Certainly, people consume their way to poverty, and the affects of over-consumption and living unsustainably is more obvious in some areas of the world than others. For example, in certain African landscapes over-consumption is readily observable, but in parts of the world like the United States of America, the problems associated with over-consumption are not readily observable, because we live comfortable lives, subsidize our gluttony overseas, and often consume at the expense of other countries.

A symptom of over-consumption is the loss of biodiversity, particularly through the bushmeat trade and deforestation. An argument is being made that legalizing bushmeat will alleviate poverty or solve the ongoing food crisis. Not surprisingly, there is resistance to this remedy.

Richard Leakey is making several arguments against legalizing bushmeat, so he does not believe legalizing bushmeat will alleviate poverty. Some of his arguments include (1) the importance of wildlife in providing ecosystem services for people, such as seed dispersal, since “there is evidence that conserving primates, rather than eating them, will actually enhance food availability for humans”; (2) the fact that some species are already critically endangered and cannot sustain hunting pressure; (3) the need for alternative forms of agriculture such as bee-keeping and farming cane rats or grasscutters, which are already a bushmeat favorite; and (4) the spread of zoonotic diseases such as Ebola. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is thought to have jumped to humans because of bushmeat. From Wildlife Extra, UK:

Legalizing bushmeat hunting will not solve the food crisis. I am incredulous that the Centre of International Forestry Research (CIFOR) would suggest that bushmeat hunting be legalized, giving the local people the task of policing themselves. This position shows remarkable naïveté and totally fails to understand the realities on the ground. A hungry population is never going to practice conservation of food, especially where it can be had free from the forest.

CIFOR argues that since up to 80% of the rural households in central and western Africa already depend on bushmeat for their daily protein requirements, a blanket ban on the trade would endanger both humans and wildlife. They call for regulated but legal uptake of wildlife protein. Maybe, but just how can this be done? There are no mechanisms to regulate this even with the best legislation.

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I do not personally dispute the tragedy of the poor but allowing them to hunt and encouraging a process that will result in exploitation of wildlife will not alleviate their poverty. Why don’t people encourage the rearing of chickens, fish or cane rats to alleviate their protein deficiency? This will bring development and a better and healthier existence.