EXPLODING POPULATION GROWTH AND DEMOCRACY DON'T MIX

So Obama visits Ghana to celebrate its record on democracy. Wonderful. But no mention is made of the fact that with a Total Fertility Rate of 4.3, Ghana’s population will double by 2050. With its ecological footprint exceeding its bio-capacity by 25%, what chance is there of continuing political stability?

In the rush to throw more billions of aid money into Africa to grow more food in degraded and ecologically-stressed environments, these supposedly well-briefed leaders are seemingly unaware or mute about the impossible population growth predicted for much of the continent. Nor do they apparently notice that several Arab states have purchased large tracts of land in Sudan and elsewhere in Africa to grow food for the rapidly rising populations of their own arid countries.

The Canadian Senate documented the futility of four decades of African aid in 2007. More than a half trillion dollars has made conditions even worse than were before the aid was dispensed. Feed 5,000 mouths now and 25.000 more hungry stomachs return in a generation. It is time we played hardball with democrats and dictators alike. Foreign aid must be increased, but made conditional on family planning. Empower and educate women, and tell local male politicians, bishops and mullahs in Africa, the Philippines, Haiti and the world---get with the program or get off the gravy train. No condoms, no help.

Tim Murray
July 11/09