Lecture to the Annual Conference of the Geographical Association

University of Manchester

13 April 2012

Professor Tony Binns & Associate Professor Etienne Nel

University of OtagoDunedin

New Zealand 

Africa: Diversity and Development

Introduction This presentation - closely linked with conference

theme of “Geographies of Difference” Africa – an ideal case example of “geographies of

difference” – this theme will form a key basis of this presentation.

Recent developments in Africa – link with key themes

in the Geography curriculum

We will draw on our recently published book

Africa’s place in the School Curriculum

- can be linked to the following ‘A’-level and GCSE curriculum themes: Contemporary geographical issues World cities / changing urban and rural environments Development and globalization Development and inequality / development gap Development dilemmas / world development Contemporary conflicts Population and resources / population change Managing resources

Africa - can be used as an exemplar of:1. * Key themes in the curriculum e.g. development

/resources/conflict, and 2. * Recent rapid changes & current issues of global

contestation e.g. food shortages/climate change/the MDGs

Focus of this presentation:

1. Changing perceptions of the continent 2. Africa’s diversity 3. Selected key themes:

a) Africa and the MDGs b) Recent trends – Growth and challenges c) Food security d) Post-conflict

4. Conclusion

Africa – the world’s poorest continent, but recent positive signs: Better economic performance in the last/current recession

than most continents: 35% of Africans live in countries with +4% growth for last 10 years

Africa’s middle class has increased to 313 million (c. 33% of population) Estimated 100,000 African millionaires Fewer coups : 24 in the 1960s, 5 in the 2000s More democracy Major advances in cell-phone / internet banking

The 56 Countries of Africa 49 mainland states & 7 island states*

Algeria Gabon [ •Reunion]Angola Gambia RwandaBenin Ghana •Sao TomeBotswana Guinea & PrincipeBurkina Faso Guinea-Bissau SenegalBurundi Kenya •SeychellesCameroon Lesotho Sierra Leone•Cape Verde Liberia South AfricaCentral African Republic Libya SudanChad •Madagascar South Sudan •Comoros Malawi TanzaniaCongo Mali Togo(Brazzaville Congo, DRC, Zaire) Mauritania TunisiaCote d`Ivoire •Mauritius UgandaDjibouti Morocco Western SaharaEgypt Mozambique ZambiaEquatorial Guinea Namibia ZimbabweEritrea NigerEthiopia Nigeria

Africa is the Second largest continent after Asia –

30,065,000 sq km., 20.2% of Earth’s land surface

Africa’s Diversity

Population in 2011 – + 1 billion

Most populated country – Nigeria: c.150 million (2009)

Africa’s Diversity Life expectancy: 72 years Algeria 35 yrs Lesotho

Malnutrition (% under-5s): 45% Burundi 4% Tunisia

Under 5 mortality: 282 Sierra Leone 13 Seychelles

HIV/AIDS (% 15-49): 0.1% Algeria 33.4% Swaziland

GDP pc: $12,387 Botswana $667Malawi

Under $1 /day: 3% Egypt 70% Nigeria

HDI: 52/187Seychelles 187/187 DRCongo

Sources: UNDP, 2007, 2009; World Bank, 2009; FAO 2009.

Theme A: Africa and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2000 8 globally agreed development targets to achieve by

2015. While many countries in Asia and Latin America are on

track to meet them, many African countries sadly will not.

What are the MDGs ? Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Target 1: Reduce by half the proportion of people living on

less than a dollar a day Target 2: Reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer

from hunger

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education Target 3: Ensure that all boys and girls complete a full course

of primary schooling

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

Target 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005, and at all levels by 2015

What are the MDGs (contd).

• Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Target 5: Reduce by two thirds the under-5 mortality rateGoal 5: Improve maternal health Target 6: Reduce by three quarters maternal mortalityGoal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Target 7: Halt and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS

Target 8: Halt and begin to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development

 

Attaining the MDGs

Africa still has the highest proportion of people of any region in the world living on less than $1.25 per day.

This figure fell from 58 to 51% between 1990-2005, but Developing World average fell from 45% to 27% (UN MDG Report, 2011)

% of children who are underweight in Africa fell 27%-22% (1990-2009).

Slow improvement in health and educational scores in Africa. Adult literacy (over 15 yrs) only 40.9% in Sierra Leone

Theme B: Recent Trends: Growth and Challenges

While there are some positive signs in Africa, many deep-seated challenges remain which are hindering the attainment of the MDGs and broader development goals

Some of the most obvious challenges include:

- rapid urbanization and under-resourced cities - refugee crises and lingering conflict / corruption - health crises – especially HIV/AIDS and malaria - persistent poverty - significant disparities – spatially and socially

1. Cairo 12.1 m2. Lagos 9.8 m3. Kinshasa 8.2 m4. Khartoum 4.8 m5. Luanda 4.2 m6. Alexandria 4.2 m7. Abidjan 3.9 m8. Johannesburg 3.2 m9. Algiers 3.4m10. Cape Town 3.2m

Africa’s 10 largest cities in 2008

Recent Trends

Development challenges and backlogs will remain for some time

But scope to explore recent positive economic trends and emerging themes of interest, including;

- Chinese investment - Climate change - Global food and oil shortages and land acquisition in Africa

Theme C: Food Security

“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO, 1996)

Food security is important to achieve at least 4 of the MDG’s

Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Goal 5: Improve maternal health Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases

Food security in Africa

Report by FAO in 2006 suggested that;

Food insecurity and undernourishment are widespread in Africa,

And undernourishment actually increased in Africa by around 20% between 1990 and 2002.

This is in stark contrast to the rest of the world, where the number of undernourished people has fallen steadily.

Urban agriculture: a key strategy to ensure food security

The context *Rapid growth of Africa’s towns and cities *Rising prices of basic foodstuffs *Increasing importance of urban and peri-urban

agriculture (UPA) - vegetables, fruit, some grain crops (e.g. maize).

The value of UPA - supplements household food intake - provides extra income from crop sales - provides employment - empowers women and youths - enhances the sustainability of cities, increased self-sufficiency - a useful adaptation to climate change.

Theme D: Conflict and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Between 2000 and 2010 – armed conflict in 24 African countries

“The costs of war in Africa have cancelled out the potential impact of 15 years of development aid” (UN Deputy Secretary-General, 2010)

Conflict leads to;

- collapse of economic systems - increase in military expenditure, and other sectors neglected (e.g.

health, education) - destruction of state infrastructure e.g. roads, power, health,

education, legal system - destruction of community and household infrastructure - deaths from conflict, but also from disease and starvation with poor

health care - widespread suffering, trauma and dislocation

Sierra LeoneSierra Leone

Much in the news in recent years - synonymous with Much in the news in recent years - synonymous with conflict and diamondsconflict and diamonds

Civil war: 1991-2001 – caused by poor governance, Civil war: 1991-2001 – caused by poor governance, disaffected youths, instability in Liberiadisaffected youths, instability in Liberia

Massive displacement of people and destruction Massive displacement of people and destruction of infrastructure - mof infrastructure - more than 500,000 people displacedore than 500,000 people displaced

Major economic activities disrupted, including farming, Major economic activities disrupted, including farming, mining and forestrymining and forestry

People flooded into the capital city, Freetown, for safety, People flooded into the capital city, Freetown, for safety, increasing the demand for food.increasing the demand for food.

Sierra Leone today…Sierra Leone today… Now one of the poorest countries in the world UNDP, Human Development Report, 2011 (data for 2009) HDI rank, 180 out of 187

Life expectancy at birth: 47.8 years (UK: 80 years)

Adult literacy: 40.9%

Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): 123 (UK: 5/1000)

Under-5 mortality: 192 per 1000 live births (UK: 6/1000).

Post-conflict reconstruction and development in Sierra Leone

Key priorities

Disarmament and stability Democratic and non-corrupt governance at all levels Re-patriation for refugees Re-incorporation of ex-combatants into communities Community-based education overcome trauma and plan for

development Reconstructing infrastructure - roads, schools, hospitals,

telecommunications Job creation, particularly for youths Restoring systems - health, education, economy, taxation,

trade, legal, tv and radio.

Conclusion

Perceptions of Africa are often negative Africa has been marginalised and has a lot of

catching up to do But many positive things are happening in

Africa Africa is the continent to watch in the years

ahead South Africa joined the BRIC’s group of rapidly

developing countries in 2011

To find out more, please read our book!!