On the Hill: Calestous Juma Testifies on US/Sub-Saharan Africa Relationship

On the Hill: Calestous Juma Testifies on US/Sub-Saharan Africa Relationship:

"This year marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Carl Linnaeus, renowned as the father of taxonomy. Less known are his lifelong efforts to find permanent solutions to the persistent famines in Sweden. Linnaeus drew attention to the economic value of living things: “each country produces something especially useful.” He argued, however, for the importance of reason and scientific knowledge for sustainable economies. Three hundred years later, Sweden is among the wealthiest nations on Earth and famines are the subject only of history lessons. Efforts to promote food security in sub-Saharan Africa must remember the lessons of Sweden: (a) “food security” is inseparable from economic development. Rich countries do not starve; (b) science and innovation are a necessary part of economic development and so of “food security”; and (c) universities in most countries are engines of development and must be so in Africa as well. International cooperation is critical for promoting the adoption of new agricultural technologies such as biotechnology. It is especially regrettable, then, that international agricultural assistance to Africa has been reduced in recent years. This disengagement in turn has weakened cooperation between the US and Africa on strategic economic issues."