Is the West Hampering Food Sufficiency in Africa and How to Resist?

The relationship between the west and Africa has not only been largely deceptive, but still questionable, or at least not sincere enough. The latest is how they are claiming Africa needs Ukraine for food, when Africa have the potentials to be giving food charity to Ukraine and beyond , within months. Beside the misleading information surrounding the Ukraine war and food, there is reasonable evidence that the west have been wrongly advising or even pressuring African governments on food related policies. These ill-advised policies contributed to food deficiencies in Africa. Whereas our African leaders have the responsibility to think and resist lies, the liars have no right to lie to gullible people in manners that result to suffering and even deaths, and still claim to be 'caring friends' with questionable donations and ruinous loans. There are countless of trees, vegetables, grains, and herbs that can be easily introduced in Africa towards food sufficiency, but they told our naive government officials to abstain and using very questionable claims.

I am inclined to start with the Ukraine grain issue because that is what non-historians and young ones can relate to more, but the other misleading information for decades are very vital. The average period to grow average grain is about three months and some of them can be lot less. Whereas Ukraine is big compare to many western or European countries, Ukraine is fairly small compare to many African countries, let alone the African continent to depend on. Niger and many other African countries are much bigger than Ukraine. I am using Niger as example, because Land is one of the crucial aspects in the world of Agriculture. So if Niger is bigger than Ukraine, it means Niger can produce two to four times what Ukraine can produce, because Niger does not have the horrible winters of Ukraine. Since we do not have to debate the sun issue, then only water and labor are the other major factors. Whereas I am too lazy to research on the rainwater realities in Niger, it is indeed feasible to draw water from neighboring countries like Nigeria where need be, then plant enough trees for water and beyond. Since they claim Africa, Both Mali and Guinea have enough land and water to produce more than Ukraine.

The most crucial factor is the human factor. I truly believe both Ukrainians and Russians are harder workers or more determined than average Africans, who can be educated and pressured to change. Rather than foreign soldiers or Wagner+ on our soil, I will recommend strategic importing of civilian Russians or even Ukrainians to farm in Africa more than the Grain Russia is offering to few Africans at no cost or the grain Africa is wrongly buying from Ukraine. We can also take few Africans to Ukraine and Russia for summer farming and many may run come winter, to eventually try year round farming in Africa. By having enough boreholes, which can double as fire hydrants to protect forests, we can easily have food sufficiency in Africa , even without tractors and other heavy machines that China , Russia, or others should reasonably sell or co-build than giving or selling us arms. I have an article on it, you can search for it on the internet. Anyone who lies to you is your enemy, knowingly or unknowingly. Since Africa is mentally like a growing child compare to the west, the best of Africans and best of westerners must team up and fight the worst of their respective places. This inevitable confrontation must include honest re-education and even negative prayers (imprecations) like 'may God curse all western and African leaders+ who refuse to learn or want to continue on dangerous dependence on even food. We should be giving food charities to our children of other races, not shamefully beg and take loans against our direct children.

The irony with African and western countries is very complex, because not only did we unequally benefited each other even in the colonial eras, we still have good westerners who fight for us or are unaware of the evil their people still do to us. The uneducated African may never know how some westerners bravely fought for black freedom more than many blacks. Then the naive African will thank, jail, and even kill for the neo-colonial masters.

Since the topic is on food, many Africans are unaware that thanks to colonizers or the good among whites+ why black Africa have many fruits we are enjoying today. Sailors transported plants from different parts of the world towards and from Africa, during colonial eras. The dumb may argue who benefited more on those transfers, but it may not be easy to judge by humans with limited knowledge. Beside, is it not wiser to see how to best team up, including the best of both worlds or even with Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. I have friends and readers who lean on Russia, but their arguments are not always as coherent as some of them think.

Those who argue Russia never colonized Africa are partially factual, but we must dig further as to the exact reason and why they were indifferent for decades or centuries? What precisely they said versus did for Africa during colonial years or centuries? History may compare when Russia versus Canada spoke softly or hard against apartheid compare to Nigeria and the Gambia, then the suggestions and other supports of Cuba above the u.s and UK on South African Apartheid years. One thing is certain: millions of Russians, Ukrainians, Arabs, Asians, and every western country hate blacks, and they may become leaders if we do not smartly contain them. Similarly, you have millions of good ones among them, some who may wonder why millions of Africans are not only racists, but tribalists or worse? Further examples on Russia, during slavery, there were whites who hated blacks so much that they did not want to own even blacks, but was a state like that; then you have the ones who could not afford slaves, then those who were varyingly opposed to slavery for different good reasons, and lastly most whites were guilty of indifference than direct cruelty. Even in countries like the u.s where slavery was most pronounced, it is a very small percentage of whites that owned slaves, but many others benefited through ripple effects.

The mental contributions of blacks in the west, including born Africans, far surpasses slave labor. The real question as to why Russia and many other European countries did not colonize Africa is not a simple answer. Despite our proximity, when did Europeans learned Africa exists? Once they learned about us, it was swift and I doubt if Russia knew about it until all land were taken. The option left was to fight each other over us or educate us to try to be free. I do not think Russia is as clean as some of their supporters want us to believe, but if you have terrible 'lovers' like the west for so long, then trying divorce or new lover may not be a bad idea. Russia have a record of trying to sell arms more than helping any African country attain food sufficiency, have mass education like Cuba, freedom, etc. I do not think Russia or any country should nurse us like babies, but good partnership requires reasonable pressuring of each other towards proudly proclaiming 'look at us' within months or years versus decades and centuries.

After talking about how good whites helped bring beneficial trees to Africa, history and journalists are not discussing why it stopped. Now the bad whites in western governments are telling naive African officials that introducing new trees or even vegetables 'bring diseases' than colonial transfers. There is a saying or prejudice that: 'Africans do not know except what they are told', meaning most or all of us do not think? Well, it seems like most of our leaders do not think for now, nor research, nor weigh the pros versus cons? It is ok to admit shortcomings and remind them every race have stupid folks and worse: lying and cruel folks at what percentage then versus now and future? Let the best of Africans raise their heads and awaken other willing Africans more than counting lower riches. We live in a risky world and every major move will include some risks, but you strategically weigh the risks.

We can use the wide range of the berry family as example. Different African countries can take two to three different types of berries and build food forests with open eyes as to what specific plant diseases may pop up, depending on the berry. Then weigh it to proceed or try a different route. By merely allowing the fruit to be imported, there is some risk. I can tell you with certainty that the west is not only trying to get every plant they can get in its natural state, but researching to manipulate the genes of tropical plants to stop or reduce importing them. African leaders are sometimes simply stupid, but sometimes even cruel and arrogant to learn from fellow Africans, especially if you are not rich or famous.

The challenges Africa face on food research are also lot less than the west. For example, I am fairly certain that some berries will grow in Africa without any major challenge or special actions. Then some may require simple efforts, including my today's inspiration of pouring ice or varying levels of cold water in a research farm on berries or xyz that may demand cold. Then provide some sort of shade from the trunk and possibly drip ice and/or cold water in research oriented options. Remember, the roots of many plants hold the keys or nutrient absorption. The same so called 'cold plants' take lot of heat in hotter western summer. Then adaptation is another dimension.

The resisting aspects between governments is very limited, because too many African leaders are house Negro minded and fear being taken out by western leaders. The few 'field Negro' type like Ex president Yahya Jammeh of the Gambia are sometimes much worse in greed+ and lack the understanding of how to educate and tactically pressure fellow Africans. He was widely known to encourage Gambians to farm without having meaningful land reforms and was instead engaged in personal land grabs that even average colonizers may have never attempted; he never invested in regional or nationwide borehole digging for mini drought resistant or year round farming, etc. One thing Jammeh is so far slightly better than our present Adama Barrow is trying to introduce new plants in the Gambia.

Although I cannot name one meaningful food plant He introduced nationwide, he can be credited for introducing or spreading Noni tree in the Gambia. Noni is said to have medicinal value, but real food trees are higher, are preventive oriented, and our topic is about food sufficiency. Nobody gets hungry and approach a noni tree. Both him and Barrow, with their respective Agriculture ministers failed to check the wide varieties of plants in the Caribbean, Latin America, and beyond we can introduce in the Gambia and Africa at large. Even within Africa, breadfruit is a nice tree to substitute potatoes, it is reportedly in some African countries and warm Jamaica, but not much in the Gambia and many African countries? Bring me those trees, not just Reggae music. Have the Agriculture department have specific targets of quantity of food trees we need, considering our questionable population growth before potential exports. They can buy a yacht or hire one to help introduce plants that will worth billions within few years, and/or raise our health to worth trillions.

For vegetables, herbs, and grains, the seeds may very well work. However, for trees the seeds may be ideal just for some. Other trees may be better tried as seedlings in a ship, yacht, or private aircraft. So beside governments, our businessmen and those in the diaspora can be part of the resistance to some degree. If hundreds or thousands of Gambians or xyz in the west tried to introduce new plants, we can see a difference. One can narrow mindedly question how much to directly make, may lose, or may influence towards thousands or millions of trees and help feed how many? The sailor who introduced us to Guava and others deserves how much thanks today? Of course some have land access problem, but partnership and those who own land have the task they may neglect.

Our so called educated Africans with even mere high school certificate are sometimes too arrogant to garden or farm, but that is what percentage? I honestly think governments are the main culprits in Africa on food, because both accessible land reforms and water access in farms are largely a government responsibility. This does not mean we cannot as private citizens sponsor a district or village as example and pressure government. Some of us want even African Americans to come back to Africa, but without land reforms+, they better come with lots of money or suffer more than Jarga. Many Africans will listen to rich liars, not a truthful poor man with feasible and beneficial ideas.

Even on water access in farms, An official during Jammeh days once told me the west advised the Gambia government to stay away from providing such and let the private sector does it. This does not only mean Jammeh and Jawara were likely following bad western dictates, but why they allow governments to buy tractors and others? They are not respecting our priorities and trying to sell their equipment, then towards endless costly repairs. Meaningful land reform for the poor to access land will also be largely opposed by western governments. There seems to be more evidence of anti-poor than anti-Semitism, anti-u.s, etc. They have misled many educated fools and t

Largely hijacked African leadership, sometimes including even mainstream media. As the UN assembly goes on, we do not have enough African leaders who can articulate how western governments harm us and how the good in the west can help us resist, especially through the private sectors. They should present nationwide plans and achievements, not just shameful complaints .

Last words to African leaders: Once we understand how God is the ultimate authority and how good resistance may work in our favor, then you will know how to circumvent threats. By fully ordering all you need for boreholes+ and a chunk of needs for about five years, to counter potential sanctions. Within months, you can attain food surplus to attract even more tourists, who may replicate or support you. We have the abilities to create food forests that will be visited than zoos and safari; we have the abilities to create gardens called Badafos green fence that will look better than average girl or going to beauty contests. Then if you gratefully eat those plants without meat or fish, the inspiring Lord may help you with knowledge you never expected. Africans want the west to stop harming them, but Africans are harming each other and animals than our children of other races until when? May much more change and the kind Lord bless us through showlove Trinity: Let's learn, let's work, let's have fun.

By Jarga Kebba Gigo
An Activist and Transformer.

---

Optional note:
Historians and journalists must consider strategic tracking of records of politicians and rich folks. President Jawara begged for cracked-wheat as school feeding program that children like me appreciated as nice food than white rice, but dictatorial Gambian parents who even enjoyed it may insist our children should eat rice everyday and government should not help introduce new alternatives in a world of choice? Should we say thank you Jawara+ or shame on Jawara and Buhari+ of Nigeria for not helping us grow wheat that South Africa under grow? Jammeh introduced how many new trees and vegetables growing versus Barrow in quality and quantity? They claim land prices have to go up because Jammeh was guilty of land grab, including seizing; while Adama Barrow was over selling Land to become rich and President, then implicitly declare poor people do not deserve land to live or farm, and perhaps even burial ground in the near future, unless we change. We ask him about land reforms, or controlling land rates than transport fares, but he said 'is in the pipeline', his mind or western masters may get very upset if he starts realistic care to the poor? So the citizens go from president to president with near zero changes like how slaves went from master to master with minimal differences?

What is the price of bread or fare for one kilometer when you enter and leave office is vital, but what is the food production ratio per head, land cost, etc at entry and exit are important historical records.

Nigeria cannot tell us they can spend millions or billions on fossil fuel subsidy, but refuse hemp fuel or investing or diverting even ten percent of that subsidy towards research for personalized electric air-crafts or what they deem potential viable transportation of the future. Funding R&D in any country should include a percentage for achievement oriented awards , plus verifiable efforts in culture of cameras around your research endeavour. It should yield results or at least not be a department of corruption funding.

A system of gauging how politicians vary matter, but similarly are our rich folks. Every Ramadan, QGroup owned by one of the Richest Gambian may distribute foreign rice that the media must report, but how is each of the top richest folks doing in boosting home production and help introduce alternatives and other plants. Now I am suggesting what may be little risky, because having greedy rich folks control food production is bad, but gently contributing to raise production is not bad at all.

If Dangoteh is the richest African through questionable cement and others, our journalists must pressure Dangoteh and our politicians on how to stop using cement paper to wrap anything, especially food. Such measures can include mandatory returning of cement bags or lose a heavy deposit. Strong laws, fine, shaming, psychological public imprecations, and even prison against those who use cement paper against our under resisting public. It can also include investing on hemp paper for wrapping and beyond. Our politicians must be resisted smartly and with enough pressure. Although enough production matter most, having at least enough availability can help. If there is anything I missed about the food import oriented west is the wide varieties of fruits, nuts, and vegetables and often at fairly reasonable prices. Our business folks in the Gambia should try harder on both availability and higher production. We go to Asia to bring all kinds of things, but ignore the wide varieties of dried fruits, powder food, and nuts they sell may be appreciated here, not just the west. If our minister of health and health journalists cannot suggest to them, then we will import expensive alcohol more than healthy plants we can import for health and or grow for fun and health? Where are my goji berries, blueberries, chestnuts, etc.

Yesterday I bought some fairly expensive cherries, it was the first time seeing it in the Gambia and have not ate them for years. The mind said even though you are broke, try buying it for self and so they keep ordering even others you may prefer? Should I try sowing the seeds? By the way, did you know some westerners are trying to make many things seedless to sell even seeds and control world food lot more. Without enough food in Africa, it becomes easier to dictate you. So weaponisation of food by the west from land policies to misleading information started long before the Ukraine war. If sanctioned Russia can give grain, let every western country choose one African country to give or loan ten to hundred thousand boreholes in farms more than residential areas. Let Africans work and stop waiting for help even on food.

Our people educated beyond smarter movie scenes for health and general character, instead of the shameful voodoo+ of Nigerian movies. Like Spike Lee, I had no idea that Ghana had a movie industry, but how different is it and how weak they are on marketing it, if A prominent writer like me in the Gambia does not know about it or even sought after? You want Gambian+ to watch your movies daily, but cannot meaningfully engage us annually? Nigerian movie companies come to the Gambia to recruit few actors than writers, and Ghana is slightly closer to the Gambia, unless my geography fails me. The gestures from Nigerian movie companies mean having Gambians trying to promote Nigerian movies or themselves more than Ghanaian movies? In which year did the first Ghanaian, Chinese, or Indian movie featured a Gambian or scene in the Gambia, and by which movie company? Roots or slavery should not be the most popular movie the Gambia is featured on. May be shame on our government officials and questionable business folks who cannot see an Art tertiary should precede the countless Televisions in the Gambia.

A great art educative institution should attract not just neigboring students from neigboring French countries, but like music, producing a world-class movie, actors, writers, etc from the Gambia is feasible with strategic partnership. The standard or cry should never be 'let us support our own', but let us produce the irresistible under a universal just God. We do not need writers who focus on the worse of social Africa , especially of old, but futuristic writers who try to shape the character of Africans, from the ordinary person to the politicians.

I do not see that in Nigerian movies and yet to watch a single Ghanaian movie. If music is anything to go by, then Ghana is as terrible as Nigerian on movies. Africans must differentiate Edutainment from entertainment, or I will forever selectively choose Reggae, hip-hop, and R&B over Afro beat+. It is not that these music are perfect or mis-edutainment is not found in Bob Marley and beyond, average matters and efforts matter. I like head songs and inspiring movies, so movies that are back ward, fear oriented, stupidity for laughs, or worse cannot be encouraged by me. Yes! One can make a movie that will inspire good individuals, rich folks, and even states to act towards food sufficiency in and beyond Africa. I only hope my Lord cares beyond words and facilitates significant impact. Sometimes those you are trying to help does not deserve such a high mercy, but who can give up on God's kindness or claim even the children of Africa will not learn or be helped somehow? May we prosper and help others.