Politics shelter , the sort that decomposed into manure and neither clog the waterways with synthetic waste nor pollute underground water with cancer-causing substances . Fewer people fell sick in traditional Africa , and those who did already knew what Hippocrates the Greek Physician popularized in the West , which is , “ Let food be your medicine and medicine your food .” African communities generously utilized medicinal herbs and plant components in health management .
Further , African indigenous food production system values the interdependence of all life , be it plant , animal or human . It does not uphold the principle of mass destruction of the species and the environment in the pursuit of wealth for a privileged few . Contrast the situation in Africa ’ s traditional setting with the outright disdain for the environment that pervades the cultivation of food for profit in the name of modernity . Take fishing , for instance , where methods such as the use of blasts and cyanide to kill fish have brought much harm to the global water body , while being at the root cause of several human health challenges . Global biodiversity is seriously threatened as a result of these harmful practices , and the rest of the species suffer ill-health and death because life is interdependent .
Many might argue that today ’ s Africans are sicker and die younger than their forbears . If that were so , a contributory factor is surely the glitzy marketing of cheap , harmful chemicals manufactured in laboratories and sold as food .
Africans must desist from copying the Western models of food production , which are not necessarily for the sake of providing nourishment to the community and replenishing the environment , but often for the sole purpose of amassing wealth . Indeed , food as an essential commodity in the global eco-system has been hijacked by big corporations whose interests rest squarely in the continuous growth of elite shareholders ’ profit . The result includes huge amount of food waste in the Global North , artificially induced hunger among urban and rural populations in Africa and the continued use of hazardous chemicals in the name of pesticides , herbicides and fertilizers .
In indigenous Africa , every man was a farmer , whether of plant or animal . This is because Africans have always known that there is no wisdom in completely outsourcing something as basic as the food that sustains one ’ s life . But what we have today in abundance is a generation of Africans , living in cities , working so-called “ modern ” jobs , but who have consigned the business of agriculture to governments , corporations and organizations .
Africans need to rediscover and re-invest in the age-old nutritious indigenous foods and beverages that abound across the region . Innovation in the field of food production must be centered on the African philosophy of deep respect for the environment and the Ubuntu philosophy of the utmost regard for community . Novel food preservation methods should also be sought , which can simultaneously extend both shelf life and the life of the consumer .
The challenge for the African in a post-Covid-19 world should be how to reclaim the responsibility for food as an essential commodity . Agriculture should no longer be left in the hands of corporations , governments and institutions . The colonial mindset that still pervades much of Africa made it such that far too many Africans are trained to pursue so-called white-collar jobs that do not feature in the base of man ’ s needs .
As an African , one should ask how s / he is contributing to one ’ s community ’ s food system . Every able-bodied African should seriously explore the idea of farming , even if as a part-time endeavor . Cooperatives of farmers can come together and develop a rural area with enough amenities to ensure a good life even for families with young , school-age children .
While Africans look forward to the day when governments within the region will be strengthened to invest in building infrastructure across rural communities , citizens can look for ways to work together and provide the comfort needed for self and community advancement at each point in time . It is hoped that the post-Covid-19 lockdown era will be a time when Africa ’ s ‘ citizen leaders ’ will emerge , armed with the realization that every African should be an active participant in creating the world s / he wishes to see in their lifetime .
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