Monday, July 28, 2008

Farming in the Congo

From the Toronto Star.

The story relates how locals, using new hybrid seeds but basic tools, locals are growing food.

Wonder how much could be grown with more investment into things like pumps, wheel barrows, rototiller/handplows etc.

It also points out the problems:

One: It's cheaper to import food from overseas than locally because of lack of roads and few farms (sort of a double whammy: no farms because no on invests but no place to sell crops unless roads etc are built).

Two: Points out the evils of colonialism, where plantations were made, destroying local communities and farms. Now plantations aren't being used, but no farmers replaced them.

Three: Note who is building roads etc: China, hoping to get a finger into the mining industry.

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