According to Charles Onyango-Obbo’s article published in Pan African Review, there is a situation that will harm Africa in the long run. According to the investigative journalist’s views, corrupt governments are selling agricultural land to organizations affiliated with foreign countries.
Based on the data he shared, 10% of Zambia’s land, 10% of Liberia’s land, 20% of Zimbabwe’s land, and a significant portion of land in other African countries, including Kenya and Tanzania, have been sold to a single company. The more terrifying aspect of this situation is that this company is not the only one involved in land acquisitions.
The inability to secure the most fundamental need, food, which is at the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, can lead to increased dependence on external sources both at the individual and national levels.
According to the data collected by the author, Africa’s lands are highly fertile for agriculture. The production levels are sufficient to meet the needs; however, due to uncontrolled exports, the gap in food dependency continues to grow day by day.
This situation could exacerbate hunger and income inequality on the continent in the future. Taking preventive measures against this will help African countries avoid falling into a worse state.
I would like to conclude with a quote from Charles Onyango-Obbo: “The bottom line, though, is that countries must eat. Even if they have to eat other countries to do so.”