[Sydneyfonzi]

"Improved" seeds often involve intellectual property rights

No, while normally true, it isn't the case in africa. GMO's are raraely patented there.

[9V4i8xw1]

They respect IPRs or they get nothing. You don't have a clue, but thanks for trying.

Read:
"Stolen Harvest"
"Biopiracy"

[CamVideoQl]

You don't get it - patents are universal or country rots.

[BostonDoctorTTT]

Oerdin- do you really think you can produce US-equivalent levels of consumption across Africa? I don't.

Which means this talk of poverty is all relative. So how about improving the lot of the resident Africans by helping them support a growing population through pragmatic and sustainable local improvements that won't involve human rights abuses en route?

Sink some wells. Provide some agricultural training relevant to their local produce. Introduce them to other local farmers and point out the benefits of collectives, and the Fair Trade network. Give them some improved seed stock or a couple of good cows. Job done.

No, I don't think they can be brought up to American levels of development or consumption without decades of continious solid advancement. That said, I believe such continious solid advancement could happen with the right fundamentals just as it has happened in places like Japan, Chile, China, and South Korea. The hard part is getting the virtious cycle started. Yes, drilling some wells and giving them some improved agricultural techniques will improve their basic living standards but I'm aiming much higher with the kind of real long term development which only comes with real dedication to free market economic expansion.

The key is getting foreign investment and good governance so that the basic building blocks can be put into place. This thread deals with one half of that equation.

[IteseFrusty]

The key is getting foreign investment and good governance so that the basic building blocks can be put into place. This thread deals with one half of that equation.

It seems to me that the problem in most of Africa is that half of the equation dealing with good government.

I'm doubting much tax revenue will find its way into government coffers, while the people dispossessed will be worse off on the whole.

[Mowselelew]

With one mega farm employing 10,000 people in Ethiopia I'd say that's a lot of jobs in a country with a very high unemployment rate. Surely some employment is better then none?

[en-druzhba]

I agree that there should be political reforms to minimize corruption and outsiders should do all they can to help this along but there is a limit of what we can do unless we're prepared to invade and institute regime change. China is a very corrupt and autocratic country but never the less foreign investment has greatly improved the standard of living there so I would say foreign investment by itself can play a very important role simply because the money is addicting so countries modify their behavior in order to attract more of it.

[huylibizonoff]

It probably is more like Central America but then again foreign investment has greatly improved Latin America too.

[ceagstuntee]

Example please because average income and standard of living has been going up in Latin America for decades.

[CFstantony]

Example please because average income and standard of living has been going up in Latin America for decades.

Indicators of progress in overcoming poverty in Latin America have been heralded recently by international institutions. Yet a closer look at data from the World Bank and the United Nations reveals contradictions that are not easily resolved by reference to the underlying methodologies. This paper provides an introduction to how poverty is measured, what the data indicate about trends in poverty, and reasons to tread cautiously in interpreting it as evidence of progress or stagnation. While significant progress has been achieved in a few large countries, the poorest countries are still very poor, and some countries have even seen increases in their poverty rates despite economic growth. http://ase.tufts.edu/gdae/Pubs/wp/07...nAmPoverty.pdf

Enjoy.

[KuRoregioNka]

And how will that benefit Africa?

[huedaanydrax]

The Chinese where untill recently only paid just enough to keep them alive.... shouldn't cheap labour in Africa attract investors? Perhaps if there where a few stable authoritarian regimes Africa could do what China and India are doing sometime in the 22nd century?

[tipokot]

You have to ship the stuff over seas so the Chinese especially build roads, railroads, airports, and ports. That's real infrastructure.

[gfkasjhfg]

No, that is immensly stupid - thy already have such when it comes to harbors and airports.

Why do you assume this?


Also, the Chinese have begun health initiatives in the regions they are working in.

[GeraldCortis]

I guess Blackcat thinks anyone with a job is a slave and it is much better for them to be unemployed.