Famine prevention in Africa : the long view

Inherent in this view are two interrelated problems, which the paper analyzes in turn: conflicts between food production and population growth in Africa as a whole and between hunger and population growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. The best way of approaching these two problems is by focusing on technology generation and by developing human capital and managerial skills, rural capital and institutions, and an improved economic policy environment. Case studies from Senegal and Zimbabwe are used to highlight another layer of difficulty in the famine/food policy reform issue: policies which favor consumption often hinder production and the long-term growth needed to reach a level of food security. A summary section reiterates the need to change the framework for development in order to encourage agriculture-led growth.