how did rinderpest came to africa? how it affected african livelihoods
Answers
Rinderpest (a fast spreading disease of cattle plague) arrived in Africa in the late 1880s. It had a terrifying impact on people’s livelihoods and the local economy. It started in East Africa and soon spread to the other parts of the continent. In 1892, it reached Africa’s Atlantic coast, and within five years, it reached the Cape (Africa’s Southernmost tip). It spread through an infected cattle imported from British Asia to feed the Italian soldiers invading Eritrea in East Africa. Using this situation to their advantage, colonizing nations conquered and subdued Africa by monopolizing scarce cattle resources to force Africans into the labour market.
Effects of rinderpest on Africans:
(i) Rinderpest killed 90 per cent of the cattle and destroyed African livelihoods.
(ii) It strengthened colonial government’s power and Africans were forced into the labour market which earlier they were reluctant to do due to abundance of land and livestock.
(iii) European colonizers thus conquered and subdued Africa.
Answer:
Rinderpest refers to the cattle plague in Africa in 1890s. This disease show that how during this era of conquest even a disease affecting cattle reshaped the lives and fortunes of thousands of people.
The infected cattle was imported from British Asia into Africa to feed Italian soldiers. The following were the impact of Rinderpest on people's livelihoods and the local economy in Africa:
•It destroyed nearly 90% of the livestock.
•It destroyed the livelihood of the Natives.
•Mine owners and colonial powers benefited by it as they monopolized what scarce cattle resources remained and Africa ceased to be a free continent.
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