The anatomy of crises in Sub- Saharan Africa economic underdevelopment: A literature review

Abstract

Political upheaval, economic crisis, corruption and food insecurity are the bane for economic underdevelopment in sub–Saharan Africa; these have caused many lives to face some difficulties and to witness unpalatable experiences. This paper looked into this issue and brought out some factors that likely aggravate the difficulties, crises and insecurity in sub–Saharan Africa especially. A few internal factors that contribute to food insecurity include poor leadership, conflict and subconscious of political administration. It is believed that outside factors contributed in a subtle, occasionally overt manner to the solution of the issue. This paper explained how political crisis, economic crisis, insecurity and food insecurity as a bane of economic underdevelopment of the sub-Saharan African country. The political crisis ranges from an underdeveloped political system, frequent changes in government, political instability, frequent change in government policies, abandonment of economic programs, and banditry and pirate activities at sea. Economic crises such as inflation, debt servicing, bogus foreign exchange regime, infrastructural decay, wrong economic policies are part of the bane of underdevelopment in sub-Saharan Africa. While on Food insecurity, drought, pest and diseases, pandemic outbreak (COVID19), Ukraine crisis/war, storage inadequacy, and seasonality of produce was part of the predicament that hinders development in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, suggestions were made to improve both the political and economic issues regarding food security and the development of sub-Saharan Africa.