Development Aid & the Environment
Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 10.5.4
Development Aid in the Niger Delta
Some economic development has very serious impacts on the environment in which minority groups live and disregards their human rights to their land and culture.
Oil production
- The production of oil is having a devastating effect on one of Africa’s largest wetland regions, its wildlife and its inhabitants.
- Human health is threatened by the pollution of air, water and farmland by many unattended oil spills, as well as by gas flares and frequent fires.
Effects on people
- Local people have gained little from the oil industry.
- Their traditional ways of life, fishing and farming have suffered.
- Most of the oil revenues are going to the ruling elite, largely Yoruba people, rather than to the local minority ethnic groups e.g. the Biafrans.
- Tensions have arisen between local militant groups and the government, with protests and kidnappings of foreign workers.
Land Grabs in Kenya
Kenya, in East Africa, has suffered from TNCs and wealthy individuals or governments illegally 'grabbing' land and denying local access.
Land grabs
- Land grabs involve the illicit and illegal acquisition of large areas of land in developing countries by TNCs, governments and wealthy individuals.
Kenya
- In the 1990s President Moi and other senior government officials began taking over extensive rural areas of Kenya.
- This increased the pressure on the remaining land as over 80% of the population rely on agriculture for their income – most have less than 3 hectares of land each to farm.
- Minority groups, who have even less land, are under greater pressure.
Test yourself on Development Aid & the Environment
Who is most of the revenue from oil exploitation in the Niger Delta going to?
What do we call the illegal acquisition of large areas of land in developing countries by TNCs, governments and wealthy individuals?
Drag into the correct order
How much of Kenya's population rely on agriculture for their income?