly,terrritorialy, etc,and from Eurasia ,and other more local disputes long before european rule. That is what made it ripe for colonial domination.That doesn't excuse it, but lets put history straight. Africa has to owe up to horrible human rights records at its own hands, including nations where traditional rule returned. Untill the many warring factions stop blamming all of its problems on everyone else there will never be real improvement. Revisionist history does not solve anything. If anything much of the strife is a sad example of the fight for resoursces that will plague the ever expanding needs of a overpopoulating industrialized world . It may be a baromometer of the struggle of societies scarcity of basic materials the future holds- without a better plan.
What must not be allowed is for companies like Moinsanto, Bayer, Dupont to stay out of Africa. They have devistated enough lands already with all their chemically created Genitics Crap. Africa has to be unfragmented before much can be done on any grand scale.
Africa is not the only country that has been exploited but they are the only ones who haven't fought off or recovered like China, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, India, and etc. It takes a strong nation and will to use your resources so that everybody benefits. The concept of blood diamonds makes me laugh really hard.
Or... or.. WE JUST EAT THE AFRICANS. Eh? Eh?
how to rob africa
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2012/11/201211714649852604.html
Hahahaha,
For so long we criticised China, about everything, by hiding the reality behind the wall.
With the big shock, now we came-out from wall and we keep saying China is growing. China got faster. China this, China that.....
What happened for Africa now, might become similar to the saying to China.
Technically, Africa keep feeding the whole World, mostly to the West. But, no record has been told through the Media.
Mostly, the West placed its chosen leaders in Africa, to get free accesses of African resources-continually.
The West owed Africa, too much.
Why the West supplying Weapons to Africa??
Too much fooling and Chemical attacks has been done against Africa and Africans.
This is a crock – Africa is their own worst enemy and will be for YEARS TO COME.
Africans should be instructed how to use a zipper.
Africa has been feeding the world and supplying much wealth via the resources stolen by colonialist invaders. When you next see the grand mansions in England keep in ind that much of the wood used to build those houses was stolen from Africa. Also the wealth used to build those grand mansions was extracted from kidnapped and enslaved Africans. European invaders need to start creating their own wealth from European resources,and hard work, and quit stealing from Africa.
Hey Lexx, explain to us all how they are still stealing from the African nations in such a massive way. Present day people should probably send $$ to the african americans to make ammends for the colonialist actions too I presume....your kind of mentality is simplistic and expected.
Talk nonsense Lexx. Have you ever even been to Africa and understood the African culture. Africa has so much potential still but only for the progressive kind of person who does not blame anyone else for their inability to get ahead,
One need only look at the recent history of Rhodesia to see whom is the worst enemy of Africa. It is Africans themselves. Africans are a group more tribal than Arabs with neither of them being able to create anything on their own.
mensa141 is so right, Been there and seen it....Half of them think they get aids from the whiteman and the other half thinks they get it from the avacados....Any africa that can get a few bucks and a few followers together wants to be a Captain King or warlord.......I am not for putting any money in that bottomless pit.......
Great article. I wonder about knowledge resource opportunities. It seems to me that it is easy to provide low cost irrigation resources. It is difficult to get locals to install and maintain the irrigation systems. Information is the most most powerful resource and the most difficult to disperse.
The genocide and problems of under-educated people will over shadow the work for many generations. The idea there , let us make babies, fight and forget our responsibilities
My grandfather was an engineer who went over to Algeria decades ago for a few years to help villagers dig wells and build small-scale irrigation systems for their fields. He had the knowledge and shared it with the locals but ultimately made little progress. Why? The local shamans told the villagers the wells and irrigation were "unnatural" and they shouldn't use it. Many projects were abandoned.
People cannot be helped if they don't want help and if they aren't instrumental in helping themselves. Most countries across Africa will be struggling for a very long time because they refuse to open their minds to change and they are deeply afflicted with a culture of graft. Africans need to stop screwing themselves over. Who sold that land to the foreign investors for personal profit? Africans. Who is selling all those blood diamonds? Who sells the bauxite and tantalum and other valuable minerals to foreign buyers while screwing the miners and landowners? Africans. Who captured and sold African slaves in the 18th and 19th centuries? Africans. There's blame all around but the finger always seems to point outwards. Until we see the flaws within ourselves, we can never make progress.
It is quite possible that he correctly understood the situation. However, North Africa has had a long history of overuse of ground water ruining farmland. In many cases, it was probably an engineer from the coast or Europe or the Middle East telling them that this would be fine, nothing to worry about and in a couple or three decades farmland has to be abandoned due to salininzation, wells run dry and the folks who put the system in are nowhere to be held accountable. You would not know that many areas of what are now Algeria, Tunisia and Libya were once the breadbaskets of southern Europe. A lot of the farmland will take decades or centuries to recover from what was done with well technology in the late 19th/early 20th centuries and the locals are well advised to be wary.
This is a very apt piece, while one can not help but raise the question; what efforts did "Obasanjo" do in this regard when he was president, one must still ask; what is being done? Let's hope the right people see this and endevour to take advantage of the situation to make a change
My sentiments exactly. Why didnt he do something when he was the president. Corrupt people only out to gain and not give back!.
My guy didn't win either but right wingnuts need to get over it.
One wonders who is the wing nut, given your post.
"Second, African government s must deal with the land grab issue,". I totally agree with OBJ, in Nigeria.for instance, govt.own all d land without recourse to d natives who often resort to violence to restate their rights over their ancestral lands.
Since when has the letter d replaced the word "the" ??
The same day "Za" replaced "the."
I think Michael got you there:-)
Africa is in an enviable position to own some "600 million hectares of uncultivated arable land, roughly 60 percent of the global total". Hard labour, heavy investment in infrastructure and efficient planning would no doubt help improve the conditions to develope these lands.
You forgot to mention j.von hettlingen, that we need somehow to get the U.S., Great Britain and France to quit meddling into the affairs of these countries too. Without Western interference, most African countries stand a better chance at feeding themselves as well as the rest of the world.
Bunk. They need to bring back the Colonial powers to get anything done.
When you mention that we (USA) needs to stop meddling, does that mean quit financially supporting them? Our country spends BILLIONS ever year in foreign aide. For what reason? All the aide that has been generously given to them has gone to no avail! Nothing has ever changed. They don't deserve our money!
From an anthropological stand point all of human kind originated from that continent. They have the oldest genome's known to science today. Why can't they get it together on their own?
Let them starve! Save our money and put it back into our country! They don't deserve our foreign aide in the first place.
Then why do I keep seeing these tv ads always asking "ME" in NorthAmerica to send money to feed their people?
Lest we forget, they need to stop burning it, and kil ling off the farmers. Some places never CHANGE we were talking about this in 1960 in CIVICS class. We will be talking about this next generation as well.
As i see it from here in India i guess most of the African countries seem to be indulging in groups fighting one another.This must stop.To peruse any kind of development there is a need for a condusive atmosphere.The African Union must play a role or a more proactive Organisation to Promote African unity must materialise.United Africa can face upto the exploitation by foreign powers and follow a path of mutual give and take vis-a-vis developmental agencies,inflow of foreign technology and capital from outside.And above all the African people must have a steely resolve to help themselves with integrity and hard work to build up the infrastructure.Self-help groups must be formed from the village leve, everywhere.Every thing need not wait for some big bang thing to happen.Small efforts by individuals/families on a National scale can make a huge difference.United we stand.Divided we fall.God Bless Africa!
And just who is going to do that hard labor that you speak of? Not a lot of hope for that to happen.
What a joke! Obasanjo speaking about land grabbing. He certainly is an authority on the matter – that is as a land grabber himself. Recently, he proudly brought US's Dominion Farms, operating a much criticized rice farm in Kenya's Yala Swamp, to Nigeria's Taraba State. A deal for 30,000 ha of land. Worst of all, he is the owner of Obasanjo Farms that in 2002 acquired 10,000 ha of land in Cross River State for oil palm cultivation. Not only was the deal highly illegal – being located within a Forest Reserve and National Park, which to date have not been de-reserved – but evicted large numbers of small-scale farmers from their farmlands. Compensation has never been paid and an EIA assessment was never done – ignoring multiple laws in the process And here he is talking about condemning land grabbing while during his presidency he took such advantage of his power to acquire land for his own businesses.
he probably had an assistant write this piece.
More info relating to the above post below.
Dominion:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/obasanjo-leads-prospective-american-investors-to-taraba/
Obasanjo Farms:
http://www.newswatchngr.com/editorial/prime/2002/09092002/cover10910203805.htm
http://www.piratetv.net/rrdc/news/letters/memo1002.htm
Reblogged this on Leadatrium and commented:
A manifesto for African leaders; one key players must gather around, form a think-tank as we begin solving tomorrow's problems today. Well done OBJ!
Bring back the great powers managing the African nations as colonies. Once they left these countries, it all fell apart. Allowing for the upgraded treatments of the native population, these people will be much better off. Modernization of Africas infrastructure will be necessary. This benefits the country and the native population. Left to fend for itself Africa has no hope of ever modernizing or benefitting the populace. Until this occurs Africa will continue to live the 3rd world standards.
Until Africa can feed itself, it cannot talk about feeding the world.
Africa can't feed its starving millions and yet, there is obviously no form of birth control that is needed desperately! Give these people birth control to stem the over-populating! National Geographic had a picture in one of their publications and it showed an african woman, carrying a starving baby, pregnant with another one and three little starving children following her, THIS IS REPREHENSIBLE AT BEST! She keeps having babies and they starve to death before they are three years old!!!! Birth control is NEEDED! Stop asking America to feed these people, STOP THEM FROM MULTIPLYING!!!!!
Birth control was sent to Africa once and it was found the men were taking the pill not the women. Education is needed to improve this nation.
this nation?
That just goes to show that you have never been to Africa, you do not know anything about Africa and you, therefore, do not have any right to say anything about Africa.
AFRICA IS A CONTINENT.
Thank you very much.
Africa already fed the world... When it was colonized by European countries, the Europeans stole and possessed most of it's natural resources for Europe. I think It's about time Africa was allowed to feed itself and we stop taking from Africa.
This is a frightening idea. What we need is to aggressively stop population growth in every country. The idea of turning Africa into a farm for the world is a disaster waiting to happen. Birth control – that is what we need.
oh now is all the wildlife going to have to be killed off so every fricking square inch can be planted? there are too many people on the planet already. not enough jobs for everyone so there is suffering due to economics. leave the last wild places alone – everything does not have to be destroyed and used up. leave it alone.
What is frightening is that mainland China is thinking of ending its one-child policy. They are already crowding their overpopulation into Central Asia, pushing out peoples who have lived there for thousands of years. And there is ittle water out there! If China goes back to normal reproduction it will be a natural catastrophe. They can barely feed themselves now.
Bring back Colonialism. That's the only way Africa will become anything besides the money-pit it is now.
The solution is not colonialism but RESPONSIBLE leardership and investment. there is no reason we cannot improve the economic status of africa and benefit from exports in the future. It is a win win for everyone.
It could do alot to feed the world but not as long as tribalism and lack of education and opportunity prevails. It would take a cold, western-type infrastructure to do that and if you mix in political Islam, it just can't succeed. Shame.
It would be great if Africa could at least grow enough food to feed its own people. Starvation is a disgusting way to die.
For this to happen, the people would have to end their tribal mentality. They haven't been able to that for ast long as history has records.
I wish them luck, but how is it possible for a country/countries that have been established for several thousand years to still be so backward and poverty stricken when a nation like the US is only 300 years old. to be so prosperous?
Does anybody remember such an African country like Rhodesia? No more comments – Period
- Very good example about Rhodesia! It used to be well established state with strong economy, fierce local-born black and white patriots. As soon as white government fell, all went straight to hell. All land from white farmers was expropriated in favour of new "president's" supporters. What a nice example of African leadership...
Evolution takes its toll... their genes are 3 million years behind us.. they can not feed them self ... how someone can think they can feed someone else.. so much help went to Africa in money cloth education machines...... their genes are no on par with ours. EVOLUTION ..... they will get there eventually .........
This article is incredibly shortsighted as many idealistic ideas are. The world is already overpopulated and you propose creating yet more people. It never ceases to amaze me how someone says we should help others without a long term plan. I'm 35. I grew up watching Ethiopians starving on the TV. The world would step in, throw a bunch of food at them, and watch them create more mouths they could not feed.
It's funny. Purify their water. Give them more food. Teach them to irrigate.
WHAT ABOUT BIRTH CONTROL!!!? Why don't you give them the education to live sustainably?
You need to face it. Half the time you people do more harm than good.
Shortsighted : I'm 66 yrs. old and I've been watching the same thing you saw 35 yrs. ago. And will still seeing the same thing today. And we will probably(no most definetly) see this same crap 60 yrs. after I'm gone.
i always thought that maybe all of Africa would benefit of growing and cultivating Nopales..this vegetable survives different climates...except snow..healthy and used a lot in Mexico..
AND IS THIS ARIABLE LAND IN THE AREAS WHERE ENDANGRED WILDLIFE LIIVES? Let's kep africa wid and untamed. Animals have to have have to have a place to live too. Human beings are a rapacious species. Let.s try a little international birt control and reduce the human population for a change.
My thought, too. Not a peep of what comprises all this uncultivated acreage. Most likely, jungle and savanna lands that are the last stands for the magnificent African wildlife. That, too, will be lost in the greed grab. I'm getting so sick of the human race . . .
lg Michigan: Have you ever seen the life of a hIppo? They live next a pool of water ,or live right in it. They eat ,wallow,and pee and crap in the same place for,forever.....They don't do nothing but exist. I want to keep an animal like that going for forever?,when that land could be used for a creature with at least half a brain. Evolution happens and just like the dinasour they're time has come. And ,you can replace the word hippo with anything you want.....thankyou...
The solution is simple. On 2016, Obama should move over there and help his roots. Or not?
There was once a country in Africa called Rhodesia that fed much of the continent until something happened, can't remember what though....
It would be politically incorrect to remind you what happened there...
Africa needs to feed it's self before it can feed the world. But it is possible for Africa to feed the world using the technology we have today. I designed a water project in Botswana most of which has not been used yet but the same water project could be used in other countries in Africa.
Africa needs to concentrate on feeding its own people and preserving its own environment and not try and feed the world. Not all space and resources should be for human habitation. Other species need to live as well and Africa has a great tourism industry providing jobs for people based on the beauty of their natural environment.
Africa just like America has land that is not being used for anything that can be converted to farms. It is up to Africa weather they want to grow food to feed Africans and then grow food for export. Take Botswana for example they were a poor country with little water now they have plenty of water and one of the highest incomes per person in Africa.
when that will go to happen ? soon we don't believe, later when they killed themselves , maybe
FOLKS,
Do not be deceived by this author...this is the ultimate mafia boss in a gangsta country(Nigeria) and hapless people(africans). Dream on...
I totally agree!!!
This is the usual gibberish spouted. The rest of the world can feed itself... it's an Africa with an exponentially growing population that never can. So it's academic whether Africa could feed others because it is simply unneeded. The author, like other Nigerian pols, should give up his Swiss bank account to help his own people and stop looking for more handouts.
What Africa needs is more birth control and less aid money. The Western governments, U.N. and NGO's give most of their aid to Africa and it amounts to hundreds of billions a year when added all together. That is more than everything we buy from them put together... so other commenters points on Africa being exploited for resources are rubbish. It is really just a giant money pit.
Giant money pit is correct!! I am a nurse here in the USA and there are so many African immigrants, all of which pour money back into Africa! All the Liberian's I work with have absolutely NO intention of staying in this country! They plan on keeping an American address and bank account so they can collect all of the American money they can so they can live like monarchy back in their own countries!
To hell with amnesty to the Liberians! I hope the USA wises up and does NOT extend their visa's! Get them the hell out of here so Americans can get their jobs back!
That also goes for the Kenyans, Nigerians, and all the other African's here on political asylum visa's! GO HOME!!!
Such a sad person you are.
This article is a bit misleading. The discussion of climate protection expenditures for example. UK spends it's own money to protect itself. The author is asking for a handout here as in other places throughout the article. I concur with the birth control thoughts as this was critical to China getting to health and then wealth. I sincerely doubt it will happen in Africa for at least one generation.
I always thought of this for Africa. With the advancement in farming here and the developed world Africa could florish to beet out malnutrition. And advance banking also for the family farms.
I forget which country in Africa recently kicked all the white farmers off their land and now not only is the land lying fallow,their economy is non existent.Africa only succeeds when the white man is there,when he's gone,it goes right back to the ghetto life.
I don't think whites even existed when Africans were building Kmt were they lol. Which became and still is the model of the world. No whites need WMD's and everyone else in the world to establish anything.
That is good old Mugabe's Zimbabwe!!! Some of the white farmers farms were there for over 200 years after being colonized! Now they have inflation worse than the USA! And Mugabe also bull dozed down the slums...
What an idiot! I can't believe we waste so much money and energy trying to "help" them!
Screw them! So backwards!
Soylent black?
Bwhahahahahahaah!!!! Good one!!!!
What africa should do is kick all the Foreigners out establish peace brotherhood and comradery amongst tribes and African states liken to Europeans. Realign all its resources minerals, oil, gold and diamonds and all the other ish it has. Adequately tax like an established world power. Form the (USA) United States of Africa or something close to it. Become a world power and stop playing fiddle to countries with inferior resources. The reason Africa was colonized in the first damn place. O yea and take one more from the power that be and arm themselves to the teeth so that its people and recourses are never ever taken advantage of again. That’s what Africa needs do when it becomes the bread basket of the world yet again.
One day Africa will repair the world for being such a drag on on the worlds resources for the longest time. Black people might become important(doubtful) but we can be sure they will work to create the food for everyone else, like how we work and give them free food now.
U mean one day the world will repay Africa for all its transgressions. The Orginal people of the earth reastblished, normancy and decency added back to the world no world wars, racism and barbarism as the norm. O its written and its happeining. As it was in the beginning it'll be that in the end and we're very close to the end that just ROOT for all those who have knowledge wisdom and understanding.
I just farted..can anyone smell it?
I farted and can't get up...help me fart alert
sure good luck dealing with those idiots
Warlords, Islam not good for Africa. Can anyone name one of the 57 countries in the OIC that does not have a totalitarian government, is friendly toward non-Muslims, and lives happy and prosperous? Dubai is the only example. Yet millions of Africans are flooding into Europe and Israel illegally. The West is told by the United Nations to respect cultural difference. Let's say China ends their one child policy and their population doubles to 6 billions. Shouldn't the offspring be required to remain where born? Where is the responsibility & accountability of the parents to provide adequately for their children? Why does the West have to absorb cultural differences? Socialists and globalists want open borders. Nationalists want to protect their culture, language, and customs. If my neighbor fills up his house with children, when does it become my responsibility to house his kids when there is no more room at his residence?
We actually already have enough food to feed everyone on the planet. We're just feeding huge amounts of it to livestock.
Is this idiot really advocating wiping out the jungle to grow food?
I would love to see Africa support Africa.
Mike, I would love to see more posts like yours.
- Demanding self-sufficiency, accountability (and perhaps a suggestion to evaluate the 'African Condition' at the macroscopic level)
- Rather than the denial, weepy references of victimization, and other lists of threadbare excuses
- You give no quarter to the apologists, politically correct (here known as Disconnected Enablers) et al. to perpetuate their failed / futile quests.
Well said.
The one thing wrong with Africa is the Africans ! Blacks have been a hinderence since the Egyptians built the pyramids... even then the slaves used had be brought from another continent to build Giza, Luxor and Alexandria. That in itself says how useless thay are and always will be. They are the reason entire species of animals are been poached to extinction, fertile lands are turning into deserts (look a Hati... if you don't plant things after cutting everything down...), AIDS, sickle cell, ebola, and internet scamming Nigerians! After selling their neighbors to the white traders, America gets blamed for all slavery.... they give monkeys' a bad name.
Honest Abe caused all of our problems–Resident of Florida–78-years–Gasprilla, Florida
OBASANJO CANNOT WRITE SUCH AN ARTICLE.ALL NIGERIANS NOW THAT.I DID NOT READ IT BECAUSE I SAW HE WROTE IT.HE SHOULD BE FACING EFCC FOR ALL THE MONEY HE STOLE WHILE IN POWER.
You are right.
In many ways Africa has more mineral and even farming potential than the US, but it is politically in the stone age. Until the
people of Africa learn to work together they will always be a third rate continent.
They have not learned what the zipper is for
Well said!!!
People need to read the Bell Curve...
Read "The Story of B" as well. Agriculture is the problem, not the solution.
Interesting article.
I have lived in Africa and traveled quite a bit, mainly in the DRC Congo.
I wonder how much of the land would require clearing of the jungle. Africa is doing some things right. They have a number of growing universities, and I was impressed with the number of smart educated young people there are. Cell phone technology is exploding, which is connecting them to the world. There are 5 cell phone companies in the country (in 2010). They have many overlapping areas, and other areas that they cover alone. As a result, traveling business people carry 2 or 3 cell phones and extra simm chips for the different companies. When they sit down at a table they pull out their cell phones, and switch chips, depending on who they need to call in which cell phone area. This will get better as the companies expand.
Congo has tremendous natural resources, which is also a reason for the political instability as the parties fight over control of the wealth, mainly in the Eastern Congo.
We need to stop playing the blame game, and find ways to invest in the smart, young Africans starting up businesses. Then they need to figure out a way to control the businesses in a way that helps the locals.
I'd like to see American or European markets set up manufacturing plants in Africa, in cities like Kinshasa. It would give us an alternative to China for our products and everyone would benefit.
Well–go back to Africa-watch those spears
How Africa could feed the world......
It's not about feeding more........that's like throwing gas on a fire........it's about birth reduction since this planet is collapsing under the weight of 7,400,000,000 hungry mouths.....abortions and sterilization would be more productive.
Had the displeasure of meeting this ass clown when I lived in Lagos. He's a corrupt former dictator who now bills himself as a simple farmer. A simple farmer with a Bentley purchased with funds he stole from his people while he was in power. I am thoroughly disgusted to see this man's article on CNN. Yes, Africa could feed the world, and was doing a good job of feeding itself until corrupt dictators like Obasanjo took over the countries and nationalized all farms and businesses owned by non-africans. Zimbabwe is a prime example. A one time net exporter of grain, its fields now lay unused and overrun with weeds. Do not trust anything Obasanjo says. There is a reason the nasty Nigerian gang leader in the film District 9 was named Obasanjo......
The "600 million hectares of arable land" includes nature preserves, rain forest and tribal lands, to be sure. Yes, Africa can feed the world (and so could Asia or South America) if only we are willing to destroy the environment to do it, and cause the death of endangered species and human cultures that are living in harmony with nature. This is a capital Bad Idea, and utterly impractical as well. Do not believe it for one second.
Since they are too lazy to work, are they just going to redistribute charity?
Africa is a land mass. So calling people African is only identies them by what part of the earth someone lives on. Saying "Africans need to do this Africans need to do that" is kind of ignorant and your arguments loses merit. Just like all the people who live on the Americas Dont act and believe and have different laws and customes , so does the inhabitants of the people who live on Africa.... It's just amazing how confident some of you Mexicans are.. i know you not Mexican , but according to some of you all logic it dont matter
There is no right or wrong about Africa and its peoples being behind the developed countries and other peoples of the world. Civilizations developed separately over many thousands of years; some fast, some slow, some not at all. Sub-saharan Africa was/is a group of primitive societies and cultures. European societies and cultures developed quickly, for reasons no one knows – location, resources, climate, wars, intelligence, ? What exists now is a clash of civilizations, much like the grinding of tectonic plates. There has been much suffering and tragedy as a result. Modern transportation and communication means the grinding is not going to stop. The best we can hope for is education to foster self-development and determination in Africa. No need to denigrate them because they are behind the curve. They are simply trying to make a living, as we all are.
Just like the middle east – sitting on a ton of oil, but the primitive screwheads are too concearned with whose god is bigger to invent, build, and create –
africa – what a waste of some great land.
"It’s true that a recent report by three U.N. agencies said nearly 239 million in Africa are hungry, a figure some 20 million higher than four years ago. And recent crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel certainly highlight the desperate uncertainties of food supply for millions – malnutrition still cuts deep scars into progress on health and education." Would Africans be willing to sacrifice some of the tourism and some of the environment to feed these people.
For the case of South Africa, they had many highly productive and successful farms that provided for the nutrition needs of millions of people in the region. That was then, this is now, the farms are nothing but great swaths of weeds and tall grass. Why? That's because the government tossed out all the owners and farm managers. Squatters took over the land and homes and the farmers left the country and relocated to Iowa or Nebraska to continue their successful operations. Now South Africa cannot produce enough food for its needs and have to buy it from Iowa or Nebraska. How's that for poetic justice...
Things that make ya go Hmmm...
The Chinese are investing billions in Africa for its minerals and food. The U.S. needs to stop squandering money in the Middle East. They will soon no longer need Middle Eastern oil so to continue to waste money and lives there is ridiculous.
China is investing in America-the proud owners of ( 33% ) of 800,000 acres of land in Colorado,-for natural gas and oil rights--thanks Obama
Their are farms all over this country not just in Iowa and Nebraska and they should be able to do the same in Africa. They need to concentrate on feeding the people in Africa before they try to feed the people in China etc. Countries spend billions of dollars fighting wars in the middle east but they spend very little to help Africans get the water and food they need. With the technology they have had in the past and the improved technology they have today the Africans should have plenty of water and food.
So not true, William. The west has invested billions feeding and medicating the 3rd world. And, for some reason, they seem to hate us for doing so.
I don't think they hate us in Botswana!
This column means well. However, it's an outdated notion that one region focuses on one specialty for another (or the rest of the world). I believe a more futuristic and feasible vision for the 21st century should be that each region (even country or community) should feed itself in a sustainable way, which can keep off colonization or any conflict due to external forces and powers. We have technology that enables you to do so (including farming building powered by solar energy). Africa should not become someone else's farm or field that exposes locals to others' whim. Africa should become its own farm and field and build its own everything so that it can stay independent, self-sufficient, and attractive to its younger generations, although it will need others' help for now.
All they need is water and with water they can grow food.
Sad-take care of America first
Yes, Africa will be able feed self when the culturecorruption is fade out of Nigeria