The hit on world grain supplies from Russia’s war in Ukraine compounds the ills of African conflicts, climate change and the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic
The hit on world grain supplies from Russia’s war in Ukraine compounds the ills of African conflicts, climate change and the aftereffects of the Covid-19 pandemic
More than a century, and they continue to exploit developing countries still now… hope the EU will refund and repair the damages of colonialism and, if they don’t do it willingly (from time to time a proposal at the European Parliament goes in that direction but is abandoned afterwards) that they will be demanded to!
Even if Europe never offers any refund or repair, Africa would still be much better off if only the neocolonial West, Russia, and China would just stop interfering in African nations and exploiting them.
The war in Ukraine kind of showed us all what happens when a house of cards starts to collapse. Countries dependent on each other for various resources (fuel from russia to the west for example) was something people thought nobody would cease because of the self harm imposed were the fuel to stop flowing. But then we get Putin thinking he is all big and bad and suddenly the oil stops and the house collapses. Countries from Africa aren’t magical. They work the same way.
Then you get the impact of Ukraine (known as the bread basket of Europe) suddenly being unable to supply the food it once could. So you get countries that once relied upon these sources being required to source it from elsewhere.
example;
About 6.26mn t of Ukrainian wheat was exported to Africa in the 2021-22 marketing year (June-July), accounting for nearly 12pc of African wheat imports. Egypt was the largest buyer, having purchased about 2.82mn t, followed by Tunisia and Morocco with 634,000t and 596,000t, respectively. In 2020, 15 African countries imported over 50 per cent of their wheat products from the Russian Federation or Ukraine. Six of these countries (Eritrea, Egypt, Benin, Sudan, Djibouti, and Tanzania) imported over 70 per cent of their wheat from the region.
Global climate change and the all the plants and animals that have gone extinct makes Africa a different place than it was when hominids first evolved. And the population sizes were on entirely different magnitudes pre-agriculture. And even then, when they did start spreading, many of them starved or died from other things we would consider preventable in modern contexts.
So whether or not people are currently dealing with food insecurity in Africa has pretty much nothing to do with where humanity evolved from. The explanation for what is going on, even though we have agriculture and could feed everyone, is colonialism.
Yes, Europeans are absolutely not exonerated for taking advantage of African slavery.
It’s a shame that such a naturally-rich continent has been existing in relative poverty for so long.
It also goes into how uhh, people have mentioned that economies built around raw materials aren’t as wealthy as those who refine and develop those materials.
I think, though, that is all goes back to slavery. It’s easier to exploit low-skilled harvesters than high-skilled refiners/implementers.
How come that whole continent, which is the birthplace of homo sapiens, can’t feed it’s population?
Probably from the Europeans pilfering their lands for almost a century.
Damn Euros.
More than a century, and they continue to exploit developing countries still now… hope the EU will refund and repair the damages of colonialism and, if they don’t do it willingly (from time to time a proposal at the European Parliament goes in that direction but is abandoned afterwards) that they will be demanded to!
Even if Europe never offers any refund or repair, Africa would still be much better off if only the neocolonial West, Russia, and China would just stop interfering in African nations and exploiting them.
Why would that be the EU’s responsibility? Most of its members never were colonizers.
Ok so just Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Nederlands and Denmark. Agreed! Hope to see that happen, though.
Don’t hold your breath lol. Btw did you just forget about the biggest colonizer of them all because they’re not in the EU anymore?
Yes I was thinking of the EU members only because the UK won’t be affected by any directive of the European institutions.
The war in Ukraine kind of showed us all what happens when a house of cards starts to collapse. Countries dependent on each other for various resources (fuel from russia to the west for example) was something people thought nobody would cease because of the self harm imposed were the fuel to stop flowing. But then we get Putin thinking he is all big and bad and suddenly the oil stops and the house collapses. Countries from Africa aren’t magical. They work the same way.
Then you get the impact of Ukraine (known as the bread basket of Europe) suddenly being unable to supply the food it once could. So you get countries that once relied upon these sources being required to source it from elsewhere.
example;
About 6.26mn t of Ukrainian wheat was exported to Africa in the 2021-22 marketing year (June-July), accounting for nearly 12pc of African wheat imports. Egypt was the largest buyer, having purchased about 2.82mn t, followed by Tunisia and Morocco with 634,000t and 596,000t, respectively. In 2020, 15 African countries imported over 50 per cent of their wheat products from the Russian Federation or Ukraine. Six of these countries (Eritrea, Egypt, Benin, Sudan, Djibouti, and Tanzania) imported over 70 per cent of their wheat from the region.
At least this is my laymans understanding. Oh found this too. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/west-africa-faces-mixed-food-security-impacts-russia-ukraine-conflict
Russia is also the world’s largest (?second largest?) producer of fertilizer, which has also caused shortages.
Global climate change and the all the plants and animals that have gone extinct makes Africa a different place than it was when hominids first evolved. And the population sizes were on entirely different magnitudes pre-agriculture. And even then, when they did start spreading, many of them starved or died from other things we would consider preventable in modern contexts.
So whether or not people are currently dealing with food insecurity in Africa has pretty much nothing to do with where humanity evolved from. The explanation for what is going on, even though we have agriculture and could feed everyone, is colonialism.
European colonialism (and neocolonialism) putting absolutely fucking horrible governments in place.
Unequal distribution of the world’s resources, exploitation, the Resource Curse (which leads to external input fuelling wars), climate crisis.
Slavery. Africans sold themselves out and are still facing the repercussions.
Rather than work together to build wealth and value in their society, they just conquered whoever was the weakest and sold them into slavery.
Warring tribes in Africa sell their captives to the Dutch, true.
European powers have a long history of exploiting African resources and have purposely kept those people in a position to be unsuccessful.
Yes, Europeans are absolutely not exonerated for taking advantage of African slavery.
It’s a shame that such a naturally-rich continent has been existing in relative poverty for so long.
It also goes into how uhh, people have mentioned that economies built around raw materials aren’t as wealthy as those who refine and develop those materials.
I think, though, that is all goes back to slavery. It’s easier to exploit low-skilled harvesters than high-skilled refiners/implementers.