Why Is Food Production Declining in Africa?

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November 27th, 2012 African Geography Why Is Food Production Declining in Africa? Food production in Africa is declining due to the insistence upon free trade and privatized government functions. This has caused increased poverty and a hunger crisis for millions of people in many African nations. Farmers have lost their jobs due to the good intentions of market reform, citizens of Africa are turning against the government and causing riots, and privatized government functions are aiding the poor rather than assisting the farmers, which in retrospect will feed the poor and stimulate economic growth (Red Orbit). Organizations came to help Africa and set up market reforms to aid in economic growth for Africa, but instead it backfired. The reforms were designed to make these African countries more efficient in hope of creating a solution to help out with some of the establishments such as schools and hospitals. In some cases this eliminated vital support systems for poor farmers. These farmers were forced to quit farming and abandon their way of life due to the fact that they had to compete with more efficient agricultural systems that were provided by the market reforms. Also, because tariffs were removed due to the new reform, less expensive food flooded into Africa. People who were solely dependent on farming lost their jobs and couldn’t keep up with the new and cheaper food coming in to the country and were forced to abandon their farms. This is crippling Africa because when workers can’t make money and invest into the economy, there is nothing stimulating the economy. Thus, everything is more expensive and money isn’t being made by businesses (Red Orbit). The other problem in African nations is the citizens don’t trust the government. The citizens of Africa see the government as “looters” and not protectors. This has caused many riots in
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