I saw a similar piece to this Houston Chronicle on ITV news last night on the Niger (lots of African countries crisis) but the ITV reporter walked through some of the local markets showing available food and goods for the people. The issue, at least in this article, isn’t famine but a lack of money to buy things.
Then, if this information is correct, this isn’t a famine issue but a jobs and distribution problem. It’s a corrupt government problem too. Since the ‘working to make money and then buying things’ form of economics hasn’t been replaced by a better model yet then why isn’t the conversation about how to enable Africans to start businesses and increase their wealth rather than wanting more money from the west.
Let’s make certain people are fed but they need empowered too. Trained. And, put into positions where they can make the 40 pence per day that it takes to feed the family. With the right government rules (private property rights), training (it’s not unheard of for business to train people) and processes in place I do wonder if (and I hate this type of phrasing but it is early) Africa can become the new Asia?
