The West don't know best

My brother John passed on this interesting Times article about how fertilizer subsidies in Malawi have turned that country from a net food importer to a net food exporter:

Ending Famine, Simply by Ignoring the Experts

We should be cautious to embrace a policy simply from a single case. What works in one place at one time may not be easily replicated in other settings. Still, it’s an interesting story that African leaders as well as Western aid bureaucrats should pay attention to.

I think the key lesson from Malawi is that policy must ultimately be decided at a local level. Letting leaders who are held accountable by their own people shape their nation’s policy is the most trustworthy long-term strategy for growth and development. Poor leadership should be evaluated by an informed citizenry, not by Western bureaucrats. World Bank economists sometimes just don’t know what is really needed in a community.

So what then should be the role of the international aid community? They ought to make resources and economic advice but ultimately trust that democratically-elected leaders will act in the best interests of their people.