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Momodou
Denmark
11828 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Aug 2007 : 11:15:09
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"EPAs Harm African Farmers"
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) currently being negotiated by The European Union (EU) with seventy-seven states in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) will have negative effects on African farmers and the economy, said Buba Khan, the Food Rights Campaign Coordinator of ActionAid, The Gambia.
The ACP Countries, for the past three decades, have had preferential access to European markets through the Lomé and Cotonou agreements, but this relationship will change with the coming into force of the EPAs in 2008, creatingaree Trade Zone between the EU and ACP countries with no duties or quotas on substantial trade between the regions.
In an exclusive interview with Foroyaa, Mr. Khan said the EU is an unequal partner to the ACP countries and a competition between subsidized European products and smallholder African farmers will shrink the capacity of poor African farmers and promote the dumping of cheap Europeans goods into the African markets.
Mr. Khan said that even though the EPAs are yet to come into force, the subsidized European products, such as poultry, are making it impossible for local poultry farmers to continue operating in local markets.
"The European goods are finding their way into our markets, killing our local industries. An example is the poultry industry in The Gambia. We did a study that showed a lot of farms have closed down because they could not compete with the cheap poultry imports coming from Europe," he said.
The food rights campaign coordinator also said that this is what is happening in The Gambian rice market, stressing that the importation of rice into the country has made it difficult for local production to increase. He said: "We have abundant land, Gambia could have 'ferried itself,' bur people no longer value the local rice we produce. You find that the import bill of The Gambia is rising".
Mr. Khan expressed that African governments should support and strengthen the capacity of their farmers so that food security can be achieved. He added that billions of dollars are used annually to subsidise European farmers; that this is why the European farmers have an edge over the poor African farmers. He said this should make the ACP governments in general to think about the potential implication of the EPAs before entering into a "deadly agreement".
According to him, the EPAs will not only affect farmers, but the economies of those poor countries which he said will increase poverty, lead to unemployment and other potential consequences.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 100/2007, 27 - 28 August 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2007 : 16:00:25
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Momodou,
This is alreday happening with commodities like Bananas and corn in Ghana. Some years ago the EU ask Ghanian farmers that the bananas should have certain measurements and ect. This applies to maize too.The EU dosent think of the consequences.
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2007 : 16:11:43
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| As usual its all about money and political power, Alhassan mentioned bananas, for instance the EU at one stage wanted to lay down the straightness af bananas as a standard,quite stupid,bananas I understand come in about 300 different species of plant and because EU thought that consumers only wanted straight ones they thought that they would inteferre,the same thing happened with cuecumbers really crazy,the EU is a black hole filling with money from member countries just to fuel the political salaries of the EU organisation,could they care about farmers in Africa,I dont think so,but countries like france want to keep their farmers happy. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 29 Aug 2007 : 22:02:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Momodou
"EPAs Harm African Farmers"
The Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) currently being negotiated by The European Union (EU) with seventy-seven states in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) will have negative effects on African farmers and the economy, said Buba Khan,...............
................
"The European goods are finding their way into our markets, killing our local industries. An example is the poultry industry in The Gambia. We did a study that showed a lot of farms have closed down because they could not compete with the cheap poultry imports coming from Europe," he said.
you get the same answer on any commodity you touch. bananas, cotton, poultry, groundnuts, fish etc.
the impact is what we are seeing, youths trying to get into the EU by sea/canoes.
if i remember properly, 40% of the EU budget goes to Agriculture,rather subsidising Agriculture, an occupation that maybe less than 10% of the EU population is engaged in. However try importing Wine into France, beer into germany, oranges, apples into spain and see if they will get through.
African farmers are dead already.this is why i dont support globalisation. there is a french farmer called Jose Bove who has been challenging globalisation. for this he has been in jail half the time. |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2007 : 15:28:09
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njucks,
I have the same opinion as you when it comes to Globalisation. We had a guest from Kenia for sometime ago called Odur Ongwen. He was giving lectrur arround Europe about the negative effects of globalisation to Africa. Very intresting to listen to and learn what globalisation is doing to the poor African farmers. |
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njucks
Gambia
1131 Posts |
Posted - 03 Sep 2007 : 22:21:45
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quote:
Originally posted by Alhassan
njucks,
I have the same opinion as you when it comes to Globalisation. We had a guest from Kenia for sometime ago called Odur Ongwen. Very intresting to listen to and learn what globalisation is doing to the poor African farmers.
thanks, i've been searching/reading a lot about him. he seems very aware. he also has strong views about that other great project, NEPAD!
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