Russian counter-sanctions to hit European farmers

In the news tonight, Russia has banned the import of agricultural produce from countries that have imposed sanctions on it.

This is bad news for European farmers. Russia has been an important market for agricultural produce. Although the ban will affect all EU countries and the US, Polish fruit, vegetables and pig meat and Dutch fruit and vegetables will suffer the greatest impact.

It is acknowledged that the move may cause food prices to rise. Find the UK's The Guardian report here and BBC's here. For a look at what's being said on "the other side" (always a good idea) find what RT has to say here.

US-Africa Leaders Summit: music to the ears?

Heads of state of most African countries will be in Washington DC August 4-6 for the US-Africa Leaders Summit and so will some of Africa’s top musicians who plan to entertain with a message. Find the story on AFKInsider here.

Briefly, the ONE Campaign launched “Do Agric” in January to support the 2014 Year of Agriculture proclaimed by the African Union (AU). Growth in agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa today is estimated to be 11 times more powerful at reducing poverty than growth in other sectors such as mining and utilities.

Take a look at the story on ONE’s report, “Ripe for Change: The Promise of Africa’s Agricultural Transformation” here along with the link to download it.

Let the music play!

Wisdom from China on Gaza

[The news is bad tonight. Bear with us as we digress from agriculture for one blog ...]

We look at the turmoil and ignorance in Gaza and we are reminded of lines which appeared in China, centuries ago, wisdom which is as relevant now as it was then.

         "There is no greater misfortune
          than underestimating your enemy.
          Underestimating your enemy
          means thinking that he is evil.
         Thus you destroy your three treasures [simplicity, patience, compassion]
         and become an enemy yourself"

The lines are from the Tao Te Ching (Mitchell's version).

Southern Africa and the EU: Economic Partnership Agreement finalised

This month (July 2014) saw the negotiations for an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between Southern African countries and the European Union (EU) finalised. The EU is this region's largest trading partner.

Last year, the EU exports here were pegged at €33 billion. From Southern Africa its main imports are diamonds, precious stones and minerals, fish, sugar, fruit and nuts.

Find the European Commission press release here.

Fracking to go ahead (fullsteam) in UK

"The government has fired the starting gun on a reckless race for shale that could see fracking rigs go up across the British countryside, including in sensitive areas such as those covering major aquifers ..." [This includes national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs)]. Find the report in the UK's The Guardian newspaper here. Included in the report is a map of where hydraulic fracturing (fracking) may well proceed.

Fracking is also a grim potential in South Africa where, despite evidence of the environmental Armageddon to follow, fracking continues to be spoken about by zombie-looking politicians, as a "game changer", politicians who have surely forgotten what the earth feels like under bare feet, or the taste of pure water in the mouth.

Read the other side of the story on websites like those of Treasure The Karoo Action Group (TKAG). Shale gas mining is (1) unsustainable (2) water thirsty (3) poses environmental risk.

Mandela day and going beyond ourselves

The 18 July is Nelson Mandela day and is observed internationally. People are encouraged to make a change somewhere by volunteering 67 minutes of their time and expertise.

A rather cynical piece popped up in the day's wake, Mandela Day: a post-colonial exercise in the commodification of the good black on the Thoughtleader website.

Is cynicism wrong? People who see the glass as half empty (instead of half full) can always congratulate themselves on their "realism", and how smug they feel when things don't turn out as others had hoped! But cynicism is so old and doesn't go anywhere. People like Mandela and Gandhi point to new possibilities in being human; to a different, inclusive picture of what we can become ...

Anyone who sees Mandela as just a "good black" doesn't see him at all! People like Mandela and Gandhi evolve beyond their constituencies, and their subsequent example encourages the human race to go beyond its Whiteness, Blackness, Hinduness, Jewishness etc. If we can't do that for 67 minutes, what hope is there?

On pigs and ignorance

The love of money is not the root of all evil. Ignorance is. If we could know and feel the consequences of our actions we would change what we say and do.

The weekend brought news of another new-on-the-land project which has ended in great suffering for animals. Livestock had been without food and water for a number of days. Pigs began eating other pigs. Sheep, goats and ducks had also died. The farm was owned by the chairperson of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Thandi Modise. Find the story here. Her explanation is that the farm manager was given leave and the replacement had not turned up. Modise is reported as saying: "I am not a farmer. I am trying to farm. I am learning. But if you are a woman and you are learning you are not allowed to make mistakes."

This is not about a lack of agricultural skills. If those involved were aware of the pain caused by their thoughtlessness there would not be this scandal. This is a failure in management and a gross failure of follow through and responsibility. And is the subsequent political point scoring by opposition parties doing any good? We're getting stuck here. The animals are forgotten and it's all about us. 

Come on! We can do better than this.