Africa is usually perceived as a perennially
troubled continent; drought, famine, disease, conflict and any other
imaginable ‘dark’ thing. Yet, it is the most endowed continent in the
entire planet. True, this explanation is a cliché, one which people
cite, and shrug off, yet it continues to be a growing cancer in our own
continent. Every nation on the planet is striving for developed:
increased growth domestic product (GDP) and GDP per capita. Technology
is taking root in most African societies, especially mobile telephony.
But then, we still have the same perennial problems. What actually ails
Africa? This, ladies and gentlemen, is not the million dollar question,
but rather, the life saving question that should be posed by all and
sundry who really care about this lovely continent.
It is an indisputable fact that sound
policies and policy making are key to achieving set objectives; this is
especially true in countries which have always been determined to solve
key problems which plague them. A classic example is Israel; a huge part
of the country is a desert, yet it is one of the leading fruit
exporters. The Israeli policy and decision makers admitted there was a
major problem on food production to be solved. So, what did they do?
Simply, they mustered the political will to tackle the problem and set
out comprehensive plans and projects to achieve their goals. Not only
were they successful, but they are even going beyond their borders to
look for agricultural land. There have been reports that the Israelis
wanted to lease a huge section of our arid North and North Eastern part
of Kenya to grow food for export to their own country.
Yet, the Kenyan
government has never bothered to exploit the agricultural and economic
potential of the same aforementioned region. Is it that the responsible
officials cannot see the options, or that they choose not to see them?
It is a great shame for citizens of this country to die of hunger yet
tonnes of maize are rotting in other parts of the country. Something is
very wrong, very very wrong.
So, what is the way forward?
~ To be continued…….