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