I got my first issue of the New Internationalist in the mail today, and I am hooked. I really enjoyed a short article on the issues that impoverished African peanut farmers have been having. The requirement of food safety standards has been crippling to many impoverished African farmers (who make up 60% of the population) because they cannot afford to test their crops. This is a difficult situation, because food quality testing is extremely important. However, International Agricultural Research Center for Semi-Arid Tropics is producing a testing kit in Malawi. that is only $1 instead of the typical $25. Since the introduction of these discounted kits, over 4,000 farmers have sent safe peanuts to Europe. The success in Malawi has paved the way for the transfer of this project to other nations.
Many would look upon this occurrence and scoff, stating that peanut farmers can hardly make a difference in the overall improvement of Africa. I, however, have to disagree. I was talking to my friend about economic struggles in Africa, and I came to the realization that charity benefits and NGO's will do absolutely NO positive longterm effect upon poverty in Africa unless they succeed in empowering and educating Africans. Unless these people become independent, the "problem of Africa" will never be fixed. Obviously, there are steps that need to be accomplished before Africa becomes totally self-sufficient. The Western world must no longer accept the rule of cruel, murdering dictators. We can no longer ignore the pleas for help coming from victims of disease and genocide. The United States cannot shut its eyes to the poverty that seems omnipresent in Africa. Of course these changes will not happen in a month, year, or decade. However, with continual hard work, I believe that the world can make the necessary steps to make Africa self-reliant. And that's awesome.
I agree with this. Though it may not be a newspaper, there are at least 2 episodes of The West Wing that cover just this topic. Drug companies are screwing (pardon the parlance) Africans who cannot afford the medication, and it is tedious to take. When we send money overseas, it goes to corrupt leaders who have been there since before either one of us was born. We need to empower Africa with actual jobs and education, which is unbelievably cheap.
ReplyDeletePut simply: we have money. They don't. It's our duty to make sure it gets directly to them.
Absolutely! I strongly believe that empowering African people to become independent is both cheaper and miles more effective than piling money on the problem. This problem will be solved by people who care enough to lay out a strategic plan and making sure that it is seen through to completion.
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