Comments - Development Drums Podcast episode "Sophiatown"

Another podcast review. I like listening to podcasts while I work on other things.

I heard something quite interesting on this podcast, Development Drums episode "Sophiatown", that features Alex Cobham from Christian Aid and Stephen Devereux of the Institute for Development Studies. It was mentioned by Alex Cobham that tax is an important ingredient for development and government revenue. Alex offers the view that as much as $160 billion a year is lost by developing countries because they are not able to enforce tax laws due to difficulties in finding tax evasion culprits who hide their funds overseas. To put that figure into perspective, President elect Obama's entire foreign policy earmarks $107 billion for next year, 2009. Do you see why I don't think we need more aid?

They also discuss the dangers of using genetically modified foods in Africa and other possible solutions to the food crisis. I believe that a profit driven model (because we CAN and SHOULD be making wealth not begging for it) that targets high tariffs and other market distorting practices by developed countries will go a long way to improving the future of agriculture, and the economies, in Africa and the world in general. Don't take my word for it, read what the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has to say about that.

Share your ideas and have a listen to the podcast.

Sustainable Development vs Hand-outs

There are lot of problems facing the African continent, from armed conflicts to food shortages to lack of adequate health facilities but there share a common long-term solution - sustainable development.

It is the old story of either giving a man fish or teaching a man to fish but in the case of the African context we know how to fish! It is a mistaken colonial hang-over to assume to that Africa, (which consists of over 50 countries thousands of unique tribes, languages and cultures) is a "dark" place that needs redemption by external powers. Take for example agriculture. In Nigeria an intensive farming structure was introduced to improve crop yields which failed and led to erosion and other damages to the environment. Mixed agriculture, e.g. planting legumes (such as beans) with corns, was an old tradition which was reverted to after the obvious failure of intensive farming.

Why aren't these native solutions being expressed to solve Africa's contemporary problems? One answer is false incentives. Why get a job when you can stay on welfare? Why invest in education and infrastructure which will not yield immediate returns when one can bankrupt your country and receive another bailout? Instead of being an interim means of support foreign aid has become economic cocaine for the ruling elite - numbing their sense of duty and responsibility to their people.

Let us break the habit by focusing our attentions on sustainable development and therefore, long-term solutions. It might not be the quick fix to a guilt trip but it will get us where we all want to go.