Famine

Starving to Death

The ignorant and weak are starving in the lawless parts of Africa and elsewhere again.  It has happened on a large scale several times in my life time.  The correct solution has been offered each time, but never embarked upon.  So again today, millions of poor souls, mostly the children, the old and the sick are starving to death. 

There are a few simple facts that maybe relevant: 

Nutritious foods can be grown nearly anywhere that irrigation water can be available during the growing season, which is nearly everywhere even in deserts.  Water can be collected, stored, or hauled, or piped from rivers and lakes, or pumped from underground.   

Agriculture requires land, water, seed, equipment, transportation, security, labor, ownership rights, storage, trade, fair markets, rule of law, little corruption, much forethought, dedication, knowledge and hard work; not just hunger.

Investments are essential; time, energy, attention, dedication, education, private property, and some money for tools, equipment and supplies.  All investments require safeguards and protections; like guards, guns, ammunition, pesticides, and fences.  You must be able to prevent looters, thieves, and marauders from stealing your crop from the field or next seasons seed from storage.

So what is missing that is starving people to death? 

Ignorance (corruption and poverty), beliefs (culture, philosophy, religion), bigotry, prejudice and discrimination, lack of private and personal property rights, storage and  transport, security, fertilizer and pest control, forethought and discipline, free and fair markets, less government (subsidizes, tariffs and embargoes) and much less taxation and regulation.

The answer:

Keep government out of food production and sale.

Provide agricultural education.

Ensure personal and real property ownership rights.

Get rid of government and military corruption.

Arrange for low cost agricultural water system financing.

Assist transport, storage, seed, fertilizer and pest control financing for all.

Ensure open market access for all.

Make genocide, slavery, and religious persecution a national crime.

Encourage sustainable methods and productivity beyond subsistence.

Food for free is not a human right.  It needs to be earned.  Starvation is caused by mistakes of ignorance and malice.  Make people buy or work for food and stop begging for it; and stop giving it away or withholding it as though it’s a right or a favor for political patronage.

See, it’s easy, and it will eliminate so much unnecessary suffering and death.

The knowledge and resources are available; behavior changes are required.

People will quickly learn to provide for themselves and their families.