Question

Explain why farming in Africa has not made the gains seen elsewhere in the world.

Answer 1

Africa faces many challenges to improving agricultural production. First, producers do not have the resources or capital to modernize. Second, a lack of rain for long periods has led to widespread famine in places like Ethiopia and Sudan. Third, the lack of crop rotation has reduced soil quality and resulted in decreased yields. Finally, ongoing civil wars have destroyed farms and driven farmers away from arable land.

Answer 2

Africa has a population of roughly 1.02 billion[3] and a surface of 30,221,532 km². Industrialization started marginally in the early 20th century in the colonies of the European nations, namely Portugal, Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The continent's various wars for independence brought on the violent and disruptive division of Africa. Africa, being a major source of raw materials, saw the colonial powers vie for influence among the newly independent nations, with former colonial powers establishing special relations with their former colonies, often by offering economic aid and alliances for access to the vast resources of their former territories.

Today, the presence of diamonds, gold, silver, uranium, cobalt and large oil reserves have brought Africa to the forefront of industrial development, with many of the world's economic powers building relations with Africa's resource rich nations.

As of 2008, the entire GDP of Africa is about $1.2 trillion.[2]