Page 42 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 17

Food Health
Food Health

ANOTHER FALSE START IN AFRICA

Sold With Green Revolution Myths

By Timothy A. Wise and Jomo Kwame Sundaram results of the GR in Africa.

This article was published originally on: Hagiographic accounts of the GR
https://www.ksjomo.org/post/another-false-start-in-africa-sold-with- cite ‘high‐yielding’ and ‘fast-grow-
green-revolution-myths ing’ dwarf wheat and rice spreading
through Asia, particularly India,
saving lives, modernising agriculture,
and ‘freeing’ labour for better off-
OSTON and KUALA from promoted commercial seeds
LUMPUR: Since the and agrochemicals in AGRA’s 13 farm employment.
Alliance for a Green Rev- focus countries. Meanwhile, the
Bolution in Africa (AGRA) number of undernourished in these Many recent historical studies chal-
was launched in 2006, yields have nations increased by 30%! lenge key claims of this supposed
barely risen, while rural poverty success, including allegedly wide-
remains endemic, and would have When will we ever learn? spread yield improvements and even
increased more if not for out-mi- the number of lives actually saved
gration. What went wrong? The continuing by increased food production.
Indian farmer protests, despite the
AGRA was started, with funding COVID-19 resurgence, highlight Environmental degradation and
from the Bill and Melinda Gates the problematic legacy of its Green other public health threats due to
Foundation and the Rockefeller Revolution (GR) in frustrating prog- the toxic chemicals used are now
Foundation, to double yields and ress to sustainable food security. widely recognized. Meanwhile, water
incomes for 30 million smallholder management has become increasing-
farm households while halving food Many studies have already punctured ly challenging and unreliable due to
insecurity by 2020. some myths of India’s GR. Looking global warming and other factors.
back, its flaws and their dire conse-
There are no signs of significant quences should have warned policy- Ersatz GR2.0 for Africa
productivity and income boosts makers of the likely disappointing
Half a century later, the technology

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