POLITICAL PROBLEMS TO END HUNGER IN AFRICA

   IT IS IMPORTANT TO SEND A MESSAGE OF DIGNITY AND RESPECT TO THE DESTINATION GOVERNMENTS, ASSOCIATIONS, PARTIES, CHURCHES, CULTURAL GROUPS AND SOCIAL MOVEMENTS OF ALL KINDS, SO THAT THIS PLAN CAN BE DEVELOPED WITHOUT STRONG OBJECTIONS AMONG THE POPULATION FOR WHICH IT IS INTENDED. IT CAN BE FORMULATED AS PARTIAL REPARATION FOR THE HISTORICAL CATASTROPHES SUFFERED BY THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN PEOPLE THROUGH THE FAULT OF THE WHITE MAN, SUCH AS SLAVERY, COLONIALISM AND NEOCOLONIALISM.

  GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO SHOW THE QUALITY OF THE FOOD PRODUCT, TO SEE THAT ITS NUTRITIONAL VALUE IS NOT DISPUTED, TO HAVE GOOD TASTE AND A CAREFUL PRESENTATION, AND TO HAVE IT PROCESSED UNDER HIGHLY HYGIENIC CONDITIONS. IT IS ALWAYS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WILL TRY TO DENIGRATE IT AS IF IT WERE FODDER FOR HUMAN BEINGS, WHEN IN REALITY IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A HIGHLY EVOLVED "STAPLE FOOD".

  CONVENTIONAL PROJECTS TO FIGHT HUNGER IN AFRICA HAVE SO FAR BEEN BASED ON CRITERIA OF CONVENTIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: MARKET IMPROVEMENT, INDUSTRIAL ADVANCES AND INCOME PROGRESS. IN THIS SENSE, THIS HUMANITARIAN WORK COULD ARISE SUSPICIONS, SINCE IT IS UNLIKELY TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION FACTORS: ALL THE FOOD WOULD BE GIVEN AWAY (JUST AS IS ALREADY DONE WITH GOODS SUCH AS EDUCATION, MEDICAL CARE OR DRINKING WATER) AND THERE WOULD BE PRODUCERS AND MERCHANTS WHO WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY.

  HOWEVER, THE CONVENTIONAL ECONOMIC BENEFITS ALSO SEEM OBVIOUS, SINCE THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY (WORKING ONLY TO FEED ONESELF) FREES UP A LARGE AMOUNT OF PRODUCTIVE FORCES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION AND INCOME.

  ANOTHER POSSIBLE OBJECTION IS TO CONSIDER THAT THE ENTIRE AFRICAN POPULATION WOULD REMAIN DEPENDENT ON THE PRODUCTION OF SUBSISTENCE GOODS SENT FROM RICH NATIONS. BUT THIS CAN BE EASILY CORRECTED IF AFRICA IMPROVES ITS POLITICAL CONDITIONS AND MAKES IT VIABLE FOR CROPS TO BE PRODUCED ON THE SAME AFRICAN LANDS (THE INITIAL EXAMPLE OF SOUTH AFRICA AS A PRODUCING COUNTRY COULD BE THE KEY). ON THE OTHER HAND, AFRICA IS ALREADY DEPENDENT ON IMPORTS - NOT FREE - OF FOOD FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.

  IT IS NECESSARY TO HAVE SOCIAL PRESSURE SO THAT NO ONE OBSTACLES AN UNEQUIVOCAL GOOD SUCH AS THE DEFINITIVE END OF THE FOOD EMERGENCY. IN REGIONS OF GREAT INSECURITY, THE TRANSIT OF TRANSPORTS WITH RATIONS CAN BE SUBJECT TO POLITICAL AND/OR CRIMINAL ATTACKS. IT IS TO BE HOPED THAT ALL SOCIAL FACTORS -INCLUDING CRIMINAL GROUPS- WILL BE INFLUENCED BY THE UNMISTAKABLY BENEVOLENT NATURE OF THESE SHIPMENTS. THIS HAS GENERALLY BEEN THE CASE WITH HUMANITARIAN WORK FROM ABROAD, WHICH HAS RARELY BEEN SYSTEMATICALLY ATTACKED IN AFRICA.

 

  ON THE OTHER HAND, ALTHOUGH THE CASE OF POLITICAL DISPUTES OVER THE CONTROL OF HUMANITARIAN AID IN VERY POOR COUNTRIES IS WELL KNOWN, IT SHOULD BE BEARED IN MIND THAT DISPUTES ONLY OCCUR WHEN THIS AID IS SCARCE AND AS A SCARCE GOOD IT LOGICALLY HAS MARKET VALUE. THIS PLAN MUST THEREFORE ALWAYS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT ITS OBJECTIVE CAN ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF PRODUCTION IS MASSIVE AND SUBSISTENCE GOODS BECOME ABUNDANT TO THE POINT OF LOSING THEIR MARKET VALUE.

  ANOTHER POSSIBLE PROBLEM MIGHT HAVE TO DO WITH THE IDEOLOGY OF THE HUMANITARIAN ORGANIZATION, IF THIS IS, AS SEEMS LIKELY, OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL KIND. AFRICAN NATIONALISM IS OFTEN LINKED TO DEEPLY DEEP-ROOTED RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS AND CAN BE HOSTILE TO OPPOSED BELIEF, EVEN IF THOSE WHO HOLD SUCH BELIEF KEEP THEM PRIVATE.