Africa's vanishing food pyramids
by Ben C. Ogwezi, Ph.D Howard University School of Communications
In order for us to know where we are and why we are, we must seek to understand some historical reality. The scramble for Africa by the (adventurers) imperialists many centuries ago was not borne out of any genuine desire to make Africa a part of our unified worldCompared with her economic and political conditions a century ago, Africa is probably in less danger now in the sense, at least, that the problems of many of her nations are visible. More people are aware of, and are trying to deal with the problems. It is this awareness that culminated in the birth of Pan-Africanism, Organisation of African Unity and ECOWAS.
As we move into the 21st century it is only fitting that we stop to take stock of our situation here in Africa. Many struggles have been waged in the past all in the name of what we have come to know as imperialism. Whether it be country that gained her sovereignty through the force of arms, all struggles, have helped us to get this far.
The struggle for this liberation is unfortunately still rampaging across the continent. This time the struggle is taking two dimensions to liberate Africa from the enemy within and the enemy outside the continent.
The worse of these two enemies is probably the enemy within - jealousy and envy among African leaders them- selves and the inability of many aspiring leaders of African origin to recog- nize that Africa's past glory is linked to her resources and so also is her future. In search of leadership, Africa has gambled a lot and many of her nations are still gambling. The cost has been enormous. To most of us it has become apparent that a new analysis is necessary. This might be considered the beginning of the final analysis in that it should not only address some of our present problems but should also provide insights into issues which have received cursory attention.
In order for us to know where we are and why we are the way we are, we must seek to understand some historical reality. The scramble for Africa by the (adventurers) imperialists many centuries ago was not borne out of any genuine desire to make Africa a part of our unified world. Africa was and is still the center of culture and sophistication. First, the ethnic diversity of Africa makes it the most linguistically complex continent in the world.
Africa speaks 750 tribal tongues, fifty of which are spoken by one million or more people. Both Swahili in East Africa and Hausa in West Africa are spoken by more than 25 million people. In Zaire alone, there are 75 different languages. The tribal babble intellectually cripples many countries and leaves us in the unen- viable position of not being able to understand ourselves.
Reminiscent of the Biblical prodigal son or a spoiled child who ignored history and expected his benefactor to live forever, Ghana and many African nations are literally on trial for incompetence in managing their resources. Second, Africa has the largest reserves of untapped natural resources in the world, minerals essential to both the East and West in times of war and peace. Third, its empty farmlands could feed itself and all of Western Europe. Fourth, it has human resources that are as undeveloped as its sunken treasures. It was this sophisti- cation and the desire to acquire these resources that led the imperialists to adventures into the continent and subsequent colonization of many countries. For imperialism to succeed it set up the scenario for disaster which we are not yet dedicated to change. To what extent, then, should we blame imperialism for our current problems? WIND OF CHANGE Throughout most of Africa, decolonization has been rapid. Before 1950, only four African countries were independent. But the strong wave of nationalsim that washed over the continent after World War II forced the European colonial powers to grant independence to most of their African possessions. In 1956, Tunisia, Morocco, and Sudan gained their independence. For the sub-Sahara, freedom dawned in 1957 when the British colony of Gold Coast became the independent nation of Ghana. In the years that followed-1960, 1962, 1964, 1965 - the list of former colonies lengthened rapidly: Nigeria, Senegal, both Congos, Tangayika (now Tanzania), Cameroon, Uganda, the Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Gambia. Botswana and Lesotho, surrounded by white- dominated territories, won their independence in 1966.
In all more than 35 new nations emerged in the decades between 1956 and 1976. Today there are 51 inde- pendent countries in Africa. Of all 42 major national states (most of whose boundaries were inherited from Berlin's arbitrary mapmakers in 1855), the great majority today are ruled by African governments. The principal exceptions are in Southern Africa- South West Africa where white minorities impose their rule over African majority.
Since the rise of the oil empires and the birth of OPEC there has been consistent effort to rationalize development in most African nations by omit- ting those resources which once sustained these nations as sovereign economic entities. Ghana, Nigeria and many other nations were once the pride of Africa for their supply of cocoa, timber, palm products, groundnuts to the world in need of raw materials for her industries. To the extent that the Ghanaian leaders were able, cocoa, gold and timber helped the nation project her image as a country with the resources and the will to develop as an industrial nation.
Reminiscent of the Biblical prodigal son or a spoiled child who ignored history and expected his benefactor to live forever, Ghana and many African nations are literally on trial for incompetence in managing their resources. Most of the economic problems of Ethiopia, and Somalia today could have been prevented according to World Vision - an America-based philanthropic organization currently seeking financial donations and food through the media to save Ethiopia and Somalia from hunger and disease. Both countries have suffered another year of drought in 1984. The message is that the greatest resource of these nations- children, perish in hunger and starvation as a result of this catastrophe. As much as we need prayer and good samaritans from abroad, we need more than prayer. We need to get off our knees and direct our revolution towards economic emancipation. SUPPLY AND DEMAND Nigeria once led the world in the production and exportation of the agricultural products such as groundnuts, and until recently, of oil palm products. Rubber and cotton, though only a small part of the world trade, have also been important sources of her foreign exchange. In 1970, these five products accounted for 30 per cent of the total exports and 70 per cent of non-oil exports. World demand for agricultural exports such as cotton and groundnuts has been projected to continue rising by two to three per cent annually over the next 10 to 15 years. However, expected price decline, caused by even greater increases in world supply, will require Nigeria to expand her exports in groundnuts and cotton substantially if total earnings from these products are not to decline. Hardcore catechists of world economy have argued that all countries must not try to expand their exports while at the same time limiting their imports.
The truth is that most of these imported theories are mere litanies and nauseating mimicry which in no small dimension help confuse the African leadership and stifle the development of many African nations - a truth which is not pleasant to state. African leaders must therefore look back to history, the manner in which the colonialists applied economic theories, and the early planning in many nations which we consider as industrialised.
It seems that Adam Smith, the shrewd Scotsman and economic theorist would not have approved the strategies taken by the early African colonialists who side-tracked all conventions in their bid to build industrial empires. In South Africa, Cecil Rhodes, his progenitors and successors, must have been impressed with Adam Smith's reasoning in his book "The Wealth of Nations" published in 1776. What mattered to Cecil Rhodes and his followers were not the conventions laid down by Adam Smith but how to maximize the production of the 'goodies' they found in Africa.
That the descendants of Cecil Rhodes remained in South Africa today mining Africa's resources to bare bone is not an accident of history. The mineral wealth has been too tempting to forgo. But lest we decry their foresight and attitudes of non-conformity towards established conventions in economic development we would probably not have established the fairly organized, efficient industrial state we know as South Africa today.
In Nigeria, the colonial administrators left us legacy. They encouraged the production of the agricultural products which the United Kingdom needed much to build her Agri-industries. Since Nigeria became independent and found oil on her shores, the legendary groundnut and cotton pyramids of the Northern States have been on shaky foundations. The production has dwindled and the pyramids are vanishing. On the decline also, is the attention given to Nigeria's forest products, timber, wildlife and fisheries.
When the founding fathers of the United States, our mentor, met to consider strategies for governing and developing a nation they were aware of the theories propounded by Adam Smith and the policy of mercantilism which was then practiced in France, Britain, and other European nations.
They had objectives, one of which was to remove obstacles placed in the way of factory production in the colonies. The traditional practice was for the colonies to export to the mother country food crops and raw materials in return for manufactured goods. The founding father turned the dice in favour of developing their agriculture. It is the growth of their agriculture that led to the development of various industries and the manufacturing of the goods at home. A GLOOMY FUTURE Oil and steel industries are no substitute for agriculture and agri-industries. Each industry would generate revenue in its own right, demand the training, retraining and utilization of different talents and skills, and help solve various problems in our societies. The humble groundnut, for example, hides a powerhouse of industries - the shells could establish wallboard indust- ries and the skins for paper making industries. Groundnut can be an ingredient in other products such as washing powder, salves, metal polish, bleach, ink, shaving cream, face cream, soap, linoleum, rubber, cosmetics and medicine. This list only begins the vast possibilities for ground- nut and other abundant resources of African nations.
The demand for oil which Nigeria depends for 90 percent of its revenue today would not be in much demand in the year 2000. Emphasis on the development of alternate sources of energy has been on high gear since the oil crises of 1974 The be taken agencies, now support technical assistance to develop solar energy, encourage rapid economic activity, and support research efforts usually given attention by the oil consuming (industrialized) nations.
The present surplus or oil glut short-term effects mask the longer view. Indeed, the outlook for oil production over the next few decades has hardly improved; even slow growth in oil demand is expected over the rest of the century. ONE DESTINY The leaders of African nations must find alternative methods of their own development to avert the economic and political consequences of new tech- nologies. We must develop a model or models which would not delay, pro- crastinate, and waste human and natural resources. Japan developed Japanese strategies and built from ruins to prominence. For most of us, Africa is all we have and can have.
Across the whole continent economies are collapsing and food production is declining. When the independence era began in 1960, Africa produced nearly 95 percent of its own food. Today every country except South Africa is an importer, and by the year 2000 one of every two Africans will be eating food imported from other continents.
There should be an awakening, a realization that with good fortune and sensible planning Africa can control its own destiny or, at the very least, can manoeuvre its way through some of its storms.
The author suggests a model or models based on economic incentives and social justice. Africa's empty farmland could feed Africa and all of Western Europe. To a great extent Nigeria could reverse the present downward skid. A nation that staged an international black arts festival with over 200 million naira an international trade fair with over 100 million naira. earmarked over 3 billion naira to over- haul the communication system and 2 billion naira more for a petrochemical plant, could transform her agriculture -the base of most industries.
For a start, Nigeria should declare the year 1984 'Agriculture Year' - a year for planning and planting. We should plant towards a stop of the importation of rice and many agricultural products which were abundantly produced at home before the 'oil boom' and give incentives to farmers and entrepreneurs who demonstrate genuine devotion to help the nation in this direction.
There should be an awakening, a realization that with good fortune and sensible planning Africa can control its own destiny or, at the very least, can manoeuvre its way through some of its storms. If Nigeria can succeed, other struggling African nations will surely try to follow.
The expected decline in the price of cotton demands increase in production.
