Western agri technology bad for Africa – and the West
This article is exceptionally good in covering the importance of good old fashioned farming practices. Well, maybe not some of them, like those that resulted in the US dust bowl of the 1930s. But what healed that disaster is what is being talked about here. Good, sustainable agricultural practices; water, land, and natural resource management that preserves food, water, and the environment in a non-technical way.
The west is currently trying to sell technical solutions to the African continent. But it has the same motivation that keeps it going – to our detriment and poor health – in the west. That is, dependence on artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and antibiotics – all “necessary” because of intense monoculture production. This is for profit, not for the health of the farmers, the consumers, or the land and environment.
Wherever the “technological food revolution” is being touted, there should be a look back at the Western culture where it started. One can see the poverty, desperation, and elimination of the small farmer, sustainable methods, loss of land and water resources, and poor health of the consumers.
We could go on, but this article really says it best. The only thing it fails to say is that the West should be heading this warning too, not just Africa.
Western policy bad for Africa