Agricultural Problems facing the African Nations

Africa is a nation hit by many agricultural problems. As a majority, Africa is a

desert type climate. Rainfall is heavy and quick, leaving soil deeply engraved by the

pounding of the rain. It falls for such a short period of time, not allowing the ground to

soak up the moisture before it is evaporated into the air because of the heat. Droughts

attack the nations often never providing enough food to sustain the rising population of

the nations. African families are growing bigger and bigger by the year. One in every

seven children is going to die before school age. That means that the nation is under the

impression that bigger is better. Bigger families will provide children left after the

unforgivable ratio is met. This leads to Africa not being able to met the food

requirements needed to sustain families of larger size. In 1980 Africa had a decline in

production of food products . Droughts are leading to no crop output, dying cattle, and

starving peoples. Since 1977 to date over 600,00 people have died from starvation,

another 19 million are starving, and 150 million are begin to feel the pull of no where to

turn for the nourishment they are beginning to lack. Another problem recognized is the

Tsetse fly. This little insect is a big problem among the livestock of the farmers in

Africa. This fly carries a deadly serum which when introduced to the cattle it grows into

a panasomiasis parasitic infection. As mentioned before this rapidly kills the mammal

infected and therefore reduces the size of the herd. This fly is most often found in the

humid regions of Africa where farming would be a possible success if not for the

negative affect of this tsetse fly. Other problems for the African people are dust bowls

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created by dry winds and no moisture. These dust bowls provide little or no chance for

growth but still have a population living in the area. In areas where there is a increase in

rain many of the people are to weak to cultivate the land. They don t have the seeds from

last years crop to begin growing the new crops. And many have given up and moved

away to try other lands for success. Nations such as United States, Britain, France and

many of the other advanced have been blamed for not stepping in sooner to help in

stopping the starvation of the African country as a whole. They are blamed for being

slow to respond and that organizations such as United Way are not accurately distributing

the goods to those who need them most.

This day and age Africa is trying to solve their own problems. They have began

a new program called Agroforestry. This is the growth of trees, tree farms, giving them

another item of trade in the exporting market. They have also began the use of

microbasins. Microbasins are similar to the man-made lakes in the United States.

Providing water form designated collection points in agricultural areas. Groups of

farmers begin well-digging projects and found that to also be a great success.

The biggest push of the African nations is water conservation. They began to realize that

water is a precious commodity for their nation, and they need to ration it as such.

Africa is a nation of numerous resources and potential good use of those

resources. Government is in internal conflict on how to use them and for what parts of

the nation should they focus. Positives have been gained and gradually Africa will

overcome these difficulties the have faced. Africa will survive.

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REFERENCES

1. Goff,R (199 ). The Twientieth Century. McGraw-Hill, Inc. New York.