Madam, – Eamon Delaney (Opinion, February 16th) warns us about the dangers of uncontrolled population growth mainly in Africa.
The problem in Africa is not one of overpopulation, the population density per square kilometre in Africa is 30, in the EU it is 112 and in Ireland it is 60, similar to Ethiopia.
The problem is one of poor agricultural production, and there are a number of reasons for this.
First, huge tracts of arable land are not cultivated. In Sierra Leone less than 40 per cent of the arable land is under cultivation while 60 per cent of rice, the staple food, is imported. Farming is not seen as an attractive proposition for many young men.
Poor prices, often caused by the EU and the US dumping cheap rice, do not allow an adequate return. Poor farming methods reduce yields and lack of roads hinder access to the marketplace.
However, I believe, the fundamental problem is the system of land tenure in many parts of Africa. Land is not owned by the individual but by “the people” and administered by the tribal or chiefdom elders. The individual is allotted a portion of land for a period, usually two to three years. After this, the land reverts to the chiefdom and will lie fallow for a number of years. There is no incentive for the farmer to improve his land because he will have to relinquish it after a few years.
Nor can the farmer use the land as collateral if he wants to invest in livestock or equipment. There is no market in land so that potentially progressive farmers are stymied.
This is a major infrastructural issue which can only be addressed by African governments. Many African countries will be celebrating 50 years of independence this year and next year. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been given in aid in those 50 years, yet the average person living in sub-Saharan Africa is worse off today than they were on their independence day.
I think it is time for a debate on development in Africa because clearly what we have been doing is not working. – Yours, etc,