Lauren DiCiaccio
March 25, 2009
11:15 am
This article was interesting because it discussed ethnic conflict in terms of another precious commodity - food. The article discussed how Kenya's constitution and policies must include possible provisions for ethnic divide and economic circumstances in its food policies. Kenya has historically had problems with food because of the changes in farming infrastructure during the colonial era. When Kenya was colonized by Europeans, they changed farming infrastructure and gave certain ethnic groups the manual labor jobs associated with farming. However, in the post-liberation period, several regions and ethnic groups find themselves in danger of food shortages and crises. In recent years, private institutions have further changed the nature of food buying, selling, and distribution. Unfortunately, this effort has not helped the ethnically equitable distribution of food to all groups and regions in Kenya.
I found this article to be a good example of a negative ethnic effect on an African country brought by colonization. Many African nations have experienced civil war and ethnic war as a result of colonization and the arbitrary border drawing that occurred. It is interesting that some in Kenya propose constitutional amendments to address the role of ethnic division in food distribution. The image of starving children in Sub-Saharan Africa is tragic and familiar, but one way to help is clearly to address the problem at the source - which in this case is not total lack of food or famine, but rather unequal distribution based on region and ethnic group. In order to change the nature of food growing and distribution, historical (since colonization) perceptions of ethnicity must be changed for the greater good of the people. Unfortunately, as other countries such as Rwanda and the Congo have shown, ethnicity can be more of a dividing factor, even in the face of mass hunger, starvation, and malnutrition.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200903250605.html?page=2
1 comment:
I thought this was very interesting! I had never thought about how the food might be effected by the changes in farming infrastructure especially from way back in the colonial era! Its pretty amazing that the food is still being effected today! I agree with you that it is so hard to imagine children starving. That is so heartbreaking!
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