Innovative volunteerism as Africa’s development plan

Title: Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism Author: Dr Richard Munang Publisher: AuthorHouse Reviewer: Dr. Richard Munang ‘Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism’ is a plan of action. From the first page to the last, it contains practical approaches on how youths, NGOs and governments can make Africa the […]

Title: Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism
Author: Dr Richard Munang
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Reviewer: Dr. Richard Munang

‘Making Africa Work Through the Power of Innovative Volunteerism’ is a plan of action. From the first page to the last, it contains practical approaches on how youths, NGOs and governments can make Africa the best it can be. The summation of all these in solving Africa’s problems is what innovative volunteerism calls for, just like the UN’s leaving no one behind. It answers the question of why Africa is lagging behind of all the continents, how we can be great and the varieties of God-given opportunities to ensure our greatness.

The author gives an in-depth analysis of various African problems. The worst part of it is that the problems reproduce themselves, thereby burying us in seemingly unending trouble. Knowing the problems is half the solution, and the author did not hesitate to show this

When hunger and malnutrition is mentioned, Africa is at the forefront, having “two hundred million Africans who are undernourished, 50 per cent of mothers unable to feed their children to live beyond the age of five” (resulting to infant mortality) and “over 240 million people in the continent go to bed hungry every day”. The numbers keep increasing while the continent loses “$68 billion annually, coupled with losses of up to 6.6 million tonnes of potential grain harvest, capable feeding up to 31 million people. Furthermore, one-third of all food is lost as post-harvest losses amounting to $48 billion annually.”

Youths who are the highest population in Africa are handicapped by employment. With “just three million formal jobs, we are left with “60 per cent of youth being unemployed and ten to twelve million of them joining the labour market to compete for a fraction of the jobs”. This is what gave birth to “illegal immigration, where Africa’s most sovereign resource, its youth, risk life, limb, and dignity to cross the Mediterranean in search of illusionary greener pastures overseas. More than thirty-five hundred died in 2015 alone in the perilous Mediterranean. An unprecedented 70 per cent of illegal immigrants leave Africa for economic reasons.”

We witness “lack of value addition to commodities.” Though we have the advantage of having the raw materials, but the raw commodities are not processed “into higher-value finished goods that fetch more in the market… In the cocoa value chain, where the largest producer is in Africa, out of the over $100 billion in revenue made from chocolates alone, Africa receives a dismal 2 per cent, meaning it loses $98 billion of potential revenues and jobs.”

Also, “Africa is considered the second most inequitable region in the world”. The government, political and economic systems have nurtured the rich to be richer and have crippled the poor to be poorer. Over the past fourteen years, the number of high- net-worth individuals in Africa has grown by 145 per cent, much higher than the global average rate of 73 per cent. On the flipside, in comparison, while poverty has been reduced globally, it remains widespread in sub-Saharan Africa”. If we are stuck in the status quo, “most of the world’s poor will be living in Africa by 2030”.

Due to climate change, agriculture in Africa is becoming difficult and non-profitable. Climate change alone “threatens to shrink the economies of developing countries (most of which are in Africa) by a whopping 75 per cent.” The recent cyclone in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi and Madagascar are practical examples of its effect.

“Every adversity carries with it the seed of equal or greater benefit”, Dr. Richard Munang said. He did his best not to leave the aforementioned problems but with solutions and this is the best part of the book:

In the area of youth power, Dr. Richard sees the youthful population as an opportunity for Africa to be driven out of all ordeals but only “When harnessed in a complimentary manner, their skills, talents, interests, energies, and initiatives represent Africa’s most fundamental capital to invest and unlock wealth opportunities in an increasingly affluent, consolidated market.”

Unfortunately, most African countries do not have access to 24/7 electricity which is unfortunate ofor the continent. If we take the advantage of having 365 days of sunshine in a year, Africa can “supply nearly all of Europe’s energy needs.” Tapping into this opportunity will bring back “economic, financial, social, and environmental returns-not arbitrarily enhancing energy access and supply.” From “social returns such as lighted houses… economic and financial returns in form of enhanced incomes at the community and macro-economic scale, as well as mitigation of carbon where clean energy is prioritised.” In all, we will “get a much higher return-an estimated $98 billion extra just from one crop value chain.”

The Paris Agreement is brought back to page by Dr. Richard Munang as the solution the climate change in Africa. Implementing the Paris Agreement is the only thing left for us. “For example, leveraging ecosystem-based adaptation approaches will meet adaptation objectives under the Paris Agreement and increase yields by up to 128 per cent, boosting the income of farmers at a lower environmental and financial cost under the changing climate.”

Agriculture, which is “most accessible economic sector” in Africa, is the best tool for economic growth per Dr. Richard. “Maximising its productivity, therefore, means enhancing income and economic opportunities for the majority in the continent… 10 per cent increase in crop yields translates to approximately a 7 per cent reduction in poverty. Growth in agriculture is at least two to four times more effective in reducing poverty than in other sectors.”

We are the Solution

When we talk of Africa, its problems and solutions, it is noteworthy to know who are responsible for this transformation, else it will become a blame game. Dr. Richard Munang made it clear that every African needs to participate in implementing the “African solution.” This is what innovative volunteerism is all about, leaving no one behind.

Before any individual effort to solve the African problems, unity is of great importance. Until we are united, we will fall. The unity may be political, economic or geographical land, but most importantly there should be unity of purpose. Since the problems are the same, if we unite with the purpose of solving them, we will surely win. “To win, one had to form the strongest alliance”, Dr. Richard Munang said. And we should not forget the adage that says, “United we stand, divided we fall.”

Governments are charged with the responsibility of making policies. Till today, there are enough policies to solve Africa’s problems and Dr. Richard Munang made mention of:“Open Skies to Boost Trade…,Seamless Cross-Border Movement…, The Paris Agreement…”

Open Skies will allow for free air movement. “The Yamoussoukro Decision, signed by forty-four African nations, provides high-level policy levers towards deregulating the intra-Africa air transport.” Seamless Cross-Border movement will enable free movement of people within Africa without visa restrictions. “The AU’s continental passport scheme will offer visa-free travel for African citizens within their own continent by 2020” and this will help reduce brain drain in Africa and will help “citizens enjoy 100 per cent freedom of movement in each other’s territories.” The Paris Agreement (COP 21) is an alliance of 195 countries “to combat climate change and transition to a low-carbon, sustainable future.” From December 2015 to February 2018 “Africa has forty-four states ratifying the agreement by… representing an over 80 per cent ratification rate.” Putting these policies into paper is halfway but most importantly their implementation is most needed.

Bringing the people into the solution, their “skills, talents, energy, passion, and networks of its people-young and old alike-” is an asset that if used by an African heart, Africa will become rich. “My experiences have taught me that an empowered people across the continent are the best bet towards accelerating socio-economic development and warding of vulnerabilities.” Dr. Richard Munang made mention in many ways how African people can contribute to making Africa work and this is the best part of the book. Few;

“Human skills, creativity, talent, and energy constitute the most sovereign, critical, and significant component of wealth globally. With human capital, one can generate material.”

“In this pursuit, this ideal calls for a paradigm shift well imbedded in African culture, that of divesting from individualism to embrace collectivism, banishing selfishness to take on selflessness, rejecting hopelessness for hopefulness.”

In all, “This is the philosophy and paradigm behind innovative volunteerism, where the skills, experiences, talents, networks, and initiatives of diverse complementary stakeholders (state and non-state, individual, and institutional) are engaged in mutual partnerships that meet the respective business and organisational interests of these actors but converge towards a common goal: bridging policy and operational gaps to establish a sustainable industrialisation of the agriculture sector, powered by clean energy.”

Individuals in pursuing their primary objective should make a secondary objective which is to “actualise a shared, grand continental mandate of wealth creation through the catalytic sectors… Package your competences and dreams, whatever they may be, be they in science, in history, in engineering, in the performing arts, in politics, in entrepreneurship of any field, towards the shared objective of complementing the actualisation of sustainable agro-industrialisation in Africa.”

The story of Pascoal Silverio will remain an encouragement to us all. Though partially blind, he sharpened his listening skills, educated himself and became an interpreter. Africa is now richer because he has dedicated his skills to her and that did not make him any less.

‘Making Africa Work Through The Power of Innovative Volunteerism’ is well presented: the construction, organisation and subject matter is digestible by the youths, thereby fitting academic curricula. It will be best for us if Walter Rodney’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa is studied alongside Dr. Richard Munang’s. That way, we will rise from grass to grace.