most worrying country crisis in the world today.

sepusepu · Senior Member

most worrying country crisis in the world today.

abre les ojos · Guru

Not that I'm trying to belittle that story - thanks to sepu for posting it - but I can't help but see holes in its credibility. I speak to Malawi every other day and the situation is never as agencies claim.

3 years ago there were countless reports of hunger in MW. News crews interviewing people from some far away village that you've never heard of with a population of a thousand or less. By comparison to the west everyone in Malawi is hungry. Our diet for instance is pretty limited (nsima/mpunga/ndiwo). Choices are fewer as we don't have Mcdonalds, strabucks and all those fancy pizzas and stuff.

Yes there is a situation in Malawi but let me ask you this. Is is any worse than last year or the year before? If it is, why? The fault has to come from somewhere, Where?

Then if this is a reccuring situation, how can we stop it from ever happening again.

In Niger it is a different case as the people who are hungry are mostly nomads and they don't rely wholly on farming. Apart from then the other parts of the country are fine. So their problem is distribution.

What about MW? Instead of just reporting the problem, can someone PLEASE diagnose it. Leave the reports to journalists who rely on sensationalism to sell their stories.

Ngwazi · Guru

abre les ojos wrote:

I speak to Malawi every other day and the situation is never as agencies claim. 3 years ago there were countless reports of hunger in MW. News crews interviewing people from some far away village that you've never heard of with a population of a thousand or less. By comparison to the west everyone in Malawi is hungry. Our diet for instance is pretty limited (nsima/mpunga/ndiwo). Choices are fewer as we don't have Mcdonalds, strabucks and all those fancy pizzas and stuff. Yes there is a situation in Malawi but let me ask you this. Is is any worse than last year or the year before? If it is, why?

Abre,

Could it be that the people you speak to every other day are not affected by the food shortages hence they never mention the word "hunger" to you?You have to remember that the people affected are mainly those in the rural villages,not all of them,but the majority whilst the people in towns mainly complain about other things like "kushota".The problem we have in Malawi is that the gap between the "haves" and "have not" is too wide,its actually obscene.Just because we dont have Mcdonalds or wimpy should not be looked at as limiting our diet.We do have Chick wings,da fabio,Southern fried and "pa a Mayuni" in Lilongwe as some of the places people can have something nearer to a Mcdonalds or KFC but the problem is the disposable income,the spending power.Lets be honest,how many times can one eat at Da Fabio or Pa Mayuni when a meal knocks you back at least K950(that is without a"girlfriend",now include her !!).

But I agree with you when you say we should look at the causes of this recurring thing.It really does not help that every year we should be singing the hunger song,putting our begging bowls out for uncle sam to dictate to us when he gives his yellow cattle food called sweetcorn,its high time we looked at ways to bail ourselves out of this hunger thing.One way of doing this I believe is re-educating the people back home about the need to utilise other available food stuff is a must.You know the problem in malawi is that people are too much reliant on maize,so when maize is not available,thats hunger to them yet they might have lots of cassava,rice,yam and sweet potatoes.People up north,especially in Karonga eat plantain(bananas)and survive,why cant someone in Mulanje be taught to sustain himself on the same plantain?its maize,maize and more maize,thats food to them and when the maize becomes less and less and no maize,its hunger to them.Scarcity or shortage of maize should not be considered hunger when we have other food like cassava and rice,we should utilise thiese readily available products,what do you think people?

abre les ojos · Guru

You got it just right. And that is exactly what I've been saying for a long time (maybe not in your words).

You made the same point. Take aways in MW are too expensive and only a few people can afford them - hence they don't really count. And I don't think chick wings is still there, is it? Da fabio? I doubt. Unless I'm wrong. Someone tell me.

If the government took it seriously they can educate people about diet changes and revert this hunger issue for good in about 2-3 years. If they draw up a serious plan it is possible. And can we afford to do it? Like hell we can. Our lives depend on it.

Any farmer would tell you how delicate maize can be where rain is concerned. Other crops that can withstand lower rainfall can and should be encouraged.

These are long term plans. You can't tell me that all those students and lecturers at the Agriculture college can't come up with a substantial plan and cost analysis of this?

Black Panther · Senior Member

Ngwazi I agree with you.

There is a big problem when our three major crops are tea , tabacco, and weed. When we get to an impending famine. we cant fall back on any of those crops. If we were more reliant on maize in conjuction with other crops that would FEED us (not miaze alone), we may be in a better position.

ABE, I speak to people back home that say there is a problem. People in the villages especially. They are knocking on doors looking for peice-work and then when there is none, they will literally just sit at the gates at my parents home and wonder what to do...put urself in that situation where u feel hopeless...we have people willing to work. what with starvation who wouldnt...I think this year its worse then other years, the way it sounds. Also, I think a lot of the people that can afford to go to Nandos and the like may be a little embarrased to say hey 'times are hard, food is expensive, there is no food' - Malawians, u know we can be very self important and have airs when we want to...I cant see anyone on this forum coming out to say guys Im starving , kind u lend me some food... its our pride.

If anything the media attention may embarass the govt in to doing something. We use do to have food in reserve in the past...what happend?

CIVIL EDUCATION is a GOOD for MALAWI -

abre les ojos · Guru

I agree with you.

A few years ago there was the same situation. Well, the government did what the IMF said and sold the maize in storage to service their debt. Then the rain failed. What happened more AID and loans = higher debt. Result = downward spiral of events.

So when I say that ONLY long term projects would work, I think I'm right. Now, say we ask for food Aid. Where does it come from. Mostly the USA where rich folk get tax write-offs for donating money to charity and the government can flood our country with their genetically modified maize that they don't even use themselves. These seeds can't be planted either. So you know what? They create a dependancy (a bit like a drug addict and dealer relationship) Aid/refief is big business. Is is altruism? There's no such thing like that!

So my dear, you might me moved by the plight of the poor, but if we support this method of helping them we're in a way harming them.

LONG TERM HELP or find another way out.

Black Panther · Senior Member

Abre, I beilive in the 'Give a Man a fish, hell eat for a day, teach hom how to fish he'll eat forever deal" - that I support whole heartedly. I was an advocate of this as the only means for us - I still think it is...but over the years, Ive slightly altered this idea b/c Im trying to be a little more realistic about how Malawian would really deal with long term solutions - we're used to hand outs - eating for one day and not planning for tommorow. and even thgouh the long term solution may sound better and IS better. There would be great and violent opposition for those trying to implement it given the way politics is in Malawi. Now you and I Abre, may be able to draft a long term plan we will call it the real vision 20/20 - with transitional lenses. , but You and I would not be able to go to Malawi today. no matter how brillina the plan and implement it b/c of the ols system thats there. the players in the game only know that system as well...You really have to be prepared to fight, or even die to get effective change in Africa. If your own people dont kill you , the CIA or the countries that built that dependancy may. Look at La Mumba - a champion for democracy....

I mean I am not saying its impossible, but I think that also, we would need to get some like minded people - Now abre, I know you and I have our difference in opinion but I think that when it boils down to it , we would be able to argue a point out and come to a point where we can agree on a solution for some problem if we had to or were put in a positon where we had to wrok together. This is what I would like to see for Malawian politicians... instead of being loyal to PARTIES, they need to be loyal to IDEAS and IDEALS. What is the real difference btw some of our parties... its not about the idea of the party - which I would be hard pressed to pin point for most... its about the "who" in the party.

A Nigerian frined of mine interested in politics told me once that I would have to be prepared to wathc people die to be a leader of a country.. at first I said no, there i a way etc... but now I thin I believe him. Sometimes, you do have to watch people suffer so that they can be helped in the future... the only thing is that u will not be the most popular guy in the hood. In orde to gain support sometimes u need to give a fish (not all of them, but one or two - thats just politics)

I think I may have gone off the topic but we are in the year 2005. Why are to Barney Rubble and Fred flinstone still our neighbors?

-- Edited by Black Panther at 16:47, 2005-08-26

abre les ojos · Guru

I agree with you. But the politics is all wrong. From Washington to MW. No one seems to have the hungry folks interests at heart. We are living in a world where the almighty consumer is king. We can be idealistic about it all but we cannot change it through idealism alone. The change has to be tough and hard and it will include giving power to the people to take charge. Unfortunately that will was sapped out of MW by Banda.

So you see, this problem runs deep indeed. It is a mixture of that "victim" culture and refusal for self-reliance that plagues Malawi and a lot of Africa.

The Middle-East are chanting Death to America because they have been through this and are reacting violently; their religion usurped as a catalyst. But for us in Africa what do we have? Well, the little pride that we could salvage after colonialism was taken by western supported dictators afraid that we'll turn communists.

Well. maybe we need to try a version of communism modified. Capitalism is just shafting us innit?

skillzmanifest · Senior Member

Sure the source was most probably designed to make the matter appear urgent, but thats how we as Malawians need to handle the situation. It is a concern and needs have to be met right away. Indeed, education, among other things is the way to go. Both short and long term goals are all just as important in determining not only if we were better off the year before, but also from yesterday.It builds a sense of hope and a common vision, of which I believe is the only way we'll get through this together.

As far as the issue on reliance on Maize goes, I've made one observation. Malawians aren't recieving a Balanced diet or any diet (the hungry) at awhatso ever. We tend to eat foods high in starch and bulk. I guess this meets somewhat of a psychological need. Seeing as how Malawians feel full enough to convince themselves they'll get through the day. We like beliveing our beloved Nsima is all we need to survive. Sadly, this mentality accounts for the depressing infant mortality rates and other health problems the country also faces today.
Which is where education comes into play. Our villagers need to be impowered with the knowedge of the importance of a balanced diet and keeping healthy, before we begin encouraging them to start growing anything else.Convincing our brothers and sisters back home is an extremely hard task, because we are fighting a mentality. Thus we have to do this the right way and can't allow rooom for mistakes.

On the note of altenative crops, I would suggest the planting of Soy.The absence of protien in the Malawian diet is also a concern. As mentioned before, our infants seem to be the ones hit most . Can this problem be fixed? Soy it can! It can be grown within the same conditions as maize and can be enriched and be made into almost any kind of dish.Most importantly, AT VILLAGE LEVEL. Of course, improvising here and there.

-- Edited by skillzmanifest at 08:47, 2005-08-27

-- Edited by skillzmanifest at 08:48, 2005-08-27

abre les ojos · Guru

Only the government can initiate such a project. Imagine it would take about the same money and effort it takes to mount a presidential campaign.

You see our very survival depends on it and it is entirely up to us.

Pope · Guru

Yes to what you have said and I wish Bingu should read the contibutions.At the moment our goals are on paper nothing on the ground.Talk of politicians,even the well educated mps today are dancing to idiots just because he is a party leader.The enemnity of politicians has widened their co-existed.The re cycled politicians is another problem,they can't adjust to Bingus policies.Corrupt senior gvt staff,corruption has made them myopic.For the diet,Some one some day refused to have rice for supper and insisted until he had nsima he would have a nice night.Syndrome.

Do you know the qualifications of these ministers,and yet you think he has time to sit in the office and look at the policies and plans.Am told they doze all the way to a political meeting.ABRE the only way forward is for Bingu to fire akabwerebwere and replace with people who can manage to implement the long term plans,those pipo who understands long term and the consequences it takes to reach the fruits.

Yes the situation is worse but we have another problem,the maize in Admarc is being bought by vendors who sells it to NFRA.The truth is noone is in control of the situation,our MPs are a waiste of time.They dont meet the villagers,they stay in town hence noone can teacch and protect the villagers.

We need the sacrifice for the long term ideologies to be implemented, this should start with the President,opposition leaders,individual mps,ADDs,RDPs,chiefs,civil servants and all Malawians should accept it.