Farming in Africa: Cold Comfort Farms
Potentially Africa could be far more successful in agriculture. It would have the best-fed people and would never know what the hunger is. It still has the largest uncultivated arable land and could produce more. There are some problems with the quality of soil but it can be fixed using fertilizers. Nevertheless, situation is opposite.
Shipping costs are extremely high. Corruption gives farmers no chance to survive by limiting their access to the markets. Infrastructure does not allow any further development. In some cases country can be divided into the part that lacks food and another part where there is plenty of it. Transportation is a real problem. Moreover, the policies on agriculture are implemented in almost every African country. However, smallholders still feel discouraged to produce in surplus.
Replies
The issue of women rights in a cornerstone in Africa. The societies are mostly patriarchal, thus men are responsible for decision making. However, women represent the majority of people employed in agriculture, which fuels slow African economic growth. This means that women literally drive African progress. That is why I believe that the problem of suppression of the females should receive much attention from the world community.
African economy slowly improves and its per capita income is on par with some other countries that are considered as more developed. However, the continent still suffers from the climate change that badly affects its agricultural opportunities. Some organizations work on this problem trying to find sponsors and donate money. They are aimed at poverty elimination in the name of sustainable development in the whole world. This is why I think it is noble to make African people involved in the global processes.
Works Cited
Nesburg, Johan. “Farming in Africa: Cold Comfort Farms.” The Economist, Sep. 2013. http://www.economist.com/blogs/baobab/2013/09/farming-africa
