Food In Africa
Source
Agriculture is a very important source of food for the African people. The reason why it is so important is because it is the basis of a cycle of eating. The eating cycle is, animals eat crops and humans eat animals and the crops. Some examples of agriculture are: maize (corn), wheat, and hay. Agriculture is not just field crops though. It is also trees and bushes that produce fruit or vegetables.
Threat
Drought is a major threat to food and agriculture. If you did not know, drought is a lack of rainfall for a long period of time. drought severely effects agriculture. With a lack of water, plants cannot survive very well. Humans get effected immensely, because of the famine, or food shortage that follows with drought. There was a drought in the 1880's that killed over 13 million people because of starvation (Fradin pg. 23). Livestock is also effected by drought, because without food or water, they would die. Drought is a major problem anywhere, but especially in Africa. It is a very poor continent, so they cannot afford to pay for imported water, and the people of Africa depend on natural sources that grow off of water.
Solution
A solution that would help out drought sufferers that I found is to send a well educated farmer to a country in Africa with a drought problem. This solution was tested out, and it came out productive. The person they sent was Dr. Borlaug, who has spent many years teaching farmers to improve their crop yields. What Dr. Borlaug taught the farmers, was how to use new seeds that are technologically enhanced to grow healthier and stronger plants that will last longer. In Ghana (the country where he was sent to help), the farmers increased their corn production by about 145% between 1991-1992 (African Agriculture). Dr. Baurlaug, and other highly skilled farmers will soon be sent to other countries with the same problem hoping to get the same results.