Sustainability

Africa never needed lectures on sustainability. Long before climate conferences, international frameworks, and billion-dollar conservation projects, African communities had already perfected the art of living with nature. They farmed without wrecking the land, fished without emptying the waters, built homes that adapted to the climate, and extracted minerals without poisoning entire ecosystems. Sustainability wasn’t a buzzword—it was common sense.

Then came the disruption. Colonial rule, Western education systems, and foreign-funded development models stripped away this deep-rooted knowledge. African leaders, often trained in these same foreign systems, started chasing imported solutions instead of trusting the wisdom in their own backyards. Now, as the world panics over climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, Africa still sits on the sidelines of discussions it should be leading.

Take the Maasai. For centuries, they rotated grazing lands, ensuring that pastures had time to recover and preventing land degradation. But then came the experts who decided that settling in one place was "modern." The result? Overgrazing, desertification, and the slow destruction of a system that had worked perfectly. Now, the same scientists who dismissed Maasai methods are "discovering" the benefits of rotational grazing.

Or the Dogon people of Mali, who have been engineering water-efficient farming techniques for generations. Without chemical fertilizers or heavy machinery, they have produced food in one of the harshest climates on the continent. Yet, modern agricultural policies favor imported seeds and expensive chemical inputs instead of learning from those who have been doing it right all along.

It’s the same pattern everywhere. The forests of Benin and Togo, preserved through spiritual traditions, are better protected than some national parks. The rainwater harvesting systems of ancient African civilizations were more efficient than today’s dependence on expensive boreholes. Indigenous knowledge has always been Africa’s strength, yet it is constantly undervalued in favor of "global best practices" that don’t always work.

And let’s talk about hypocrisy. Africa contributes the least to climate change, yet it’s forced to follow rules set by the world’s biggest polluters. Europe insists on strict organic standards for African exports while aggressively pushing fertilizers and GMOs into African markets. The global environmental agenda is designed to keep Africa reactive rather than proactive, always following instead of leading.

Institutions like the African Union (AU) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have their role to play. They bring leaders together, push for policies, fund some promising pilot projects, and train people. But at the end of the day, the real shift must start at home. African governments can’t just wait for international funding—they must put indigenous knowledge at the center of national budgets and development plans. Ministries of Finance must stop treating sustainability as a donor-driven initiative.

This isn’t about nostalgia or resisting progress. It’s about intellectual self-determination. If Africa keeps relying on external validation to fund and implement environmental policies, it will always be a step behind. Scientists, policymakers, and universities must stop treating indigenous knowledge as folklore and start integrating it into environmental governance.

Culture matters too. Some Middle Eastern states, China, and Russia have been deliberate about shaping their education systems, media, and entertainment to protect their values. Africa doesn’t need to isolate itself, but it does need to control its own narrative. Artists, musicians, and filmmakers have a role in elevating African wisdom. If people don’t see themselves reflected in their own history, they won’t fight for their future.

And this isn’t wishful thinking—there are signs of change. Kenya’s Gen Z has already shown that a youth-driven movement can shake the system. Their independence of thought, their willingness to challenge the status quo, is exactly what’s needed. But they must stay vigilant. Not everyone who speaks the language of change is truly committed to it. Wakora Gen Zee—the opportunists, the career activists, the ones ready to sell out progress for personal gain—will always be lurking, waiting to hijack the movement.

Those who are ready must lead the charge in revolutionizing Africa’s environmental future, drawing from the depth of indigenous knowledge. Those who are not must step aside and let a new generation reclaim what was lost.

Africa doesn’t need to be saved. It needs to remember that it was always the master of sustainable living—and that the future of its environment depends on rediscovering and owning that wisdom.

Gem Musings is a seasoned International Relations and Public Affairs Strategist with extensive experience in global diplomacy, communication, and policy analysis.