Food insecurity in Africa is one of the biggest obstacles to global development and poverty reduction. Countries that are food insecure are vulnerable to famine and malnutrition, which can then lead many other problems, including diseases, less economic growth, and displacement. These problems explain why USAID spends $1.06 billion a year to combat chronic food insecurity.

Lack of food security is linked to violent conflict. Though food insecurity is rarely the only cause of a violent conflict, it can create a setting where conflict is much more prone to break out. The World Food Programme’s “Occasional Paper 24 – Food Insecurity and Violent Conflict: Causes, Consequences, and Addressing the Challenges” states that, “Food insecurity, especially when caused by higher food prices, heightens the risk of democratic breakdown, civil conflict, protest, rioting, and communal conflict.”

Lack of food security can occur in countries regardless of climate and landscape. Food insecurity is a major issue in Liberia, for example, a country with vast natural resources and a lush landscape that favors agriculture. Global climate change contributes to food insecurity. The warming climate has increased aridity in many African nations and contributed to recent droughts which have halted food production and made many countries food insecure.

Infectious diseases are a significant contributor to food insecurity in Africa. HIV/AIDS in particular limits the workforce that can be put towards agricultural production. Additionally, diseases put further financial burdens on households, limiting their ability to buy agricultural products.

Production of commercial agricultural products can make countries less food secure. Many African countries devote large parts of their agricultural sector to the production of cash crops like tobacco or coffee. This practice makes these countries more food insecure as they do not produce enough food within the country to feed the population and must rely on importing food to meet needs.

The resources exist in the developed world to end world hunger. By U.N. estimates, the cost to end world hunger would be $30 billion dollars annually. The world’s poor are the largest untapped market on earth, and lifting them out of poverty will only contribute to global economic prosperity. To see a bigger effort to combat food insecurity and thereby stimulate the global economy, it is as simple as contacting legislators and explaining to them the importance of food security and poverty focused aid.

– Martin Drake

Source: Harvest Help, World Food Programme, Real Clear World, Food Security Portal
Photo: UNDP