Africa – A Growth Economy in a world of recession?

by admin on January 26, 2012

Are you suprised? Me too.

I was fascinated to read a recent article in the Economist about Africa as a booming economic hub. Most people, including myself, are aware that despite pockets of wealth in places like Nairobi or Cape Town the vast majority of the African continent is unbelievably poor. But despite this terrible poverty actually there is a huge energy and growth happening in many African economies at the very moment when the rest of the world is slowing down.

“Over the past decade six of the world’s ten fastest-growing countries were African. In eight of the past ten years, Africa has grown faster than East Asia, including Japan. Even allowing for the knock-on effect of the northern hemisphere’s slowdown, the IMF expects Africa to grow by 6% this year and nearly 6% in 2012, about the same as Asia.” The Economist revealed.

This fact is hugely surprising and at the same time hugely heartening. Much of this growth came from population increases and the resulting increase in manpower and labour. Fertility rates have not fallen in Africa as in the rest of the world and half the increase in world population over the next 40 years will stem from Africa. Another reason for the growth are the incredible natural resources that can be found in Africa, mainly  minerals as copper and gold from mining and of course, oil. These natural resources mean that some African nations should really be as wealthy as most western nations but due to corruption and war many countries have been held back in their economic development.

However we should not forget despite all this optimism that life for many Africans is still terribly hard, many surviving on an income of less than two dollars a day. Average lifespans in some countries is under 50 and the usual problems of famine due to drought continue. Climate change is making this even worse and food production has actually been falling in many places.

However there are more reasons for optimism. There is a burgeoning middle class across Africa and the countries that are currently booming; China, Brazil and India for example, are investing heavily in Africa. This unexpected economic growth also comes from the developing manufacturing and service economies that are just beginning to start up in many Africa countries.

Africa’s appetite for technology is boosting growth. It has more than 600m mobile-phone users which is much more than either America or Europe. Distances involved in travelling are huge and the state of infrastructure in many places is very poor so the mobile phone and internet have been a godsend for communications and business. Currently around a tenth of Africa’s land mass is covered by mobile-internet services, something quite remarkable. We at Real Africa benefit tremendously from this technology as it helps us to maintain our strong bonds with our local teams based in far flung offices in Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia or Uganda. We can chat to our tour managers on Skype face to face despite being thousands of miles apart.

Productivity has increased to 3% a year which is more than most western nations including the United States. Many of the long running civil wars are over, health and education are improving albeit slowly and many nations are seeing there first extended period of political stability since the end of colonialism.

We in the west can help secure this boom by opening up more trading links and helping develop these fragile new economies.  Fairer trading conditions are vital as is  supporting education and training.  Most importantly there should be more transparency and fairness so that western nations do not get rich quick on the back of African’s hard work and natural resources as has happened in the Congo and other African nations with oil and mineral deposits.

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Spotlight on Malawi – Seasonal Spectaculars

by admin on January 19, 2012

Malawi’s offerings of seasonal natural highlights are extensive and a variety of interesting occurrences take place throughout the year. Each season offers a shift in dynamics and an abundance of wildlife activity occurs across areas of pristine wilderness. Our list below highlights just a few of many interesting wildlife and botanical occurrences which take place throughout the year in Malawi.

Orchids bloom in Nyika National Park - During these months over 200 orchids bloom across the grasslands in Nyika National Park. In February particularly, many terrestrial orchids come into bloom across the valleys and they can be seen in patches across the plateau.  January – March .

Lillian’s Lovebirds gather in flocks of hundreds in Liwonde National Park – Lillian’s Lovebirds congregate in large flocks of hundreds from June to August in Liwonde National Park. This is a phenomenon mainly due to the fact that the Candelabra Euphorbia are flowering, which provides a feast for the birds. June – August.

The regrouping of eland herds in Nyika National Park – The majestic eland is the world’s largest antelope. Smaller herds can be seen across the plateau throughout the year. During the months of October and November however, the eland herds start regrouping for the breeding season. The larger herds vary in size from 100 to 320 animals in one group. October – November

Elephants gather in herds of hundreds in Liwonde National Park – The elephant population in Liwonde National Park, group together in the drier periods around a fixed water source (the Shire River) for water and for the more nutritious vegetation along the river’s edge. Sightings of larger elephant herds during these months are plentiful and often reach into the hundreds. June – July

Crocodile courtship season (Liwonde National Park). The courtship process begins with males bellowing, bubble-blowing and fighting, thus establishing dominance. Males also swim with their head up for display purposes. The female usually mates with the most dominant male in the vicinity: the older the male, the bigger and thus the most dominant. May – July

Lakefly clouds can be seen across Lake Malawi (Chintheche)- Swarms of adult lake flies (looking like dense clouds of smoke or occasionally spiraling columns that look like waterspouts) are a very common sight over the northern part of the lakeshore.  The fly larvae live on the lake bottom where they feed. When they form pupae they float to the surface and hatch all at once causing the giant swarms. These swarms attract fish and many species of birds that feed on the flies. Winds often blow them to the shore and women from local communities catch them in baskets and squash them together to create a local delicacy (a burger like lakefly patty which is then deep fried). July – January

Green Season birding - Birding all year round is incredible in both Liwonde National Park and Nyika National Park with nearly 400 species occurring in both Liwonde and Nyika. The beginning of the rains (the green season) usually coincides with the arrival of many migrant birds who come back from the less hospitable climates north of the equator. The ideal time for spotting Nyika’s migrant birds is between February and March. October – April

Crocodile hatchlings are born – Three months later (around December), high-pitched chirping sounds alert the mother that the incubation period is over. She then breaks open the sand-covered chamber and assists the hatchlings out of their shells by rolling the eggs between her tongue and palate. The mother crocodile then delicately transports the hatchlings in her mouth to the water’s edge, and continues guarding them for 2 more weeks. At birth, the hatchlings are usually around 30cm long, and feed on small insects and other aquatic invertebrates until they are big enough to start eating fish. December.

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Photography on safari

by admin on January 11, 2012

Whether you are a keen photographer with all the latest gear or a beginner longing to try out the family camera then a safari might be just the thing for you. Safaris in general are fantastic holidays to capture on film – with the epic scenery and the fantastic wildlife being the main focus. You don’t need lots of fancy gear but if you have a proper digital SLR already and you are keen to take some really smashing shots then we would recommend a zoom lens for wildlife close ups and a wide-angle lens for capturing the vast African savannah.  Mind you sometimes the wildlife comes a lot closer than you might expect! With cheetahs  sitting on car roofs and lions lying in the middle of the road you might just get the kind of close up photo that professionals only dream of!

You can book specific photographic safaris with a tutor and guide as some of our camps and lodges do offer special courses (Karen Blixen Camp in Kenya). But anyone who goes on a safari is going to get their camera out to capture some of the fantastic memories that you are creating. Our safari guides are all fantastic at helping you take great photographs and will often point out some good angles and viewpoints for you, and will usually try and get as close as possible. They also know all the best views of the stunning local scenery and will stop with plenty of time for photos to be taken at leisure.

Another advantage of the safari as a great photographic opportunity is the time of day. You will usually go on game drives at dawn and at dusk as this is when the animal activity is at its peak. These are also the best times of day for some truly atmospheric shots. The light you get at dawn and dusk will transform you photos into works of art. With long shadows and that wonderful pinky-orange glow you get – everything will look even more striking. The light is one of Africa’s greatest assets – a clear, clean light that works wonders on photos.

Other great photographic opportunities on safari include things like hot-air balloon trips.   You can travel across the African savannah at a wonderfully slow pace, usually at dawn, and the game viewing is done from above. Other unique photo opportunities arise around the annual migration with millions of wildebeest on the move at one time. Not to mention the fantastically photogenic predators that follow them such as the lion, leopard, cheetah and crocodile. The best places for watching the annual migration are the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Masai Mara in Kenya.   Perhaps you will come across a majestic herd of elephants or one of the rare black rhino. Maybe you will be lucky enough to see a lion cub or an elusive leopard. No matter what, when out and about on safari do not forget to take your camera!

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Tanzania’s Elephant Population in Crisis

by admin on January 5, 2012

Here at Real Africa we keep an eye out for stories about poaching and the dangers to local wildlife across Africa. It is an issue that deeply concerns us and has led to us supporting the work at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya who are active conservationists battling on a daily basis against poaching.

The latest news is from Tanzania, where reports indicate that elephant numbers have fallen by as much as 42% over the past 3 years. This is a hugely significant number – almost half the Tanzanian elephant population!  The elephant census was carried out at the Selous Game Reserve and Mikumi National Park both important and protected game reserves in Tanzania. The census revealed elephant numbers had plunged from 74,900 in 2006 down to just 43,552 in 2009.   The census was carried out by the east African country’s wildlife authority who are deeply concerned about the dwindling population and the escalation of poaching.

The rapid fall prompted Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete to order an investigation, announced his office last Tuesday. Conservationists estimate Tanzania has a total elephant population of between 110,000 and 140,000, making it one of the largest sanctuaries in Africa. However in recent years, both Tanzania and neighbouring Kenya have suffered a massive rise in poaching as criminal gangs have killed elephants and rhinos for their tusks and horns which they then sell throughout Asia. The last Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 2007 agreed to a nine-year moratorium on any further trade in ivory, after some 105 tons of elephant ivory had been sold from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe to China and Japan. TRAFFIC, a conservation group that tracks trends in wildlife trading, said in a statement last week that 2011 had sadly been a record year for ivory seizure.

Elephants are also under pressure in many parts of Africa from other issues affecting them such as loss of their natural habitat to humans, pollution from developing industry and climate change leading to severe droughts. Recent estimates say that the population has fallen to somewhere around 500,000 from millions just decades ago.

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Tribes of Africa – the Bushmen of the Kalahari

by admin on December 22, 2011

The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose homeland covers much of Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and Angola, are often also known as Bushmen or the San people. They are traditionally nomadic hunters and gatherers who moved over vast areas of land throughout Southern Africa. The Bushmen are split into northern and southern bushmen due to their differences in language. The most significant populations are divided between Botswana (55,000), Namibia (27,000) and South Africa (10,000) with most being based around the Kalahari Desert.

The Bushmen have been studied many, many times by anthropologist fascinated by their roots and their traditions. They are one of 14 known groups known as “ancestral population clusters” ie tribes from which all modern mankind have descended from.

They have a fairly egalitarian society with women being accorded much respect and authority. Kinship and family is very important with large family groups living together. Leisure time is important as they spend a lot of time recreationally in family and kin groups. Most important of all is the hunt for food and for water as they live in an arid and barren desert region. Drought is a real threat to them and their way of life and one of the reasons various governments have tried to force them into farming. The Bushmen of Botswana have been involved in long running legal battles to be allowed to return to the Central Kalahari Game Reserve one of their most important and protected homelands.

The Bushmen of the Kalahari or San people first came to worldwide prominence when Laurens Van Der Post  filmed a documentary series on the Bushmen for the BBC in the 1950s. It was a huge hit and triggered a worldwide fascination with this ancient and forgotten tribe of Africa. His views of them were very European but led the way to a deeper understanding and respect of their way of life from later anthropologists and academics.

The further investigations of Bushman culture and traditions have demonstrated a common link with other ancient races such as the Native Americans and South American rainforest tribes in their experiences with trances and “soul quests”. Many anthropologists are very excited by the fact that these seem to be common experiences amongst early man despite never having been in contact with each other.

It is vital that these people and their traditional way of life are supported, respected and preserved. They are far too important to just let them fade away.

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Dinner with a South African

by admin on December 15, 2011

In Cape Town, South Africa a new dining experience has been launched by Dine-with-a-local who are offering tourists the chance to sample some home cooked meals in the homes of local people.

The company has scouted for South Africans who love to entertain and cook and matched them up with tourists and visitors looking for more interaction with the local people and culture on their South African holiday. Visitors will be served a three-course dinner specialising in local South African dishes such as bobotie,  braai,  seafood, ostrich, venison, and local desserts.

The Dine-with-a-local company have committed to screening all hosts extremely carefully and guaranteed that they will have meet extremely high standards to be accepted into the programme.

At the moment  the company is only offering the experience in Cape Town and its surrounding areas, such as the Winelands, Somerset West, the northern and southern suburbs, the Atlantic Seaboard and along the Cape Peninsula. There are of course plans afoot to expand the scheme further across South Africa.

This sounds like a fun idea and it would be a great chance to meet up with local people and maybe even make some new friends at the same time as well as experiencing a different culture and cuisine. Considering that we have turned into a nation of foodies and followers of Masterchef, the Great British Bake Off, Delia, Nigella, Jamie, Gordon et al. I think this idea may well spread to many more countries in future.

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The Leakeys and the Discovery of Ancient Man in Africa

by admin on December 8, 2011

You may have noticed on our Tanzania itineraries many references to the Leakeys and Olduvai Gorge and wondered who they were and why they are famous.

Louis Leakey was a British anthropologist and naturalist who lived and worked in East Africa in the early half of the 20th century and whose work was vitally important in establishing human evolutionary development in Africa. Louis Leakey also played a major role in creating organizations for future research in Africa and for protecting wildlife there, working with both Diane Fossey and Jane Goodall.

Leakey was born to missionary parents and spent his childhood in Kenya learning about local wildlife and customs whilst living with the Kikuyu tribes. On return to England he went to university in Cambridge where he then took an interest in early history and mankind and decided to specialise in both anthropology and archaeology. He was sent to Tanzania to assist on the famous dinosaur dig at Tendaguru. On graduation he was such a respected figure that Cambridge sent him back to East Africa to study prehistoric African humans. He excavated dozens of sites, undertaking for the first time a systematic study of the artifacts.

He became involved with the site at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania where early human remains had already been discovered by Professor Reck. As the rock bed was 600,000 years old so too must be the fossilised bones of early man discovered there. This discovery caused a huge upset amongst the general public as mankind was believed to have arrived much, much later,  and Reck was discredited as few were prepared to believe him. Leakey then took over the dig when the Germans ceded the territory to the British at the end of the war.

Louis and his second wife Mary spent most of the 1950s excavating at Olduvai Gorge and found many  fossils and early tools. In 1959 the OH5 (also known as the Nutcracker Man) skull was unearthed by Mary.  Louis  also believed that it was of a species ancestral to modern humans that he eventually dubbed Zinjanthropus boisei (East Africa man). Zinj is an ancient Arabic word for the East African coast; anthropus refers to the fossil’s humanlike characteristics; and boisei refers to Charles Boise, who had been making financial contributions to the Leakeys’ work since 1948.

Louis initially believed Zinj to be a direct ancestor of modern humans (which he published in the National Geographic) and the maker of those tools found near its remains, but he withdrew this idea once he and Mary unearthed Homo habilis which had a larger brain in the same area less than two years later. Despite that, OH 5 made the Leakeys famous and brought more attention to the developing field of paleoanthropology.

Later on two young geophysicists, dated the rock bed and therefore the hominid fossils in the Olduvai Gorge to 1.75 million years. A truly stunning discovery that meant that Zinj was far older than anyone had ever imagined.  Louis Leakey had proved Charles Darwin’s theory right with concrete evidence – a major scientific breakthrough.

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Climate Change Meeting in Africa

by admin on December 1, 2011

01 December 2011.  African leaders are at this very moment engaged in talks in Durban, South Africa about climate change and its effects on not just Africa but the world. The UNFCCC (UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) encompasses 194 countries. The talks are to continue for 12 days with the aim of finding a solution and discussing methods of dealing with future problems resulting from climate change.

South African President Jacob Zuma attended the initial talks and said:  “For most people in the developing world and Africa, climate change is a matter of life and death. We are always reminded by the leaders of small island states that climate change threatens their very existence. Recently the island nation of Kiribati became the first country to declare that global warming is rendering its territory uninhabitable. They have asked for help to evacuate the population,” he said.

The problem is that Africa is much more vulnerable to the effects of climate change due to widespread poverty which severely limits the means to deal with floods, droughts, crop failure etc. Zuma himself noted that agricultural output in many African countries is expected to decrease by as much as 50% by the year 2050, which will cause serious food shortages. This in turn leads to volatile political situations with displacement of populations and huge numbers of refugees in turn adding increased pressure on limited resources in neighbouring countries. Such is the case at the moment in Kenya with the severe drought in Somalia. South Africa has had some extreme weather conditions leading to severe flooding which can affect the country but they are luckier in being in a better position than most African nations.

President Zuma called for a re-affirmation of the Kyoto Protocol and activating the Green Climate Fund.  “The expectation is that you must work towards an outcome that is balanced, fair and credible,” the President said. “We also feel strongly that as an African Conference of the Parties, the COP 17 outcome must recognise that solving the climate problem cannot be separated from the struggle to eradicate poverty.”

South  Africa is making an effort in the global programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and they have committed to reducing carbon emissions by 34% in 2020 and by 42% in 2025, but that it would only be attainable with strong financial and technical support from developed countries.

We need to keep the issue of climate change at the forefront of people’s minds. Even during this time of economic recession we all have a responsibility to be careful and remember our impact on the developing world.

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A Tale of Two Gardens – North Africa and South Africa

by admin on November 24, 2011

Britain, and England in particular, is known as a land of gardens and gardeners. Due to our warm and wet climate we have produced some truly beautiful gardens from the humble back garden to the epic grounds of Chatsworth House or Highgrove House. Gardening progammes pop up all over the television schedules and we spend millions at the garden centre. Well, we are not alone. Although Africa may not be the first place you think about when you think about beautiful gardens it is actually home to many gorgeous examples.

In Morocco you can find the fabulous Jardins Majorelle (also known as the Yves St Laurent Gardens) in Marrakech which are vibrantly spectacular. They were created in 1919 by the French artist Jacques Majorelle but then taken over by Yves St Laurent and his partner in 1980 when they set about restoring them. As they were created by an artist they are very colourful with strong contrasts and high visual impact. Not only do they showcase plants from the five continents but they aim to provide a place for inspiration and contemplation. The backdrop for the gardens is the bold Moroccan architecture with shots of cobalt blue throughout and the use of traditional tiles and arches as frames and backdrops. There are fountains and shady corners, patios and walkways.  It is a great place to visit to escape the hustle and bustle of busy Marrakech and it is a place to soak up colour and beauty in equal measure. It is also home to an important collection of Islamic Art.

But for me the best garden is found in South Africa. I was luck enough to visit Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town a few years ago and I have to say it is probably one of my favourite places on the planet. Set at the foot of Table Mountain which provides the most stunning of backdrops, Kirstenbosch offers a natural environment for showcasing the natural flora of South Africa. Kirstenbosch was owned by Cecil Rhodes who bequeathed to the South African government. The work was started by Professor Pearson in 1913 to develop the site as a botanical garden and the work still continues today. The gardens showcase the local fynbos plants native to the Cape such as proteas, ericas and buchus as well as a huge range of other plants and trees. You can easily spend the whole day wondering around just soaking up the atmosphere and the tranquillity of the place. You really do feel as if you are in a natural environment that fits right in with the landscape rather than in a manmade, carefully constructed garden. A true garden of Eden!

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Major Elephant Relocation Programme in Kenya

by admin on November 17, 2011

Real Africa is very proud to support the work of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. We have adopted a baby black rhino and a baby elephant who are currently doing very well at the Daphne Sheldrick Animal Orphanage in Nairobi. We will be keeping you posted with regular updates on their progress.

However the Wildlife Trust does a lot more than simply operate the orphanage. They do a huge amount of work fighting against poaching, educating the local people about how to preserve their wildlife and working to help endangered species in the area.  We checked in with them recently to find out what they had been up to. And boy have they been busy! Just the small challenge of moving 62 elephants from an area around Narok North into the Masai Mara National Reserve! These elephants were living in an area which was becoming increasingly crowded by development with large scale farms taking over their traditional bush territories. This was bringing them into conflict with the local farmers as they were destroying precious crops. The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust stepped in to help in its battle to save the African elephant and offered to relocate the elephants to the reserve where they will be free to roam safely.

Now as you can imagine moving 62 wild elephants is not an easy thing to do. It took weeks of  planning and in the actual operation itself. First of all the elephants had to be tracked down from the air, then tranquilised with dart guns before being loaded onto trucks for the trip down to the Masai Mara Reserve. Animals can die when knocked out as their internal organs are often not meant to take the weight when lying down so the vetinary team had to be extra cautious and monitor all the elephants extremely carefully. The elephants were captured and transferred in their natural family groups which could be up to 10 animals at a time.  The relocation was done over a period of two weeks in total as the heat, the terrain and the weather all combined to make this a very tricky operation.

All 62 have now been moved successfully with no complications and are happily adapting to life in their new and much safer home in the Masai Mara. Another success for the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust but just a small victory in the ongoing battle to protect the wildlife of East Africa.

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