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Food production and consumption by a family in
Mali
before and during French colonialism
Compare normal and drought conditions: everything is measured in
kilograms
(kg) of food and as a percentage of the total food production that is
available.
When droughts occurred several years in a row, hunger
and starvation would get progressively worse in either eras.
When
were the people of Mali best and worse
off in terms of food consumption?
Food
supply | Pre-colonial era | Colonial era | ||
normal | drought | normal | drought | |
taxes | 10% (180 kg) | 10% (90 kg) | 20% (360 kg) | 40% (360 kg) |
barter & trade | 15% (270 kg) | 10% (90 kg) | 10% (180 kg) | |
storage for drought | 15% (270 kg) | * 270 kg
* | 5% (90 kg) | * 90 kg
* |
debt | none for food | none for food | 15% (270 kg) | 100 kg, new debt |
food supply | 60% (1,080 kg) | * 80% (720 kg)* | 50% (900 kg) | * 60% (540 kg)* |
food production | 1,800 kg | 900 kg | 1,800 kg | 900 kg |
effective consumption | 1,080 kg | 900 kg | 900 kg | 730 kg |
720 kg = almost enough food
for survival; 540 kg = starvation
[Source: Uebersee museum in
Bermen, Germany.]
Answers:
best off: normal climatic conditions before French colonial rule
worst off: drought during French colonial rule
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Created by Ingolf Vogeler on 1 February 1996; last revised 8/24/21011.
