Cotton : USA vs. AFRICA
To those of you who read the Wall Street Journal today (Aug. 5th), I hope you feel the same anger I feel.
Let me explain the situation. The article, written by Scott Kilman and Roger Thurow starts like this: ''Jim Butler, met with Mali's local cotton farmers and promised American help to boost productivity.'' Good start isn't?
I was very sceptic about it until I learned that Andrew Jordan, the National Cotton Council's v.p. said: ''Our goal is to help make their lives a little better, our goal is not to make Africa a big cotton producer''. Mr. Jordan, I'm sure you are doing great things to really help the farmers and their families, but you really think we are that stupid to think its the real truth?
The US Cotton Council invited some of the head farmers from Mali, Benin, and other african countries to a special week in Texas. They were received in a very simple way, going to some parades, and getting some ''five bucks gifts'' from the US Cotton Council v.ps. The, the same vps went to Africa and visited the cotton farms. They were received like kings, nights starting with african dancers, then huge meal (that, I'm sure was the farmer's food for the month...) etc, etc. They wanted to show them that they are keeping up their demand for reduction of subsidies. IMPOSSIBLE... it just won't happen! The US cotton adopted a strategy of ''if you can't beat them, join them''. Thinking that the africans will reduce their demand of reduction...
I'm just sooo angry right now at the rich countries... yes, Europe is in! and Canada too....
Africa could become a rich continent, if only we could give them a chance. By reducing the G-8 subsidies, and giving the chance to the african farmers to sell their cottons at higher prices, we could get a win-win situation.... but it seems it's not enough for the americans...
Well, well, well... if you have the chance to read the Wall Street Journal today, you will be angry, let me tell you... oh the authors also let you know how amazing there is a business opportunity there if you want to get a cotton farm at a very low price and make good deals with the US cotton council....
For once I really have no solutions in mind.... makes me more and more angry about how the world is ''globalizing''.. but that will be another case....
@#$$%$#%#@!!!!!!! ... What can we do... it's life....
Let me explain the situation. The article, written by Scott Kilman and Roger Thurow starts like this: ''Jim Butler, met with Mali's local cotton farmers and promised American help to boost productivity.'' Good start isn't?
I was very sceptic about it until I learned that Andrew Jordan, the National Cotton Council's v.p. said: ''Our goal is to help make their lives a little better, our goal is not to make Africa a big cotton producer''. Mr. Jordan, I'm sure you are doing great things to really help the farmers and their families, but you really think we are that stupid to think its the real truth?
The US Cotton Council invited some of the head farmers from Mali, Benin, and other african countries to a special week in Texas. They were received in a very simple way, going to some parades, and getting some ''five bucks gifts'' from the US Cotton Council v.ps. The, the same vps went to Africa and visited the cotton farms. They were received like kings, nights starting with african dancers, then huge meal (that, I'm sure was the farmer's food for the month...) etc, etc. They wanted to show them that they are keeping up their demand for reduction of subsidies. IMPOSSIBLE... it just won't happen! The US cotton adopted a strategy of ''if you can't beat them, join them''. Thinking that the africans will reduce their demand of reduction...
I'm just sooo angry right now at the rich countries... yes, Europe is in! and Canada too....
Africa could become a rich continent, if only we could give them a chance. By reducing the G-8 subsidies, and giving the chance to the african farmers to sell their cottons at higher prices, we could get a win-win situation.... but it seems it's not enough for the americans...
Well, well, well... if you have the chance to read the Wall Street Journal today, you will be angry, let me tell you... oh the authors also let you know how amazing there is a business opportunity there if you want to get a cotton farm at a very low price and make good deals with the US cotton council....
For once I really have no solutions in mind.... makes me more and more angry about how the world is ''globalizing''.. but that will be another case....
@#$$%$#%#@!!!!!!! ... What can we do... it's life....
posted by Lalla Nadya @ 15:47
1 Comments:
At 4:09 AM,
Anonymous said…
Wow....
I can't beleive that I am the only and the first one to make a comment because this article was written in english.
Hey guys, we are in canada so we are all supposed to be bilingual.
But anyway, keep continue like that Nadya and you will become very famous.
CIAO CIAO
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