Message-ID: <199609211819.OAA12346@franco.francomedia.qc.ca> Date: Sat, 21 Sep 1996 14:19:35 -0400 From: Hubert DUVIEUSART <mailto:duvieush@FRANCOMEDIA.QC.CA> Subject: Re: Sustainable economic systems.pre/post colonial times To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
On Thu, 19 Sep 1996 21:47:57 -0400
Deborah Rose <mailto:d.j.rose@derby.ac.uk> wrote
>> > I am looking for details about how Africans and their descendants
>> > developed sustainable economic systems, both in pre and post colonial
>> > times.
>> > Many thanks
>> > Deborah
Steve Rossouw answered :
>> THEY HAVE'NT!
>>-- End of excerpt from Steve Rossouw>
Fortunately, some balanced people answered politely to what I consider an
insult to all of Africa and to every African : thank you to all.
As for the original question from Deborah, I would like to mention just one
experience I went through back in 1974. I was working as a member of a team
designing a five-year economic development plan for one of the states in the
then oil-rich Nigeria. I was in charge of "livestock, and meat". Since we
were working in a tse-tse fly area, the local livestock was limited to
goats, sheep, a few hogs and, mostly, game (bushmeat).
There was, however, a heavy trade in cattle originating from the Sahel
pastoralists ethnic groups, located several hundred miles to the North. The
trade and transportation, mostly on the hoof, was the main responsibility of
the Haoussas (or Hawsas or whatever local spelling is used for these people
distributed all over West Africa). The State authorities wanted to get rid
of this traditional system in favor of a "modern" livestock marketing
organization.
After a few weeks of discussions with the traders and the butchers, however,
it became evident that the cattle trading organization had been developed
over centuries of trustfull relations between the producers in the North,
the intermediary traders and the consumers in the South, relations that had
led to an informal joint control of the market by the three groups, control
materialized by a constant supply system, managed by the Haoussas and
accepted by everybody : the Haoussas traders could, at very short notice,
divert full herds (anywhere from a dozen to several hundred cattle) from one
city to another, in order to keep an adequate supply eof cattle (enough and
not too many) everywhere, thus keeping the most stable prices I have ever
monitored in any market. I woud like to challenge any economist to develop a
better marketing organization.
Fortunately, I was able to convince the Government to officially recognize
the existing cattle marketing system, and limit changes to the sanitary
aspects of slaughtering and meat distribution.
So, Mr Rossouw, here is just one example of a sustainable economic system
developed by Africans, without outside help, before colonial times. If you
ever have a chance, open you eyes, and you will see many more.
Good luck.
--
Hubert DUVIEUSART, agro-economiste/agro-economist - Montreal, QC, Canada
Agronome-conseil - conseiller en developpement rural
Agricultural consultant -- rural development adviser