Famine in Africa

Purple

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In the last 12 months one third of the livestock in Somalia has starved to death. 3.6 million cattle have also starved in Ethiopia and Kenya.
30 million people in sub-Saharan Africa are what the UK calls "acutely food insecure". This is not caused by war but it is exacerbated by the consequences of it.
The Maze harvest in Zimbabwe will be down by 44% from last year. The main cause is climate change and climate change is the main cause of food shortages in the continent which has contributed least to the problem but is suffering the greatest impact of it.

While the region faces those issues the war in Ukraine means that the price of food and energy have soared. In much of sub-Saharan Africa food makes up more than a third of their CPI basked for the calculation of inflation. What would usually happen is that, like in Somalia in 2016, the UN's world food programme would prevent famine but 40% of their grain comes from Ukraine. We are facing famine and political instability in the broader region unlike anything we have seen in decades and we've never been worse equipped to deal with it.

If we do nothing then we'll see;
  • Waved of immigrants coming across the Mediterranean
  • War and instability and an inevitable move towards extremism
  • An increase in the power and influence of China in the region and it's corresponding increased control of critical mineral deposits
In short there is a moral, political and economic imperative to help but I doubt that we in the rich world will do anything much and I'm certain that we in Ireland will continue to do virtually nothing.
 
Other than providing some assistance at the margins I am not sure what it is that the rich world can do to help.

'We' could take over running agriculture in Zimbabwe, a country of great agricultural potential which is not developed for politics reasons. Maybe 'we' could tell the Zimbabweans how to run their country ! The political issues which inhibit development are real and need to be addressed.

'We' could and should accept imports from underdeveloped countries on favourable terms, allowing them to build their economies. However there is no magic wand, and the long and slow process of economic development can only be done by the countries themselves. Much of that work is political rather than economic. Ethopia appeared to resolve its political difficulties some years ago, a period of great economic expansion followed, then political upheaval reappeared and the country is headed down again.

Of course political improvement and successful economic development would lead to growing inequality and further population growth.
 
Other than providing some assistance at the margins I am not sure what it is that the rich world can do to help.
We could give them food through the UN world food program.
'We' could take over running agriculture in Zimbabwe, a country of great agricultural potential which is not developed for politics reasons. Maybe 'we' could tell the Zimbabweans how to run their country ! The political issues which inhibit development are real and need to be addressed.
We did that for a few generations. That's a large part of the problem.
'We' could and should accept imports from underdeveloped countries on favourable terms, allowing them to build their economies.
Yes, that would be the single biggest thing we could do to help.
However there is no magic wand, and the long and slow process of economic development can only be done by the countries themselves.
As long as we give them access to our markets and don't dump our heavily subsidised produce on them.
Much of that work is political rather than economic. Ethopia appeared to resolve its political difficulties some years ago, a period of great economic expansion followed, then political upheaval reappeared and the country is headed down again.
I agree. There is a massive political deficit in most African countries. Western countries actively contribute to that instability in order to maintain access to cheap primary products. The Chinese have absolutely wiped the floor with us on that front by actually investing money and skilled people in the region.
Of course political improvement and successful economic development would lead to growing inequality and further population growth.
No it wouldn't. Political improvement and successful economic development lead to far greater equality and remove people from absolute poverty.
 
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I was not seriously suggesting that Zimbabweans should be told how to run their country, maybe I should have used a smiley face rather than an exclamation mark ! As I said the long and slow process of economic development can only be done by each country itself.

Economic improvement usually does bring increased inequality, perhaps it does not have to, but usually it does. In an area of extensive agriculture, someone builds a grain silo, every farmer benefits but the silo owner gets rich.
 
I was not seriously suggesting that Zimbabweans should be told how to run their country, maybe I should have used a smiley face rather than an exclamation mark ! As I said the long and slow process of economic development can only be done by each country itself.
As long as it is allowed to trade fairly and outside parties do not unduly influence that political development to their own ends. Unfortunately that's usually what happens in the region.
Economic improvement usually does bring increased inequality, perhaps it does not have to, but usually it does.
No it doesn't. Just look at Southeast Asia and the lifting of over a billion people out of absolute poverty in the last 30 years. Economic development required an educated workforce and a relatively large and educated middle class agitate for public services, less corruption and stringer state institutions. In short the conditions required for real democracy.
In an area of extensive agriculture, someone builds a grain silo, every farmer benefits but the silo owner gets rich.
Yes, but every farmer benefits. Wealth is created, not transferred from the farmers to the silo owner. The silo owner gets more of the new wealth but everyone gets richer. That leads to the middle class as outlined above etc.
 
What would usually happen is that, like in Somalia in 2016, the UN's world food programme would prevent famine but 40% of their grain comes from Ukraine.
The UN should ensure that export or Ukrainian grain is resumed. The Russian blockade and theft of Ukrainian grain shows that Putin is at war with humanity, not just Ukraine.
 
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