BigDebt2022 t1_je9soh2 wrote
Reply to comment by Gnonthgol in Eli5 Why is there still a famine in Africa despite the fact that they have been receiving foreign aid for decades? by Illustrious-Pen9569
Insert Sam Kinnison "You live in a desert!" here.
Bart_Bandy t1_je9t6cz wrote
"This is sand!"
Greenarchist028 t1_je9ybze wrote
A hilarious bit but a prime example of why you shouldn't take your opinions from a comedian. It's hyperbole that plays on people's misconceptions.
The song he refers raised money to send charity to Sudan and Ethiopia primarily, two of the highest farming land using countries in the world at 12 and 20 currently.
Gnonthgol t1_jea3vs8 wrote
As if the US does not have deserts and as if Afracia does not have jungles.
BigDebt2022 t1_jeaqc64 wrote
>As if the US does not have deserts
He addresses that, too. We have deserts, but we don't live in them. Compare this map if the North American deserts
with this map of population density
...well, actually, we do, sometimes. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Salt Lake City, etc. Thing is, the people who live there have the technology and money to.. well, live there.
>and as if Afracia does not have jungles.
He specifically mentions areas with 'sand', and where food can't grow. Sheesh.
Gnonthgol t1_jeawa75 wrote
Forgive me for not looking up the full quote. But I strongly object to your suggestion that Africans live in the deserts. Of course there are human population where drinking water is an issue, you mentioned a few places in the US and there are similar locations for cities in Africa. But the idea that Africans live in deserts comes from images from farmlands during severe drought periods or refugee camps from people who have to flee into the barren deserts to avoid racial, religious or political persecution. Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya is some of the most fertile lands on the planet and some of the greatest food exporters in the world, not unlike the US Midwest or California. And similar to these areas there are occasional droughts when the food harvests fails which can create terrifying images of people living in what looks like a desert.
BigDebt2022 t1_jeb509z wrote
> Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya is some of the most fertile lands on the planet and some of the greatest food exporters in the world, not unlike the US Midwest or California.
Great. Then we can stop sending them food.
Gnonthgol t1_jebsbpp wrote
But we want cheap Ethiopian coffee, if we stop giving the Ethiopians our food production surplus then they might cut down the coffee plantations and grow their own food. You would then end up with expensive coffee and angry local farmers who can not sell their food to the aid programs.
BigDebt2022 t1_jebx2mx wrote
Maybe we should look into buying local products, instead of shipping them halfway around the world. Just sayin'.
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