Africa knowledge

• Development


  An increase in standards of living and quality of life for an increasing proportion of the population
• GNI


  Sum of all goods and services produced in a country plus taxes and income from abroad, divided by the population
• Simple indicators of measuring development

  - GNI

  - % of ppl living on $2 a day

  - adult literacy

  - life expectancy

  - energy consumption

  - level of malnourishment
• Composite indicators


  - HDI

  - gender empowerment measure

  - Human poverty index
• Qualitative indicators


  - environmental vulnerability index (EVI

  - corruption perception index (CPI)

  - happy planet index (HPI)
• Limitations of indicators


  Most are averages= misleading

  Incomplete= unreliable and out of date
• Measuring inequalities


  Lorenz curve

  Gini Coefficient- closer to 1 the greater the inequality of income distribution
• Development gap and continuum

  SSA average reduction in Gini Coefficent (from 0.47 to 0.43)- between 1991 and 2011

  SSA most unequal in the world- 10 of 48 countries among 19 most unequal in the world
• Development gap


  The widening difference in levels of development within and between countries
• Development continuum


  Recognises variations in levels of development within and between countrie reveal more of a graduation than a gap
• Variations within countries- regional, ethnic and gender differences

  Nigeria: most popular us country in Africa- one of most ethnically diverse countries in world (the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo)

  - gender gap in education has narrowed

  Kenya: top 10% richest households control more than 40% of the country's income and the 10 poorest percent control less than one percent

  - only 3% of women have no education (central province) vs 93% of women have no education in Northeastern province
• Influence of physical factors on development- minerals and energy sources

  Sierra Leone:

  - poorest in world (184th in 2017, HDI of 0.419)

  - mineral resources= diamonds, gold, titanium and iron ore—> mining= 20% of gDP

  - diamond mining= second largest employer (400,000 people)

  ~Poor gov + corruption= only a fraction of wealth returns

  ~Exploitation= mining occurs at borders (no gov supervision)—-> diggers are exploited, trapped in poverty

  ~ China= minerals exported to China, neocolonial relationship is exploitative

  Limited access to economic and infrastructural resources in SSA, extent is on of national grids taking place at a very slow rate= lack of access to sufficient and affordable energy= major constraint
• Neo-colonialism


  Dominance of strong nations over weak nations, not by direct political control
• Influence of physical factors on development- soils, relief, climate and water availability


  Kenya:

  - tourism: 65% of tourists visit Kenyas coast, savanna grasslands are among most diversely populated wildlife areas in the world

  - agriculture: rich, fertile soil- most successful agricultural regions in Africa= largest supplier of flowers to EU (over 50%)

  - energy: leads Africa in nu,more of solar power systems- africas first largest producer of geothermal power (add to gov goal of universal access to electricity by 2020)
• Influence of physical factors on development- the constraining effects of climate variability on development

  Malawi (land-locked country):

  - floods and droughts

  - crop failures= food scarcity

  - floods—> water pollution= cholera

  - women have to make longer journeys for water
• Influence of economic factors on development- free trade and trade blocs

  Sierra Leone:

  - export economy ranked 154th in the world

  - over dependence on primary products= vulnerable to low prices
• Influence of economic factors on development- resource curse and conflict

  Primary commodities= generates income required for economic development

  DRC's (metals)- attracted milita groups from other countries

  Sierra Leone- diamonds

  South Sudan- oil
• Influence of economic factors on development- influence of MNC's

  FDI- promote and hinder development

  Sierra Leone- attractive for mining= FDI

  + promote infrastructure and social development

  - no effective poverty reduction

  - child labour

  - management for chinese personnel
• Influence of economic factors on development- influence of tourism

  +ve:

  ~ Kenya earned $1.2 billion in 2017

  ~ employment rise 1.1 million direct

  ~ money from tourism goes towards projects for

  local facilities

  - multiplier effect

  -ve:

  ~ jobs for local people are poorly paid and seasonal

  ~ creates conflict between tourists and locals

  ~ most income kept by big travel companies
• Influence of economics factors on development- influence of fair trade

  Obtain a fair price for a wide variety of exported commodities

  Oserian plantation in Kenya= Africa's largest producer of roses and carnations—> fair trade earnings are invested into a communal fund for workers, farmers and community improve their social, economic and environmental conditions
• Physical factors influencing development

  Minerals and energy sources

  Soils, relief and water availability

  Climate variability
• Economic factors influencing development


  Free trade and trade blocs

  Resource curse and conflict

  Tourism

  Fair trade
• Multiplier effect


  Increase in spending produces an increase in national income and consumption that is greatest than the initial amount spent
• Influence of political factors on development

  Strong, accountable and transparent gov= promote all aspects of development

  Sierra Leone: ranked 130th in Transparency internationals corruption perception (2017)—>
• Influence of social factors on development

  Development aid has enabled countries to make good progress in education and health

  SSA has the highest number of children out of school- 21%

  Rwanda- parliamentary seats must be reserved for women (30%), by 2018 64% was held by women= women can inherit property and are active leaders in the business community

  ~ Rwanda remains in high levels of domestic violence
• Impact of development on the environment

  Consumerism and the impact of the exploitation of natural resources

  Impacts of agro-industrialisation

  Manufacturing industries
• Consumerism and the impact of the exploitation of natural resources

  Economic development—> increased income= more spending power and aspirations

  Kenya:

  - raid urbanisation= increasing amounts of wastewater and refuse

  - growth in car ownership= increased congestion and emissions e.g. Nairobi

  - negative environmental impacts associated with oil exploitation e.g. Niger Delta and gold mining in Ghana
• Impacts of Agro-industrilisation


  Negative impact on environment:

  - unsustainable use of water resources

  Use of agrochemicals which destroy soil structure

  - contamination of water and soil by harmful chemical and pesticides

  - destruction of wetlands and original natural habitats
• Impacts of Afro-industrilisation


  Positive impact:

  + many farms researching organic methods of pest management

  + management of water resources is improving through the recycling of wastewater and collection of rainwater
• Manufacturing industries


  Kenya: 20% of economic activity is accounted for in Kenya

  12.5% of all formal jobs in the economy

  Notable sectors include chemicals, metals and motor vehicles

  Foreign companies often set up their business with disregard for environmental pollution
• Primary causes of desertification

  Climate change- associated with precipitation becoming less reliable, seasonally and annually

  Vegetation- increasingly water-stressed and dying off, exposing bare soil

  Bare soil- vulnerable to erosion by wind and water

  Short intense precipitation- rapid runoff
• Human factors reinforce physical causes

  - Overcultivation= increase in large-scale, mechanised agriculture with accompanying soil compaction an increased runoff

  - Overgrazing= by goats, sheep and cattle which destroys vegetation

  - Deforestation= use of trees for fuel and construction resulting in fewer roots to bind the soil and reduced interception

  - Population growth= pressure forcing rural dwellers onto more marginal land

  - change from nomadic to sedentary agriculture-

  - civil wars= intensify problems (South Sudan)
• Consequences of desertification on ecosystems

  Tipping points reached more quickly

  Habitat ranges and reduced

  Extinction risks are higher
• Consequences of desertification on populations

  Reduced soil fertility- crops and livestock decrease, crop diversity decreases

  Dust storms- increased discomfort and eye diseases

  Loss of land- loos oh homes and possessions

  Drought and famine- malnutrition and starvation
• Consequences of desertification on landscapes

  Increased sand storms

  Soil erosion and less of top soil

  Vegetation damaged
• Strategies to address desertification- Kenya

  - subsidies on farm inputs

  - purchase of maize from farmers at prices above market prices

  - provide subsidies to maize millers, to bring down the prices of maker to consumers

  - diversification

  - provide a fund for the purchase of livestock from drought-stricken areas
• Strategies to address desertification- Africa

  2007- African-led initiative to address the combined threats of climate change, drought, famine, conflict and migration
• Strategies to promote development

  National governments

  International aid agencies, NGO's and micro finance schemes and The World Bank and IMF
• National governments


  Ethiopia aims to reach lower middle-income status by 2020-20:

  - economy registered an annual average GNI growth rate of over 10% above 7% of annual average growth rate
• International aid agencies, NGO's and micro finance schemes

  Aid= contributes to national development plans by providing infrastructure, improving governance and accountability, encouraging capacity building, providing basic services and tech support