AJF:Newsletter[quarterly]"Africa NOW" No.81

Africa Japan Forum (AJF) works with African People for African People's better life.

Africa NOW No.81

Issued on June 30th, 2008 by Africa Japan Forum (AJF)

Special Topic: Rising food prices shaking Africa

The report shows how the steep rising food prices hit African people on their livelihood and farming. Also, the hints show what can we do, now.

p.3-5 Is the mechanism of rising food prices clear? AJF food security study
Along with the food scarcity, the rising food prices are overwhelming all over the world. Especially, it is considered that the combined problems crucially affect African people. Coincidentally, a number of biofuel projects are planned. How the food crises and the biological fuel projects correlate? The food crises are considered to deter the MDGs achievement, in addition. The pressing issue is to take good and proper actions against the steep rising of the food prices.

p.6-7 Utilize Japanese technology producing root and tuber crops, Shiwachi Hironobu
In Africa, they grow a wide variety of crop products accordingly to the rainfall. Cassava and yam, the outproduced root and tuber crops in Africa, are rather not improved in varieties with less support. One of the reasons of the less improvement is that Europeans and people in the USA do not know the root and tuber crops very well. Why not Japan's cooperation projects adopt its yam and taro husbandry skill and the experiences of improvement in varieties for people in Africa?

p.8-9 Mr. Shiratori suggests, "Dose rising food prices means a chance for farmers?"
Many of the farmers in Ethiopia, who are the net consumer of food, are suffering from the steep rising food prices. In addition, the stock raisers are also suffering from hunger there because the crop farmland has been overrunning the livestock farming land. The aids are to be planned and proceeded in accordance with the above mentioned current conditions.

p.10-14 African agriculture is faced with biofuel's storm, Inaizumi Hiroki
The industries in developed and oil producing countries express the plans to grow biofuel crops in Africa to sell in the developed countries. The article explores the background of those plans. It also discusses if the growing of biofuel crops consists with the food crop farming.

p.15 South Africa: Actions against rising food prices, Hirabayashi Kaoru
I sincerely feel sad about the successive violence against the immigrants in South Africa. The chain of thought attack should be determined. The leaders of South Africa are asked to solve imparity because the marginal people, who are the forth of the citizens and dependant on social security allowance, are affected heavily by rising of food prices.

p.16-17 Senegal: Watching food crisis in Tambacounda, Kusuda Miyamichi Kazuchiyo
June 7th, an illegal export of food from Senegal to Mari, the adjacent country of Senegal, are laid open. The authorities in Senegal ban the exports of food; simultaneously, they support the retail dealers of food. The illegal export cannot be determined because the food prices in Mauritania and Mari are quite higher than those in Senegal.

p.18-21 The "light" of Zimbabwe shines in Nagano, Hayashimoto Kumiko
I welcomed a young men from Zimbabwe to stay at my home in Japan, and it was my first step to have the connection with Zimbabwe. Last year, I brought a high school woman student, who was the very best prizewinner of an essay competition, to Zimbabwe. After the visit to Zimbabwe, the student recaptured her high motivation for her study and her other activities. She got a foot on the door to do so while she met people in Zimbabwe and experienced positively.

p.22-23 London: Mozart's "The Magic Flute/ Impempe Yomlingo", Morioka Miho
A theater company, which relates with South Africa, got popular through the company's play of "The Magic Flute" in London. The most attractive point is the audience's reactions to the singings and dancing on the stage; the reactions fit the Mozart style. However, the play seems not for the people who are favor of the authentic and precise style. I apprise "The Magic Flute," which ironically includes an exclusive society, not because of its exclusiveness but because of its familiarity of interaction between the audience and the play.

4th cover To readers ("Hitotsu no musubime toshite" in Japanese) and daily report
Information from the secretariat of AJF to readers.

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