Africa Isn't Coming Close to Their Goals

Genetically modified foods are produced from organisms that have had specific changes to its DNA using the methods of genetic engineering. It has been noted that in richer and more economically stable countries—citizens do not favor GMOs—mainly because they are not needed. In more developed countries, citizens are fine with there imported produce and farming techniques that are used. Personally, I believe that many people in developed countries are moving towards more organic and local farmers for food sources. With additional leeway, the public is more favorable to foods without fortifiers, additives, or pesticide usage.

However in some instances, countries do not have an option on whether to decide from non-organic, or organic produce, or how their food is manufactured. In Africa currently human poverty and hunger are both increasing. With nearly one-third of men, women, and children in Sub Saharan Africa currently under nourished, they have the largest proportion of hungry people. Over the past 15 years, Africans have been living on less than one dollar a day, and the number of people is consistently growing. With a negative GDP per capita, their economic prosperity seems farfetched. Developed by the United Nations, countries collaborated on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  Some of the goals included are: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger (targeting halve of the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day), Reduce Child Mortality (reducing it by two-thirds of children under 5), Ensure Environmental Sustainability (integrating the principles of sustainable development to countries and reverse the loss of environmental resources), and Develop a Global Partnership for Development (focusing on rule based, predictable, non discriminatory trading and financial system). These are just four out of the eight MDGs. With these goals a lot of them are associated with Africa and specifically Sub Sahara. It has been noted that if Africa continues at this negative rate, they will not meet their goals by the 2015 deadline.

Countries that were similar to Africa’s poverty included China and India. Nevertheless, China and India were able to make investments in agricultural science, which was essential. Their agricultural research and development stimulated over all agricultural GDP growth and reduced the amount of poverty. Many would think that Africa would follow other nations leads and work together to develop a more productive agriculture system—but due to African leaders, they do not want to make the investment in science.

I am strongly against GMOs and see why African leaders may not personally want to use them. However, I highly doubt that starving farmers are going to pass up an offer to develop food. In this case I think that some the leadership within African Governments may have to do with some corruption. I do not want to say that African leaders are keeping their people poor…but I also think that they are being quite selfish in a way to stop what could be monumental development for their country.