Photo: Christina LoNigro/UNDP Despite rapid economic growth in some African countries in recent years, no government across the continent can rightfully claim that all its citizens have access to enough affordable, nutritious food to meet their dietary needs.
This sober message, published in the United Nations Development Programme's (UNDP) Africa Human Development Report 2012 released today, includes a warning that unless the continent eliminates the hunger that affects almost one in four Africans, it cannot sustain its present economic resurgence.
Entitled, "Towards a Food Secure Future", the UNDP'S first-ever Africa report says that with a population projected to exceed two billion people sometime after 2050, sub-Saharan Africa will need "to produce substantially more food, while mitigating the stresses which agricultural production places on the environment".
The preface to the report pulls no punches. "Had African governments over the past 30 years met their people's aspirations, this report would not be necessary," writes the director of the UNDP's Africa Bureau, Tegegnework Gettu. "One quarter of the people in sub-Saharan Africa would not be undernourished, and one third of African children would not be stunted."
If the "patrimonial power structures" and "self-serving elites" within many African governments had not profited from graft or pocketed the profits from the region's resources over the years, sub-Saharan Africa "would be food secure and the gap between its human development and that of more successful regions would be closing rapidly," adds Gettu.
The report draws attention to the paradox that while many Africans starve, there is enough food to feed the continent.
"Crop failure and a lack of food are not the only causes of famine and hunger," says former New Zealand prime minister and administrator of the UNDP, Helen Clark. "More often, the challenge is uneven access to food, which occurs when people lack the means to acquire it. This uneven access is thus a symptom of the low incomes and high levels of vulnerability that still affect many Africans."
Development in the broadest sense is needed to ensure a "food-secure future for all Africans", says Clark.
According to the Africa report, two-thirds of working Africans make a living off the land. The report says policies that promote agricultural productivity stimulate economic growth. This helps pull people out of poverty through job and income creation, increasing the capacity to save and invest in the future. These changes, in turn, enable a more sustainable use of land and water resources.
The report singles out two examples where such policies have worked.
Encouragement to cocoa farmers to boost output enabled Ghana to meet Millennium Development Goal One - becoming the first sub-Saharan African country to halve hunger by 2015. In Malawi, a massive seed and fertilizer subsidy programme has helped transform a food deficit into a 1.3 million-tonne surplus within two years.
But simply boosting agricultural output is not enough to improve a population's health and wellbeing. Access to land, support during droughts, attention to the quality of food that is grown are all factors that require attention. Equally important is national and regional infrastructure to ensure distribution of food from the field to markets.
The Africa Human Development Report says that getting food from field to table in sub-Saharan Africa is "fraught with risk". It recommends that countries should take measures to lower the vulnerability of individuals and communities to natural disasters and civil conflict, seasonal or volatile changes in food prices, and climate change.
In looking for solutions to reduce the rate of malnutrition in children, the report says that more important than household income is the level of education achieved by mothers.
In Senegal, coordinated and targeted actions across several ministries, supported by an increased national nutrition budget, helped to lower incidences of malnutrition in children from 34 to 20 percent between 1990 and 2005. In Tanzania, through similar efforts, children whose mothers received food supplements in the first three months of their pregnancies completed longer schooling periods.
Access to land - and security of tenure - are crucial factors for those who would farm land in Africa, particularly women. According to the report, achieving food security will remain out of reach so long as those who play a major role in food production - the rural poor and women, in particular - do not have more control over their own lives.
The report cites evidence that when women get access to the same inputs as men, yields can rise by more than 20 percent.
Concluding his preface to the report, Gettu writes that "history is not destiny" and "Africans are not fated to starve". Instead, he argues that countries in Africa have "the knowledge, the technology, and the means to end hunger and food insecurity" but a vital ingredient that is often missing is the political will and dedication to do so.
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THOSE ARE VERY PATRONIZING WORDS AND A RUDE AWAKEENING FOR AFRICAN LEADERS. THERE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE NO RULERS IN AFRICA AND THERE IS NO SUB SAHARAN AFRICA. THOSE ARE ANCIENT PREJUDDICIAL BIAS COLONIAL EUPHEMISMS HAT DENOTED THE INEFRIOR BLACK AFRICANS ,WORDS THAT SUPPORTS DIVISIONS WITHIN AFRICA. AFRICA HAS ALREADY BEEN LOST TO HISTORY RENAMING PARTS OF AFRICA SUCH AS THE MID EAST IMPLYING THAT THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE ISRAEL ARE THE PEOPLE FROM THE BIBLE FAR FROM THE TRUTH. AFRICA MUST FIRST TRECOGNISE AND IDENTIFY ITSELF NOT WITH WORDS TRHAT ARE ILLSUIVEW WITH A STORY THAT IS BASED ON LIES AND PREJUDICIAL RACIST ENSALVERS WHO STOLE KIDNAPPED RAPED THEIR WAY THRU HISTORY. THE TRUTH BROTHERS THE TRUTH WHERS IS IT???? THIS ARTICLE ARE THE WORDS OF A TEACHER OR PARENT SCOLDING A CHILD. WHAT SHE MUST FIRST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IS THE CORRUPTING INFLUINCE OF MULTIUNATIONALS AND THE WAR MACHINES THAT BACK THEM. SHE CAN SPEAK OF HUNGER JUST AS CONGO WAS ABOUT TO SETTLE EVEN THOUGH THE PEOPLE REALISED THERE WAS FRAUD AT THE ELECTIONS, THE WEST WAS NOT READY FORT ANY PEACE IN CENTRAL AFRICA SO THEY MADE SURE TO USE THE ICC AS THEIR AGGITATOR FOR WAR. NOW WE HAVE CONFLICT AND MORE CONFLICT., WE HAVE A CLEVER PENTAGON THAT IS FOCUSING ON THE FRANCOFONE AFRICANM STATES TO ALLOW THEM TO INFILTRATE AND BRING TROOPS INTO AFRICA . LET US MAKE SURE THAT THE 100 TROOPS THAT ARE CR4EATING HAVOC IN AFRICA WITH THEIR MISCHIEF IN SUDAN .CENTRAL NORTH AND EAST AFRICA RIGHT NOW WHAT WE HAVE IN THE SAHEL REGION IS COMPLIMENST TO UK US AND FRANCE. THEIR RELUCTANCE TO OBEY INTERNATIONAL LAWS THAT THEY SOUGHT IGNORING ALL RESOLUTIONS DEFYING WORLD ORDER BY DROPPING TONS OF HEAVY WEAPONRY TO FEED THE REVOLUTION AND ALL ELSE TO CRAETE MISCJHIEF IN AFRICA. THEY ARE SO HYUPOCRITICAL THAT THEY ARE NOW CLAIMING THEY DO NOT KNO WHAT THE ALQAUEDA MILTANTS GET UP TO. THEY DONT THINK THEY ARE DOING ANYTHING IN SYRIA AND THEY NOW THEY FORGOT THEY ARMED THEM IN LIBYA. WHEN WE HEAR THE WORDS THAT ARE BEING SPOKEN BYU THIS WOMAN ITS A SHAME THAT WORLD POLITICS ELLUDES HER. OUR LEADERS MUST BECOME MORE COGNIZANCE OF THEIR PERPETRATING ABUSING USER FREIND THE WEST. THERE IS NO HONOUR IN THEIR GAME THEY DO NOT RESPECT LAWS. THEY ABUSE BOTH THE LAWS OF MAN AND THE "ALL MIGHTY GOD". THEY REWRITE THE TRUTH AND WITH THEIR UNCLEAN HEART THEY PUBLISH EVERYTHING DIABOL;ICAL FIENDISH DISTASTEFUL DESTRUCTFUL IDEOLOGICALY UNCLEAN FILTHY DISEASED RIDDEN POLITRIKS" AFRICA MUST ATTEND TO WHAT THEY KNOW TO BE THE TRUTH. THERE IS NO NEED FR FOREIGNERS WHO DID NOT HAVE THE PLEAUSRE TO REALISE THE GREAT GARDEN OF EDEN. WITH THE MISLEADING ANTICS OF A UNRELIABLE THIEF AFRICANS HAVE LOST THE TRUTH IN EVEN THEIR DIETNEEDS. WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS THE HARD EARTH FOODS LIKE YAMS POTATOES CASAVASTRUNIPS PUMPKINS ALL THE GREENS THE HEALTHY CALLALOO TCABBAGE CARROTS GREEN BANNANAS ALOT OF FISH THAT IS NOT SMOKED. WE NFED ROADS THAT CAN BRING FRESH FOODS TO MARKET EVEN FRESH FISH THAT CAN COOK SAME DAY. THESE THINSG SHOULD BE DONE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF EACH MEMBER STATE CAN HELP THE OTHER. WHEN WE LOOK AT MALI THEY HAVE GOLD THEY HAVE FAMISE SAME AS NIGER THESE COUNTRIES CAN OUT SOURCE THEIR FOODS STUUFS BY CONTRACTING MALAWI WHO NEEDS CAPITAL TO GROW FOODS. THIER LANDSA RAE RAW WITH GOOD FERTILE SOIL. THEWY WOULD BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS WHERE THEY CAN HAVE WORK FOR MANY WHILE MAKING THEIR ECONOMICAL GAINS. THIS THE THING OF" EACH ONE TEACH ONE". HERE WE WOULD SAY "ONE HAND WASH THE OTHER WHILE TWO HANDS WASH THE FACE". THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS IN AFRICA WITH ALL THE WEALTH THAT COULD BE SUPPLIED AROUND THE CONTINENT ENHANCING EACH OTHERS PURSES. COME ON MY PEOPLE THIS WOULD TAKE A UNIFIED EFFORT THAT WONT FAIL AND CANT FAIL. THERE IS EVERYTHING YOU NEED ONT EH CONTINENT WHAT EVEDR YOU HAVE SOME ONE ELSE WANST THE IDEA IS TO BARTER WITH EACH OTHERS RAW MATERIALS INCLUIDNG THE EARTH HWERE NOTHING WOULD BE WASTED AND EVERYTHING ELASE WOULD BE PROFITS. THIS IS WHY I SAY THAT WE ARE WASTING TIME WITH ROBBING ORUSLVES BY COURRUPTION AND WE ARE SLAO NOT BEING IWZE BY INVOLVING OURSELVES WITH CONFLICT. WE ARE ALSO SHOPWING ORU YOUNGER IMPRESIONABLE YOUTHS THAT AFRICANS HAVE NO POWERE TO FEED THEMSELVES NOT JUDGE THEMSELVES IN A COURT OF LAW. CAN YOU IMAGINE CHILDREN WATCHING TELEVISION IN SOME SMALL COMMUNITY WHAT THEY SEE IS SOME EUROPEANS SENDING AFRICANS TO JAIL WHILE HERE IN AFRICA THEY HAVE NO POWER. WHAT I WILL ALSO SAY ,IF AFRICA ALLOW THE WEST TO BAMBOOZLE THEM INTO THIS KANGAROO COURT WHICH IS THE ICC THEN THEY ARE FOOLS. MY REASONING FOR THIS ARGUMENT IS THAT CONFLICT IS PREVENTING AFRICA FROM GROWING WHILE THERE ARE BOMBS AND BULLETS FLYING THERE WILL BE NO FOOD. THE WEST IS MASTER AT THIS. THEY ARE VERY GOOD AT ESPIONAGE AND SEETHING DIVISIONS SO BEWARE TO ALL AFRICANS. AFRICA NEEDS TO BIND THE BONDS THAT HAVE MADE THIS CONTINENT GREAT WQE MUST NOT ALLOW THEM TO UNDERMINE OUR UNITY. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE LEADERS SEEK TO MAKE EVERYONE IN THEIR DOMAIN FEEL AS IF THEY ARE PART OF A WHOLE. FOD SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN ALL AFRICA EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ABUNDACE OF FOOD. THIS THE LAND OF PLENY WHY ARE WE ALLOWING THE WEST TO BE THE GOVERNORS OF EVEN HOW WE MEET OUR FOOD REQUIREMENTS. THIS WHY THEY USE THE WORD SUB SHARA THEY THINK THEY OWN AFRICA AND THAT AFRICANS ARE THEIR SLAVES. WE NEED TO PUT THIS RIGHT IN THIS CENTURYT NOT TOMMORROW BUT TODAY. LEADERS FORM AFRICA MUST MEET AND STARTN TO DEREGULATE TARRIFS FOR FOOD AND SEEING THAT THERE IS FREE MOVEMENT IN AFRICA WE MUST START TO R4ECOGNISE THAT AFRICA WIHT EUROPEAN BORDERS HAVE BEENA CONTINUAL FAILURE. WHY WE HAVE SO MANY CONFLICTS IS THAT BORDERS TORE NATIONS AND PEOPLE APART WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO AFRICA IS VERY WICKED INDEED AND THEY WILL PAY THE PIRCE BUT WE NEED TO STAND FIRM RICH AND POPR STRONG AND WEAK AND ALLOW FOR THE MOTS BRILLAINT EM[POWERMENT OF PEOPLE THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN. THE PEOPLE WANT TO ENRICH THE CONTINENT WITH THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. WE MUST NOT5 BECOEM SECOND CLASS RULERS TRYTING TO EMULATE THE WHITE ,MMAN THAT IS DISATEROUS. AS WE CAN SEE THEIR ROMAN EMPIRE IS AGAIN COMMING TO AN ABRUPT END. THEY HAVE NO WAY OUT. SHOULD YPU NE DUMB ENOUGH TO GARNER YOUR FORCES BEHIND THEM LOKING FOR THEM TO RULE YOU WITH THE STICH AGAIN THEY CERTAINLY WILL. SHOULD YOU HAVE FAITH IN "THE ALL MIGHTY GOD2 HE WILL BIND THE ROPES THAT WILL BRING YOU HOPE AND ALLAY YOURT FEARS THAT THER WILL BE NOTHING SUN SHINE AND "HIS GLORY" "STAND UNITED HAVE FATIH TRUST "GOD" AND ALWAYS NO THAT THERE WILL BE NO FAILURE FOR AFRICA ONLY IF YOU ALLOW IT TO FAIL. THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF WEALTH AND RESOURCES FOR ALL THE PPEOPLE THERE IS NO NEED TO BE GREEDY OR COVET ONE THE OTHER" "UNITY IS THE FOUNDATION FOR EVER STRONG AFRICA"