Africa continues to face food shortages and despite good arable land and conducive climate.
It is in public knowledge that Africa has the youngest population worldwide- ages between 15-35 years
So what are the problem and what are possible solutions.
The problems are many and some complex, however I can point to the following as key ones
1. Continous reliance on rain fed agricultural farming- climate changes and unreliable rains .
2. Reducing yields per unit/Hectare in the last 20 years or so and growing costs increasing at the same time making farming a loss making venture.
3. Inadequate Government policies to address challenges in Agriculture.
4. Rapidly increasing population- leading to more food consumption.
5. Post-harvest losses in some cases up to 40% of the harvested produce.
6.Inability to practice good agricultural practices eg adding manure or compost to farms, crop rotation
7. Poor linkages between Agricultural research a organizations and their findings with the people involved in agricultural activities.
8. Subdivision of arable land as part of cultural practice of land inheritance and property development in arable areas....
Solutions to these challenges in the course of the week.
Sr. Maina Karuiru