Half of the world’s population growth will be in Africa by 2050

Summary

The African continent faces a population boom, projected to double by 2050, leading to urban migration and challenges in housing and employment. Efforts to reduce birth rates through education and 'husband schools' are underway, while agricultural and industrial revolutions are key to creating jobs and sustaining growth. The script explores innovative solutions like vertical urban planning in Lagos and Ethiopia's focus on infrastructure and manufacturing to harness the demographic dividend, amidst concerns over democracy and human rights.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The African population is projected to double by 2050, reaching 2.5 billion people, with significant implications for urbanization and resource management.
• 🏙️ Rapid urbanization is leading to a surge in city populations, with many young people moving to cities that struggle to provide adequate housing, education, and healthcare.
• 📈 High birth rates contribute to population growth, with Niger having an average of 7.6 children born per woman, and cultural norms making it challenging to reduce these numbers.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Efforts are being made to educate both women and men about family planning, contraception, and the consequences of early marriage to curb population growth.
• 🏛️ The 'husband school' is an initiative aimed at engaging men in family planning discussions, recognizing their role in deciding the number of children in a family.
• 🌾 Agricultural practices need to evolve to support the growing population, with a focus on increasing crop yields and adopting more sustainable farming methods.
• 🌱 International efforts are underway to develop hardier crop varieties that can withstand harsh conditions and improve food security across Africa.
• 🏭 Industrialization is seen as a key strategy for job creation and economic growth, with Ethiopia investing in industrial parks to attract foreign companies and create employment.
• 🚆 Infrastructure development, such as new railways and housing, is part of Ethiopia's ambitious plan to accommodate its growing population and spur economic development.
• 📊 The demographic dividend, where a large working-age population can drive economic growth, is a potential opportunity for African countries if managed correctly.
• 🌐 The global impact of Africa's population growth is a concern, with challenges such as migration, urban overcrowding, and potential increases in extremism linked to economic and social instability.

Q & A

What is the projected population of Africa by the year 2050?

The population of Africa is set to double by the year 2050 to 2.5 billion people.

What challenges do young people moving from rural areas to urban centers face?

Many young people moving from rural areas to urban centers end up in slums, and cities are struggling to cope with the influx, leading to issues such as unemployment and inadequate infrastructure.

How could an industrial revolution potentially impact African countries?

An industrial revolution could transform African countries by lifting millions out of poverty every year and creating millions of jobs, thus reducing the number of idle youth and potential migrants.

What is the average number of children born per woman in Niger according to the script?

The average number of children born per woman in Niger is 7.6, with some areas like Zinder having an even higher rate.

What is the 'husband school' and its purpose?

The 'husband school' is an initiative where men are educated about the consequences of early marriage and having many children. It aims to change traditional views and reduce the birth rate.

What is the impact of high birth rates on a country's ability to provide for its citizens?

High birth rates can make it impossible for a country to adequately feed, educate, and care for all its children, threatening the country's survival and potentially leading to social unrest and other issues.

What is the significance of the 'A/O' festival in Lagos?

The A/O festival celebrates the historic old labor in the overcrowded urban slums of Lagos. It involves masquerades representing spirits of the dead, cleansing the city of evil, and praying for peace and prosperity.

How is Lagos addressing the issue of overcrowding and the need for more housing?

Lagos is addressing overcrowding by encouraging vertical construction and creative financing to attract private investment into affordable housing, as well as urban planning strategies learned from other cities.

What is the role of the DNA profiling lab in Nairobi in improving agricultural productivity?

The DNA profiling lab in Nairobi helps in identifying the best-performing strains of crops by understanding the genetic differences at the DNA level. This allows for the creation of superior plants that are high-yielding, drought-tolerant, and resistant to pests and diseases.

How is Ethiopia tackling its population growth and creating jobs for its young people?

Ethiopia is building vast industrial parks across the country, investing in infrastructure, training a workforce, and attracting foreign companies to create jobs, thus harnessing the demographic dividend.

What challenges does Ethiopia face in its pursuit of economic growth and industrialization?

Ethiopia faces challenges such as authoritarianism, lack of freedoms, and protests that were met with a heavy hand. Balancing economic growth with democratic values and ensuring sustainable development is a complex task.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Africa's Population Growth and Urban Challenges

The script discusses the impending doubling of Africa's population by 2050, highlighting the migration of youth from rural areas to urban towns, leading to a surge in slum populations and cities struggling to accommodate the growth. It touches on the potential of an industrial revolution to alleviate poverty and the importance of addressing the high birth rates, particularly in Niger, where the average number of children per woman is 7.6. The script introduces initiatives like 'husband school' and 'safe space class' aimed at educating men and women about family planning and the consequences of early marriage and childbearing. It also presents personal stories illustrating the cultural shift towards having fewer children for healthier families and more opportunities.

05:01

🏙️ Urbanization and the Quest for Sustainable Solutions

This paragraph delves into the cultural preference for large families and the slow progress towards changing this tradition. It discusses the efforts to manage population growth, such as mobile clinics and contraceptive implants, and the impact of education on reducing birth rates. The script also addresses the broader implications of population growth on Africa's food security, education, and employment, with a focus on the potential 'youth dividend' and the risks of unemployment leading to issues like terrorism and immigration. The narrative includes stories of individuals migrating to cities like Lagos for a better life, facing the harsh realities of urban living and the city's efforts to manage the influx through creative solutions like vertical construction and affordable housing initiatives.

10:02

🌾 Agricultural Advancements and Food Security

The script focuses on the urgent need for increased agricultural productivity to feed Africa's growing population. It showcases Kenya's initiative to develop drought-resistant and nutrient-rich crops, such as millet and peas, and the use of DNA profiling to improve crop yields. The paragraph also highlights efforts to rekindle interest in traditional crops, promote modern farming techniques, and engage young people in agriculture through reality TV shows. The goal is to make farming appealing to the younger generation, thereby increasing food production and economic opportunities in rural areas.

15:04

🏭 Industrialization as a Path to Economic Growth

This section of the script explores Ethiopia's ambitious plan to transform its economy through industrialization. It describes the establishment of industrial parks to create jobs for the youth, attract foreign investment, and manufacture goods locally. The Ethiopian government's focus on infrastructure, education, and technology is emphasized, along with the challenges of balancing economic growth with democratic values and freedoms. The script also examines the role of China in Ethiopia's development and the potential for Ethiopia to serve as a model for other African countries facing similar population and economic challenges.

20:07

🌐 Africa's Demographic Shift and Global Impact

The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of Africa's population explosion, considering the continent's capacity to provide for its people and the potential global impact. It discusses the necessity for aggressive policies and investments in infrastructure to harness the demographic dividend and create jobs. The script acknowledges the dilemmas between prioritizing economic growth versus democratic freedoms and suggests that growth can be a pathway to achieving democracy and freedom of speech. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of finding creative solutions to accommodate and employ the growing population, as the challenges and opportunities presented by this demographic shift will be felt worldwide.

Keywords

💡Population Growth

Population growth refers to the increase in the number of individuals in a population over time. In the context of the video, it highlights the rapid expansion of Africa's population, which is projected to double by 2050. This growth poses significant challenges for cities and countries in terms of infrastructure, resources, and social services, as seen in the script's discussion of urban migration and the strain on cities like Lagos.

💡Urban Migration

Urban migration is the movement of people from rural areas to urban centers. The script discusses how young people in Africa are moving from the countryside to towns, often ending up in slums due to the lack of adequate housing and services in cities. This migration is a response to the hope of better opportunities in urban areas, but it also contributes to urban overcrowding and the strain on city resources.

💡Slums

Slums are densely populated urban areas characterized by substandard housing and poor living conditions. The video script mentions the challenges of slums as a result of urban migration, where cities struggle to cope with the influx of people. Slums often lack basic services like sanitation, clean water, and healthcare, and are highlighted as a significant issue in the script's discussion of cities like Lagos.

💡Industrial Revolution

The term 'industrial revolution' in the script refers to a period of rapid industrialization that could transform African economies and potentially lift millions out of poverty. It suggests that an industrial revolution in Africa could create jobs and economic growth, which is essential for managing the continent's population growth and providing opportunities for the youth.

💡Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment is the state of being without work for young people who are actively seeking employment. The script warns of the potential dangers of idle youth, including the risk of radicalization and increased migration. It emphasizes the importance of job creation for the young population to prevent social unrest and economic stagnation.

💡Birthrate

The birthrate is the number of live births per 1,000 people in a given year. The video script discusses the high birthrate in some African countries, particularly in Niger, where the average number of children born per woman is 7.6. High birthrates contribute to rapid population growth and can exacerbate issues related to poverty, healthcare, and education.

💡Family Planning

Family planning refers to the practice of deciding the number and spacing of children one has. The script describes efforts in Niger to educate young girls and women about family planning, contraception, and the consequences of early marriage and childbearing. This is part of a broader strategy to reduce birthrates and improve the health and well-being of women and children.

💡Husband School

The 'husband school' mentioned in the script is an initiative aimed at engaging men in family planning discussions and decisions. It recognizes that men often have a significant say in family size and seeks to involve them in educational programs that promote healthier, smaller families as a way to improve overall family well-being.

💡Youth Dividend

The youth dividend refers to the economic growth potential that can result from a large, young, working-age population. The script discusses the concept in the context of Africa, where a demographic shift could either lead to significant economic benefits or pose serious challenges if the workforce is not properly educated and employed.

💡Agricultural Revolution

An agricultural revolution in the script refers to the transformation of farming practices to increase productivity, particularly in the face of climate change and population growth. It involves the development of more resilient crops, improved farming techniques, and the potential for higher yields to feed a growing population, as illustrated by the efforts in Kenya to introduce new crop varieties.

💡Industrial Parks

Industrial parks are designated areas designed for the purpose of fostering the growth of industries. The script discusses the construction of industrial parks in Ethiopia as part of a broader economic strategy to create jobs, attract foreign investment, and stimulate economic growth. These parks are seen as a way to harness the potential of the youth and the demographic dividend for the country's development.

Highlights

Africa's population is projected to double by 2050, posing significant challenges for urban infrastructure and social services.

Rapid urbanization has led to a surge in city slums, with cities struggling to accommodate the influx of people.

An 'industrial revolution' in Africa could potentially lift millions out of poverty by creating jobs and economic growth.

High youth unemployment could lead to increased migration and recruitment by extremist groups if not addressed.

In Niger, the average number of children born per woman is 7.6, with efforts underway to tackle high fertility rates.

The 'husband school' in Niger is an innovative approach to engage men in family planning discussions and decisions.

The importance of reducing child marriage and early pregnancies is emphasized to improve maternal and child health.

Lagos, Nigeria, illustrates the challenges of managing rapid urban growth with creative solutions needed for housing and infrastructure.

Efforts in Kenya are focused on improving agricultural productivity through better plant strains and farming techniques.

A reality TV show in Kenya aims to make farming attractive to young people, promoting it as a viable business opportunity.

Ethiopia's industrial parks are part of a strategy to create jobs and manage the country's demographic growth.

The Ethiopian government is investing heavily in infrastructure, education, and manufacturing to support economic growth.

The balance between economic growth and political freedom is a complex issue in Ethiopia's development.

Agricultural and industrial revolutions are key to managing Africa's population growth and ensuring food security.

The demographic dividend can be harnessed if Africa invests in its youth through education, jobs, and social development.

The impact of Africa's population growth will be felt globally, with implications for migration, economic development, and international relations.

Transcripts

[Music]

the population of Africa is set to

double by the year 2050 to two and a

half billion people the young are moving

from the countryside to the town's

[Music]

unfortunate divorce in the last two

three years is been a deluge but many

end up in slums and cities are

struggling to cope

an industrial revolution could transform

African countries and lift millions out

of poverty every year a census rolls

only to quit

20 20 million jobs every every was a

common indicates but idle youth could

mean millions more migrants and drive

many into the hands of Islamist

extremists and that is everyone's

problem there's nowhere in the world

where women have more children half the

girls here are married by 15 so it's not

surprising the children have children

[Music]

this is Xander in southern leisure on

the fringe of the Sahara Desert and not

far from Nigeria's northern border the

gyre is one of the world's poorest

countries it's mostly agricultural and

the average number of children born per

woman is 7.6 and in Xander it's a lot

higher than that so the government and

aid agencies are trying to do something

about it

tucked away out of earshot girls as

young as 10 talk about topics many

adults here consider taboo family

planning contraception early marriage

and even forced marriage three older

girls take the lead the aid workers who

have trained them call this the safe

space class sorrow too is 27 and has

four children one of the things we are

teaching girls here I is about early

marriage and the consequences of having

children before they are 18 during the

delivery a girl can lose her life or the

child could die

let me take a needy buy before this

program women had many many kids but

with the coming of this program the

number of children is really reducing

who decides how many children you should

have I had an Amiga hey my husband he

decides that and that's the crux of it

the husband's decide

and so they started the husband school

dad you said you if you give your

daughter away at 12 it could be a

disaster

the conversation is just as open on this

side of the village having fewer

children helps the woman to be able to

breastfeed properly before we learned

from this problem many of our kids

weren't healthy but now we don't have a

problem that's mad AHA Musa he's 27 and

is one of the more enthusiastic converts

to the fewer kids philosophy here his

wife Adisa have three children Danny can

get on get in Germany I come from a big

family

my father has three wives I have about

16 siblings I'm not actually sure how

many we are

but I think we are chastity and the idea

that more children means more hands to

help on the farm doesn't ring true with

Musa anymore Jameson she ate hoobat

wanna know if someone has ten children

only three or four of them are healthy

anyway so it's better to just have fun

that's better for work in the fields

yes yeah okay a woman when she doesn't

truly there is a problem here with

having too many children but now we have

been to husband school we know more we

can have a child and then wait for a

while before we have the next one even

if some people do change their minds and

decide to have fewer babies the dramatic

growth in population will take a long

time to slow down by 2050 the number of

people in the share will have way over

tripled from the 21 million it is today

the culture here is to have many many

children and traditions are hard to

shift

so you can look at you would on either

side you don't want to see a better but

this is the way to do it show them what

the options are at a mobile clinic

another case tackling taboos head-on and

from the crowd Nana Asia decides to have

a three-year contraceptive implant in

front of everyone saying she's had three

kids and she's happy with that for now

no money's hidden either so would also

not us I decided to do it in front of

everybody so that they can see how it's

done because before there was some kind

of rumors that while doing it it hurts

and they see themselves today it doesn't

hurt at all and it did persuade a few

skeptics Nana Aisha said her husband had

given her permission in fact it was his

idea he's educated she told me and he'd

heard the man from husband school

talking about it there's small steps

towards bringing the birthrate down

this population explosion matters across

Africa but more so in leisure all these

young people are a bonus if a country's

on the rise but can also be a burden la

longue meter is below the quantity up or

consequence in media the immediate

consequences of having such a high

birthrate is that it's impossible to

feed educate and care for all these

children in the short term in the long

term the very survival of the country is

threatened unless we take this window of

opportunity to make the most of this

youth dividend the dividend and putt

l'ensemble of this it could threaten the

survival of the country and encourage

different things like terrorism and

immigration there are few jobs in the

countryside on both sides of this border

between Nisha and northern Nigeria

Islamist group Boko Haram recruits idle

youth or they migrate north to Europe up

through Nazaire those who can head to

big urban areas from here in remote

gnocco village we followed one man who's

left to make it big in Lagos it's a

world trodden route from this quiet

rural village to the city mama de hielo

looked out Abdul Hameed family are

talking about the son and brother the

husband and father who left his wife and

one-year-old boy behind money to eat she

says so we had to send the boy to go and

look for money

he sends around a hundred dollars every

now and again which they used for the

farm and for food and clothes

quite a contrast moving from a village

of 7,000 people to Africa's largest city

this wasn't quite what looked up the

Hameed had in mind but optimism is

emblazoned across his chest

Wow initial Indian interest into a mark

but never like I thought it would be

easy but then I realized how much harder

it was to get one but you can't just sit

here without a joke so much in the one

summer I wants to buy answer to have a

shop in Carmel and to make enough money

to go back to school and get an

education every day thousands of people

arrive in Lagos Africa's largest city

looking for the same thing a new start

in life many end up in the slums

struggling to make a living

has always had that mixed

blessings of having to deal with the

influx of people unfortunately for us in

the last two three years it's been a

deluge

who wants other people to be here to

bring ideas to bring values to bring

innovation but we're just unable to deal

with it endlessly this is what an

African mega city looks like it's

crowded it's chaotic and it's crumbling

Lagos is already struggling to house to

look after and to educate the way over

21 million people already living here

let alone the millions more that are

predicted to crush into this city but

there's an incredible energy about the

place and it's a matter of tapping that

and using creative thinking to turn it

into an opportunity

[Music]

the a/o festival celebrates historic old

labor in the overcrowded urban slums

masquerades represent the spirits of the

Dead returned to cleanse the city of

evil and pray for peace and prosperity

emerging from the rusted tin roofs is

one answer to the AOS prayers building

up has no choice but to go on how

we're gonna go how we're going to

accommodate all the population we have

two more Latif Civello spent 25 years as

an urban planner in Los Angeles now he's

brought his skills home so now that we

are able to go vertical we are able to

reduce the overcrowding so it give us

the advantage of where the air space

which has been lost tower blocks aren't

a new idea and are expensive but Lagos

needs to renew without moving people out

one answer is creative financing to lure

private investment into affordable

housing so currently we are looking at

different areas we can come up with to

introduce some of the ideas that I

brought from Los Angeles and see which

one is applicable I use a bullet here

this is the other way to deal with slums

this was a total bomb a community

cleared in March despite a court order

protecting it many people fear they'll

be next

about 40 communities will be on added

threat of eviction and 300,000 people

will be rendered homeless eventually if

this action is carried out the moment

see demolish Islam naturally two three

stones will spring up because people

need beer to sleep there are two main

industries in these slums fishing and

dredging for building sand but the beach

is quiet the people say the security

forces came and smashed up the boats

I am very angry they destroyed my boat

and my husband's boats we have no money

and we've had to throw the children from

school the state government sites

security reasons and says people are

never forcibly removed but people here

think it just wants them out all on this

community were demolished so does the

buddha the rich would benefit from it so

i feel strongly that the state

government is interested in the land and

we're not going to give it giving the

basic reason is non grata to be honest

wit because the vassal government are

still that the waterfront communities

are prime land lagos will be a financial

hub for nigeria and there are big plans

for luxury waterfront living a vast area

has been reclaimed from the sea front

from at happen style development and

there are many other building projects

alright great so as you know when the

east end of the site and then between

nine locks house in the Hard Rock Cafe

we have the hotel that's being built

right here all on one of a is developing

a five hectare 100 million dollar site

Lagos has to balance a modern vision

against its growing inequality I think

the laws remain the super-rich and all

those remaining people just simply below

the poverty line

but the hope is that as you know over

the next few years you will see that gap

bridged

as more people get more jobs the only

way to manage a massively growing mega

city is to invest in infrastructure

whether it be power lines or rail lines

this will be Nigeria's first ever

electrical light railway system within

ten years they want six of these lines

crisscrossing the whole state keeping

Lagos on the move

but the city is outgrowing efforts to

house employ and serve its people we are

in an urban age and people are going to

keep coming so we just have to find more

creative ways to accommodate more people

[Music]

climate change drought and a doubling

population are already testing the

continents capacity to feed itself and

by 2050 a quarter of the world will be

Africans farming needs to be much more

productive Kenya is at the forefront of

a big international effort to create

better plants that produce more crops in

the harshest conditions smallholder

farms here could easily produce four

times as much food

semion doovy is one of the guinea-pigs

he's replaced most of his maize with a

mixture of what are thought of as

old-fashioned crops like millet and peas

which put nutrients back into the soil

ah yeah these days we are getting less

rain than we used to and when I plant

these crops

I know al-hafiz something unlike with

maize the millet and the pigeon peas

normally resists to the drought

he's also been given new improved plants

hybrids he's very happy with this piece

are bigger they're mature faster and I

can get two crops in a year rather than

one and that's where the science comes

in finding the best strains means

crossbreeding hundreds of plants to

isolate the traits they're looking for

what we're seeing right now is a finger

millet breeding where we're trying to

combine traits characteristics from

different plants into one plant so that

we end up with a superior plant that is

a limiter in high yielding drought

tolerant and resistance to major pests

and diseases but as well as being highly

nutritious

and this new DNA profiling lab in

Nairobi makes that process a lot quicker

this machine tries to understand the

differences at the DNA level in the

populations of 101 crops it's not

genetically modifying but by sequencing

varieties of 101 carefully chosen

traditional African food crops they can

go straight in to find the best

performing strains instead of a random

selection of hundreds of progeny we go

for selecting only those types which

contain the signatures from high yield

and the signatures for drought tolerance

but then nutritionists have to get

people excited about these crops in a

place where maize is everything and so

to cooking school in rural Kenya these

smart foods used to be staples in Kenya

before colonialism brought maize along

[Applause]

they're more drought resistant more

nutritious and pretty easy to rustle up

into all sorts of meals piece of the

chapati I got to there and this is the

pigeon pea stew right great on it goes a

little bit of everything

pigeon pea stew you first

[Laughter]

[Applause]

for young farmers from Kenya and

Tanzania have been chosen to put their

farming skills to the ultimate test the

other thing is to persuade young people

to stay on the farm this reality TV show

is Kenya's attempt to make farming cool

for a challenge over lifetime

particularly to Millennials otherwise

leaving the village for the city may

mean for business life it shows that

farming is a business that money can be

made and also helps older farmers up

their output making smallholding more

productive and profitable is one step

towards growing enough food but for the

demographic dividend to be cashed in

people need jobs agricultural revolution

is the precursor to industrial

revolution and here in Ethiopia there's

a grand plan the first Industrial Park

was built in Addis Ababa

but the biggest has just opened south of

the capital in Hawass a welcome ceremony

Ethiopia is flying high in Africa it has

the fastest growing economy albeit from

a low base and has become the darling of

international investors our founder Park

is a phenomenal project the architect of

this new industrial revolution is

meeting executives from some of the

world's biggest textile companies he

built it and they came

Ethiopian workers already have jobs

making the fabric putting the garments

together must have such an advantage on

me the pay isn't great she says but it's

not just about money but about building

a better future for her and for the

country Ethiopia's big solution to the

population explosion is putting its

young people to work they're building

these vast industrial parks across the

country putting an infrastructure

training up a workforce and attracting

foreign companies to make their shirts

and their skirts their suits on their

socks here rather than in Asia as in

much of Africa China has a hand in the

expansion and sees echoes of its own

dramatic growth curious all-woman

consulate with mission to Ethiopia

Ravana why did we choose Ethiopia it has

a stable political situation and a

peaceful society and is the second

biggest country in Africa without a

bigger population there is no market

[Music]

there's a huge amount of building going

on across Ethiopia the scale and

ambition is impressive row after row a

government built social housing a new

electric railway to whisk imports and

exports between the capital and the

coast perhaps the most visible sign of

Ethiopia's economic growth is its

airline it's been dramatically expanding

over the last ten years it's

government-owned

if you've been Airlines now flies to 96

cities around the world

what better advert for a country on the

rise we can learn from China that making

investment in the long term

infrastructure is quite important

population is growing by about five

percent so we need to create close to 1

million jobs every year so this is a big

challenge and manufacturing has

significant impact in job creation this

now provides an opportunity for what we

call the demographic dividend but

without having a policy very aggressive

and ambitious as the cheapest target

economic laws it will be difficult and

it will be a source of crisis

[Applause]

aggressive policies in Ethiopia Mena

heavy hand protests were crushed a state

of emergencies just ended there are

questions over authoritarianism and lack

of freedoms building democracy

sustaining requires efforts for many

generations and will cognize that and we

are going to put more effort despite the

achievements we have Ethiopia has also

built a lot of universities focusing now

on engineering and technology rather

than arts but what about the dilemma

what is more important is it going at

growth or is it freedom of speech the

democracy it's not like one is more

important than the other but definitely

economic growth is a means towards

democracy right it's a path for

democracy to path for freedom of speech

because if there's no education in the

country if people are so hungry what are

they going to speak about

industrialization isn't the only answer

to Africa's population explosion but

it's already creating dividends for

Ethiopia's economy if it gets the

balance right this could be a model to

put a continent to work and in much of

Africa that's a big ask in poor

countries likely share it seems the

economy won't come close to keeping up

with population growth in rich ones like

Nigeria it comes down to good thoughts

and good actions even if the speed and

scale of urban growth offers its own set

of challenges this African population

explosion is coming and its impact will

be felt across the globe for good or for

bad

[Music]