[lorenzo]

Been to Africa, worked there. So, let me get this straight, Malawi is suddenly a food powerhouse simply because of a little fertilizer? I'm glad they are feeding their own folks but I find it hard to believe that this has happened only in the context of fertilizer. All these years of famine in Africa and fertilizer was the only tool needed? I don't think so, that would have been figured out long ago. Perhaps a shift away from tobacco, better roads for transport of the fertilizer, shift in NGO work, better rain, etc., but just fertilizer? Something smells fishy and its not just the stuff they're putting around the plants.

Well, if you have ever worked or lived in rural Africa, you will indeed know that micro-interventions are all you need to bring the first steps of the green revolution to the continent.

I participated in the African Fertilizer Summit last year, and yes, over 80% of Africa's farmers don't use synthetic fertilizer. A whole range of very interesting research results about Malawi-like micro-interventions were presented, all showing the enormous effect of micro-dosing.

Because corrupt governments prefer to import food from a few big players who bribe officials, Africa's agriculture remains miserably primitive. When these governments decide to turn the situation 180° and subsidize their own farmers, food and energy independence can be achieved in a single year's time.

This most basic of recipees can be replicated across SSAfrica.

Agronomists know that we can easily triple current yields with micro-interventions. And then, finally, can we begin to modernize agriculture in earnest (strengthening S&T capacity, creating markets for inputs, strengthening institutional capacity and extension services, investing in logistics and infrastructures, trade reform and strengthening access to markets, etc...).

Once this has been achieved (and much is moving, because the big international development institutions have massively re-focused their attention on African agriculture), you will see Africa become the world's agricultural powerhouse.

[bob9000]

well, is there any way to make fertilizer using sustainable materials, but getting the energy to make them from the sun?

I see no reason why, in the immediate sense, Malawi cannot sustainably feed its people using fertilizer if your energy input is from the sun. Then you can get 2, 3 or 4 times the energy input without breaking the laws of thermodynamics, because the sun's energy provided the extra bit.

The problem, of course, is that once they've got enough to eat, the soon want to drive, fly, watch movies, consume like there's no tomorrow etc. And then you're just in a worse hole.

So does that mean we deny them food? uhhh...no. But then they'll consume more? uhhh...yes.

So whats the answer?

uh...next question?

[lorenzo]

Lorenzo I enjoy reading your posts even though I completely disagree with you, honestly. However if you don't mind me asking, what do you do for a living? I keep on getting this paranoid feeling that "TPTB - the powers that be" implanted you here to sway public opinion.

First off, the powers that be would never hire a member of the communist party of a European country who defends the sovereignty of the Non-Aligned Movement and its members, like Malawi.

Secondly, I come here because I think PO people have something interesting to say, they represent an emancipatory potential. Sadly, they utilize this emancipatory power in a mythical way, asking all the right questions, but destroying their persuasive power by placing them in a doomer context. I favor the use of this potenitla in a pragmatic way that yields results and brings social justice.

I compare PO people a bit to those who push 9/11 myths. These conspiracy theorists show a great critical potential too - but they apply it to a wrong subject, discrediting themselves. Which is sad. Because by doing so, they throw away their critical potential and become even domesticated by their very enemies.

9/11 conspiracy theories are jubilantly welcomed by the neocons, because these theories keep people from asking the real questions.

[lorenzo]

By the way, Bingu wa Mutharika kicked what you call "the powers that be" out of Malawi, ignored their advice, listened to science instead, and so defeated them, showing the power of his country's sovereignty and that it is possible to defeat the neoliberal forces that wanted to keep his country down (IMFers, Worldbankers, Western NGOs, doomers, etc...).

I support this resistance against these "powers that be" fully, and you call me part of them. How strange!

For this reason, I suspect *you* have been dropped here by the nasty powers that be, with the specific task to accuse *me* of having been dropped here by them, so that you can infiltrate this place unnoticedly. You're very smart. Nice try, but you have been exposed!

[cube]

...
For this reason, I suspect *you* have been dropped here by the nasty powers that be, with the specific task to accuse *me* of having been dropped here by them, so that you can infiltrate this place unnoticedly. You're very smart. Nice try, but you have been exposed!

TPTB

[RedStateGreen]

well, is there any way to make fertilizer using sustainable materials, but getting the energy to make them from the sun?

Permaculture, cover cropping, humanure. Takes longer than chemicals but works long term.

I hope they're learning sustainable cropping for when these chemicals run out but somehow I doubt it.

[Alcassin]

Because corrupt governments prefer to import food from a few big players who bribe officials, Africa's agriculture remains miserably primitive. When these governments decide to turn the situation 180° and subsidize their own farmers, food and energy independence can be achieved in a single year's time.

Corrupt African governments have their profits from mantaining cash-crops. These countries became more and more dependant from their masters. We use Africa as big and cheap warehouse and great garbage can.

When they subsidize their own agriculture it's not a bad thing, when it leads to more independent agricultural policy by cutting import on the one hand, but you know lorenzo that without stronger position of women in those societies the growing population may eat the current surplus and we face the point of no return.
The last thing developed countries want is flourishing consumption of the South.

Anyway there are bio-fertilizers and bio-herbicides.

What i'm afraid of that bio-fuels may become another cash-crop so there will be no more trees left standing and devastation will continue, as a member of communist party you should at least know something about economy of South from Castro's reflections.

[XOVERX]

Malawi owes a lot to its President.

The man ignored the IMF, the Chicago Schoolers, free marketers, and other economic fools who demand that countries "trust" the markets to solve all their problems, including food production.

By subsidizing farmers by providing fertilizers, the Malawi government has turned the tide against hunger, much to the anger of American right-wing purists who prattle on about the perfection of free markets.

Markets must be regulated by government to provide for the common good. Otherwise you get a few exceedingly rich folks while the poor folks literally get to starve to death.

Unfettered free market capitalism is swiftly destroying the entire world. But before it gets that far, lots of poor people get to suffer needlessly. All in the name of Milton Friedman greed.

Congratulations Malawi and do not listen to failing American "free marketers."

[lorenzo]

Malawi owes a lot to its President.

The man ignored the IMF, the Chicago Schoolers, free marketers, and other economic fools who demand that countries "trust" the markets to solve all their problems, including food production.

By subsidizing farmers by providing fertilizers, the Malawi government has turned the tide against hunger, much to the anger of American right-wing purists who prattle on about the perfection of free markets.

Markets must be regulated by government to provide for the common good. Otherwise you get a few exceedingly rich folks while the poor folks literally get to starve to death.

Unfettered free market capitalism is swiftly destroying the entire world. But before it gets that far, lots of poor people get to suffer needlessly. All in the name of Milton Friedman greed.

Congratulations Malawi and do not listen to failing American "free marketers."

Yep, but don't forget that he also kicked out the doomers and the permaculturalists and the loonies who advocate organic farming.

Malawi's man did what should have been done ages ago: applying the same techniques to agriculture that turned the EU and the US into fat, opulent, food dumping, sugar and fat addicted obese nations. That is: strategic subsidies, protectionism, investments in infrastructures and in good old Green Revolution inputs.

But it takes courage: it takes the courage to tell the World Bank to fvkk off, to tell the food dumpers to get lost and to tell the green loonies to get a grip.

If you do that, you turn from being a food begging nation into a major per capita food exporter.

You have to say fvkk off at times. You should try it, I do it all the time - look:

Pstarr, fvkk off, there is no phosphorus peak, there's more than enough for +300 years, and after that the resource can be recycled, so fvkk off.

See?