Hunger in Africa
•60% of Africans go to bed hungry
•Half of those 60% are seriously malnourished
•Only 37% have access to clean drinking water
•Millions died in famines in Ethiopia, Somalia, Mozambique, and Sudan
• In the early 1960’s Africa produced 95% of its needed food -- today, every country imports food
•Population is going up 3.5% a year, food is going down 2.5% a year
•Food production is 20% lower than in 1970, when the population was half what it is now
•Reasons for hunger in Africa
>Growing population, fastest growing of any continent in history
>Lack of water -- 47% of Africa is too dry for rainfed crops
-- Not enough money for irrigation
>Lack of topsoil -- expanding desert
-- erosion by wind
-- tribes cutting wood for fires
-- livestock eating ground cover
-- burning for planting
-- droughts
>Little understanding of modern technology
-- much farming still done by hand on small plots
-- lack of education
> Governments keep prices of food low to keep themselves popular, but farmers then can’t make a living
> Lack of storage facilities
> Lack of transportation
> Bugs and pests eating crops
> Disease carrying bugs in fertile areas
> No development of high yielding seeds suitable for African climates
> Wars -- farmers become soldiers
-- farms become battlefields
-- Refugees leave their homes and farms
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