Calling on Afrikans

Calling on Africkans
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, South Korea and their partners in the project Kristar Mahr titled Re-a-Country. The move must be commended and perhaps emulated by other developing countries. In particular, countries with tropical climate. The hard times under Idd Amin taught Ugandans entrepreneur skills. These skills are required in this global economic turmoil. We have the most fertile land. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar and South Korea – with scarce land or water to feed their people. They set off in their jets to look in other countries to economically grow food in other countries. As I write, diplomatic relations between Cambodia and Qatar were officially established. Although western media often highlights the ravages of war in Darfur, South Korea can see beyond and entered discussions of food cooperation grown on Sudan soil for South Korea. Kuwait and other countries Pakistan and Kazakhstan to Burma and Philippines. Middle East to Indonesia. Uganda grew tobacco, tea and sugar cotton and coffee not for local consumption but exported on unfair terms. This time round, our ministers and farmers exploit the opportunity presented by the economic downturn in the west to strike fair deals growing food for countries that are in dire need. Read Law of Entropy. We are not poor as have been programmed into us by those who wanted to exploit us. Read Alex Perry’s article titled Africa, Business Destination where he challenges to “compare this year’s forecasts for the developed world and Africa’s growth figures and judge for yourself who is the basket case now?”, and Krista Mahr titled Rent-a-Country in Time magazine of March 2009.
It may be argued that indigenous families struggle to feed their themselves. There are two sides to every situation. When we grew tobacco, we had to grow food at the same time. When we grow food-for-rent by a rich country, we feed ourselves from left-over unlike tobacco growing or tea or coffee or even sugar cane, sisal, vanilla. Like—says, it is a win-win situation
We have to take lessons from other countries like Madagascar where conflicts arose. A deal taking into consideration a certain percentage for basic food consumption of the family on which large enterprise enters lease with must be clearly endorsed without ambiguity. We must not be mesmerised by promises of betters roads and technology and training as our parents were deluded in the 18th century. Our sons and daughters have been educated with our very blood. This is the time to travel abroad to countries where the deals are working in order to tailor the needs of the country by applying common sense which future generations will be proud of.
Maimunah Safiyyah,