Promoting Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Access to adequate food constitutes the most serious problem for most African households today. Low productivity rapid population growth, food aid and food importation, structural adjustment programmes, illiteracy, environmental degradation, poorly formulated and executed food policies, wars and political instability are among the factors held responsible for food insecurity and food inadequacy in Sub-Saharan Africa. The promotion of food security and improvement of living conditions of the African people should form the core of development programmes in Africa for years to come. Therefore, policy reversals are urgently needed to put Africa on the path of development, and a cooperative regionalism is advocated. Africans both at home and in the diaspora must collectively assume the responsibility for the advancement of African agriculture and economy.

Soils and food sufficiency. A review

“…Traditional agricultural practices in SSA have been addressed in relation to soil degradation (Choker and Odemerho, 1994), soil nutrients and SOM depletion (Stromgaard, 1991;Dakora and Keya, 1997;Sanchez and Leakey, 1997;Nye and Greenland, 1958), soil pests (Hillocks et al, 1996), pest management (Abate et al, 2000), and plant defense mechanisms (van der Westhuizen, 2004). Among commonly promoted strategies for achieving food security in SSA are: cooperative regionalism (Ugwuanyi and Obinne, 1998), drought management (Hubbard et al, 1992), improvement of roots and tuberous crops such as cassava (Manihoc esculenta) (Prudencio and Alhassan, 1994), use of indigenous knowledge (Oniang'o et al, 2004), integrated food systems (Hulse, 2004), macroeconomic and public policy (Rukuni, 2002), structural adjustment programs (Amalu, 2002), multiple livelihood strategies of women farmers using micro-enterprises (Gladwin et al, 2001), political economy of urban population (Sutherland et al, 1999), incomegenerating employment (Duncan, 1998;McCalla, 1999) and policy framework (van Rooyen and Sigwele, 1998).…”

Soils and Food Sufficiency: A Review

“…Traditional agricultural practices in SSA have been addressed in relation to soil degradation (Choker and Odemerho, 1994), soil nutrients and SOM depletion (Stromgaard, 1991;Dakora and Keya, 1997;Sanchez and Leakey, 1997;Nye and Greenland, 1958), soil pests (Hillocks et al, 1996), pest management (Abate et al, 2000), and plant defense mechanisms (van der Westhuizen, 2004). Among commonly promoted strategies for achieving food security in SSA are: cooperative regionalism (Ugwuanyi andObinne, 1998), drought management (Hubbard et al, 1992), improvement of roots and tuberous crops such as cassava (Manihoc esculenta) (Prudencio and Alhassan, 1994), use of indigenous knowledge (Oniang'o et al, 2004), integrated food systems (Hulse, 2004), macroeconomic and public policy (Rukuni, 2002), structural adjustment programs (Amalu, 2002), multiple livelihood strategies of women farmers using micro-enterprises (Gladwin et al, 2001), political economy of urban population (Sutherland et al, 1999), incomegenerating employment (Duncan, 1998;McCalla, 1999) and policy framework (van Rooyen and Sigwele, 1998).…”

State policy and food insecurity in Kenya's arid and semi-arid land (ASAL) regions

“…This region has the highest prevalence of undernourishment, with one in three people deprived of access to sufficient food (FAO 2006, Clover 2003, Braun 2007. Some of the causes for this persistent decline are droughts, floods, civil conflicts, structural poverty and the HIV/Aids pandemic (Ugwuanyi and Obinne 1998;Braun et al 1992;Tshirley and Weber 1994;Clover 2003).…”