Ethiopia: Threat to Harari Culture

 Ethiopia Insight published on 7 December 2023 a commentary titled "Hararis in Harar Are Being Erased and Dispossessed" by Abdullah Sherif, a leader of the Harari community in Toronto.  

The author argues that Oromo extremism poses an existential threat to Hararis in Harar.  Given their small numbers (well under one percent of Ethiopia's population), constant intimidation, and abandonment by the central government, Hararis in Harar are suffering in silence.  Harari culture is being appropriated, its land and property stolen, and politics undermined.  

Sudan's Next Crisis May Be Food Shortages

 Reuters published on 17 July 2023 an article titled "Insight: Fighting in Sudan Leaves Farmers Struggling to Get Crops Planted" by Sarah El Safty, Khalid Abdelaziz, and Nafisa Eltahir.  

Fighting in Sudan between the Sudan Armed Forces and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces is impacting the ability of farmers to plant crops this season and threatens to result in famine.  

Charges that Water Infrastructure Deliberately Destroyed in Tigray Region

 Ethiopia Insight published on 28 March 2023 a commentary titled "The Ethiopian and Eritrean Armies Deliberately Destroyed Tigray's Water Sector" by Gebremedhin Gebremeskel, Girmay Darcha, and Mitiku Haile, all residents in Mekelle, capital of Tigray Region.  

Following the outbreak of civil war in Ethiopia, the authors assert that forces from the central government and Eritrea destroyed 50 percent of the water supply schemes in Tigray Region.  In addition, 57 percent of irrigated farms on the banks of the Tekeze River and 89 percent of the Welkait sugarcane farms were destroyed.  

Impact of Conflict on Tigrayan Agriculture

 The Conversation published on 22 August 2021 an analysis titled "How Ethiopia's Conflict Has Affected Farming in Tigray" by Jan Nyssen, Emmet Negash, and Sofie Annys, all at Ghent University.

Ploughing has become a serious challenge as Eritrean and Ethiopian forces have killed many of the oxen, young Tigrayans have left farming to join the Tigray Defense Forces, and Amhara militia still occupy Western Tigray.  

Will Cease Fire Hold in Ethiopia's Tigray?

Reuters published on 30 June 2021 an article titled "Ethiopia PM Says Army Quit Tigray as no Longer 'Centre' of Conflict" by Dawit Endeshaw. 

The Ethiopian government threatened to send back huge numbers of troops to the capital of Tigray Region, raising questions about the longevity of the cease fire.  

The Associated Press published on 30 June 2021 an article titled "Trapped in Ethiopia's Tigray, People 'Falling Like Leaves," by Cara Anna.  

This is a depressing account of the situation in rural parts of Tigray Region.  

China's Agricultural Development Programs in Africa

The ChinAfrica Project posted on 17 April 2020 an article titled "Why China Needs to Do a Better Job in Monitoring and Evaluating Its Agricultural Development Projects in Africa" by Lu Xinqing, Kenya-based program officer at AGRA.

This is an on the ground account of the need for more monitoring and evaluating of China's agricultural projects in Africa.

Zimbabwe: Can Chinese Technology Revive Agricultural Sector?

The ChinAfrica Project posted on 20 March 2020 an article titled "Zimbabwe Hopes Chinese Technology Can Help Revive Its Ailing Agricultural Sector" by Marko Bonfasio Phiri.

Farmers in Zimbabwe have relied for centuries on traditional knowledge such as the arrival of the usual rainy season to plant crops. Radical shifts in rainfall patterns require a new approach to farming that China is helping to develop by funding satellite monitors and Chinese experts to encourage more appropriate timing for planting crops.

China's Bauxite Deal with Ghana Encounters Environmental Opposition

Peace FM Online posted on 15 January 2020 an article titled "A Rocha Ghana, 20 CSOs Sue Ghana Gov't over Atewa Bauxite Mining."

The government of Ghana entered into a barter agreement with China to mine Ghana's bauxite in the Atewa forest reserve in exchange for $2 billion in infrastructure development. An environmental protection group, A Rocha Ghana, and 20 civil society groups have sued the government of Ghana in an attempt to stop it from allowing the Atewa forest reserve to be mined for bauxite.

China-Nigeria Water Conservation Cooperation

The Journal of Current Chinese Affairs recently published an academic study titled "Repository Africa in the Evolving 'Chinese Century':The Uneven Sino-Nigerian Water Conservation Partnership" by Adebusuyi Isaac Adeniran, Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.

The study assesses specific outcomes of China's water conservation project in Kano, Nigeria, and argues that it has facilitated technology and skill transfer but might eventually lead to neo-dependency.

Land Use, Ownership and Allocation in Sudan

The Sudan Democracy First Group published in September 2016 a report titled "Land Use, Ownership and Allocation in Sudan: The Challenge of Corruption and Lack of Transparency" by Mohyeldeen E. Taha.

The study focuses on land tenure issues in Sudan, large scale foreign land investments, and the concern that there is a lack of transparency in land policy that leads to corruption.

Ethiopia's Commodity Exchange

Good Governance Africa published on 30 September 2015 an article titled "Inside Ethiopia's Commodities Pit" by Simon Allison, Africa correspondent for the Daily Maverick in Johannesburg.  The article describes Ethiopia's successful commodity exchange operation. 

Chinese Migrants and Ethiopian Agriculture

The Future Agricultures Consortium published in July 2015 a paper titled "Jumping into the Sea: Chinese Migrants' Engagement in Non-Traditional Agricultural Commodities in Ethiopia" by Seth Cook and Dawit Alemu.

The paper explores the nature and extent of Chinese migrant's involvement in the demand and supply of non-traditional agricultural commodities in Ethiopia, shares the perspectives of the different actors involved, and discusses the implications of this presence for Ethiopian development.  The principal non-traditional products are pork, vegetables, and tofu; Chinese migrants in Ethiopia are the principal source of demand for these items.

Chinese Training Courses for African Agriculture

The Future Agricultures Consortium published in July 2015 a paper titled "Chinese Training Courses for African Agriculture: Transformational Knowledge?" by Henry Tugendhat. 

China's agricultural sector has similarities to many African countries.  Its diversity of climate matches many African environments and its dependence on smallholder farming is also similar to African practice.  The paper seeks to understand how China's training courses have affected agricultural practices in the African countries where they have occurred.  

Chinese Agricultural Engagement in Angola

The China Africa Research Initiative at the School of Advanced International Studies in Washington published in March 2015 a policy brief titled "Neither 'Friendship Farm' nor 'Land Grab': Chinese Agricultural Engagement in Angola" by Zhou Jinyan, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

The author traces the development of Chinese agricultural investment in Angola and assesses its current state.  After conducting research on the six Chinese-run farms she questions both the "land grab" narrative as well as the long-term sustainability of these projects. 

Chinese Agricultural Engagement in Zambia

The China-Africa Research Initiative at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies published in January 2015 a policy brief titled "Chinese Agricultural Engagements in Zambia: A Grassroots Analysis" by Solange Guo Chatelard, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, and Jessica M. Chu, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.

It examines the diverse scale and nature of Chinese agricultural investments in Zambia.  By situating these different forms of engagement within the broader context of the commercialization of agriculture, it identifies a complex picture of overlapping agricultural dynamics and interests.

Mechanized Farming and Villagization in Ethiopia

The Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars published in August 2014 an analysis titled "Governing the Horn of Africa's Lowlands: Land Investments and Villagization in Gambella, Ethiopia" by Fana Gebresenbet Erda, a research scholar with the Africa Program of the Wilson Center.

He notes that the Ethiopian government is promoting commercial mechanized farming and villagization.  The government's goal for the villagization program is to provide new skills to farmers and herders so that they can engage in modern settled agriculture, farming, and livestock rearing.  One of the problems encountered with the program has been a lack of prior consultation.  The United States government has begun limiting the funding that can be used for the villagization program. 

Somali Communities in Colorado

During a speaking engagement in Denver this week, a couple of Somali communities in the state of Colorado were brought to my attention.  While I try to follow the Somali diaspora, these communities were not known to me. 

A small number of Somalis began arriving in Fort Morgan, about 80 miles northeast of Denver in 2005.  Most of them came to take advantage of jobs at the Cargill meat packing operation, tough and unpleasant work that many Americans are unwilling to do.  The word got out that jobs were plentiful and the community was mostly welcoming.  Today, there are between 1,000 and 1,200 Somalis living in Fort Morgan, a town of about 11,000 people.  As a result, Somalis now account for about 10 percent of the population. 

Al Jazeera published a nice piece on 6 October 2013 titled "Colorado: It Takes a Village to Settle Immigrants from Africa" by Donna Bryson.  Al Jazeera did a photo spread on 27 September 2013 titled "Photos: The Somalis of Fort Morgan, Colorado."  The Fort Morgan Times published an article on 27 June 2013 titled "Agencies in Morgan County to Consider More Refugee Issues" by Dan Barker that looks at the new immigrant community from a home town perspective. 

A separate Somali Bantu community estimated to number 540 has settled in Denver where they are engaged in farming.  Confluence Denver published a fascinating piece on 15 May 2013 titled "Bantu Urban Farm Marries Somali Tradition with Sustainable Farming in Denver" by Chris Meehan.  One of the projects is an innovative urban farm that reconnects the Bantu with the land where they bring their traditional farming techniques to the US while being taught sustainable farming techniques for the Colorado climate.