Hope For The Planet

A recently released report by several UN agencies shows that the number of hungry people has declined despite rise in population. It was one billion about 25 years ago and is about 795 million today. In the developing world 23.3% of the population was hungry 25 years ago. Today it is 12.9%. Progress is more pronounced in East Asia, Southeast and Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The reasons for the success are attributed to stable political conditions and economic growth. The report does not omit failures, mainly in Africa where in some areas Continue reading “Hope For The Planet”

Toward The End of Water Privatization

In Lagos, Nigeria, a water privatization project did not turn out as expected, according to a recent article by Michelle Chen in The Nation. It was neither workable nor profitable. A key reason lay in the lack of infrastructure. To bring water to people a company needs pipes, a task that in a country like Nigeria, or in any other developing nation, is not particularly easy. The project was mismanaged, was not delivering water to most people. In some areas water was stolen, and those who paid were often those who could least afford it. Another reason the Lagos project failed was that the World Bank refused to fund it, Continue reading “Toward The End of Water Privatization”