Wasn't sure where to post this so please move Mods if appropriate.
I picked up a nice packet of French beans in a German supermarket last weekend as I do most weekends. I noticed when I was opening it last night that it came from Kenya. This got me thinking. With so many people starving in Africa is it morally right that we are eating food products (which we can grow ourselves anyway) while those close to where they are produce starve? Is this not akin to the 1840s here when Irish people starved whilst our produce was sent across the water?
There are essentially 2 sides to this as far as I can see:
PRO: By buying this produce we are supporting jobs in Africa which may not otherwise exist
Con: By not buying these products, they would be produced for people in Africa (*). The owner may not recieve as much for the goods, but those who need it most would get them.
Now, I am usually a believer in free markets and international trade, however, in this case I'm not sure as getting this "wrong" assists in starving people.. I'd be interested in your views.
(*) I imagine that green beans woud not be produced for locals anyway, but something else would be grown.
Firefly.
I picked up a nice packet of French beans in a German supermarket last weekend as I do most weekends. I noticed when I was opening it last night that it came from Kenya. This got me thinking. With so many people starving in Africa is it morally right that we are eating food products (which we can grow ourselves anyway) while those close to where they are produce starve? Is this not akin to the 1840s here when Irish people starved whilst our produce was sent across the water?
There are essentially 2 sides to this as far as I can see:
PRO: By buying this produce we are supporting jobs in Africa which may not otherwise exist
Con: By not buying these products, they would be produced for people in Africa (*). The owner may not recieve as much for the goods, but those who need it most would get them.
Now, I am usually a believer in free markets and international trade, however, in this case I'm not sure as getting this "wrong" assists in starving people.. I'd be interested in your views.
(*) I imagine that green beans woud not be produced for locals anyway, but something else would be grown.
Firefly.