AbdouKarim 

I didn't reference any publication. I did cited some sources of the numbers - not all of them.

In fact my original question is not about population but given what the country had as resources including human capital - are we poor and/or mismanaged.

You picked the angle that interest you or assumed what I/we are alluding to. I used we because Demba shared.

Mind is more political factors (choices made by our governments) than anything else.

Regardless increase in population on a finite resources means reduction either in quality or quantity or both. That's an establish fact - not an unproven theory or opinion.

Burama

On Friday, May 30, 2014, abdoukarim sanneh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Burama
I am not downplaying factor in resource utilisation. It is the publication that you reference that are giving us the only dominant narrative framing of population growth nexus natural resources causation. It becomes the only acceptable hypothesis. The resulting factor such as poverty international political economic power and power relation of resource use and control id always negated.

Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 07:05:46 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What's Our Make-up & How Was/Is It Managed
To: [log in to unmask]

AbdouKarim 

You may have a point and am not disputing.

Regardless increasing demand of any resources means scarcity. Population is one of the variables that with any increase will reduce either quality or quantity of a said resource. I have not seen a study that puts every blame of land degradation on population but surely a factor. 

Yes we are agrarian. Isn't that people in need of land for food production - hence more/faster depletion. As humans we can change from agrarian and/or improve on techniques. Isn't that management?

International trade and debt, especially debt servicing for The Gambia is a problem. Again proper and inform management should ameliorate some of those problems. On the flip side trade is not only good but important. 

Fair trade is more a political phenomenon than it's economic. In economics trade is anchored on comparative advantage theorem.

Unless you totally exclude and/or downplay the role of population increase we are in agreement.

Regards

Burama

On Friday, May 30, 2014, abdoukarim sanneh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Burama
That is neomalthusian narrative. Population growth is always use as the cause and the results factor is negated. The results to resource degradation is beyond demographic narrative of population growth. We are an agrarian economy and so depend on natural resources for livelihoods. Poverty nexus land degradation is was negligent and population growth always take a center stage and becomes the dominant thesis.  Do you look into international political economic issues such debt and its impact on mortgaging our natural resources in servicing debtors.  Lack of fair trade and it's association poverty natural resources uses etc.

Date: Fri, 30 May 2014 05:23:42 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What's Our Make-up & How Was/Is It Managed
To: [log in to unmask]

Abdoukarim

Gambia is considered one of the overcrowded nation by all estimators including WHO’s

Having 1.7million on about 11000 sq. km = 155 people/sq. km. Considering not all of the 11K is not land - some water, some forest, roads, etc is highly dense.

Gambia at one time (some times in the 90s) used to be the fasted growing in the sub region. Not only due to natural birth but also the subregional conflicts contributed to that trench

Estimates (WHO 2010) - 55% are living in the urban area - that means we are not symmetrically spread over the nation.

Multi- factors contributed to resources degradation (resources in the broader sense) - some natural and others human. I can still try provide studies/sources that said so.

I just stated few stats and never suggest Mathusianism, others and/or otherwise.Put it simply I never suggest we control people in favor of resources.

In fact I asked question whether our poverty was a given or mismanagement.

Thanks for your input.

Burama



On May 30, 2014, at 4:17 AM, abdoukarim sanneh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Neo-malthusian framing of over population is very wrong.  Poverty and political economy is the cause of resource degradation. Gambia is not an over populated country. 

Date: Thu, 29 May 2014 23:27:47 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: What's Our Make-up & How Was/Is It Managed
To: [log in to unmask]

Demba, the Burama I know does not take no for an answer but i will advice that we narrow the focus of the discussion and take on  population, land water, economy and governance separately, if we are to be effective.
  
Some will argue that if you deal with governance the rest will fall in line. 
Jefferson put it nicely when he said we are al
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