Africa is facing serious food security threats with thousands of children in many countries on the continent facing famine and/or suffering from the results of malnutrition.
Children bear the brunt of food poverty, which refers to the types of food they eat. Millions of children, especially the youngest, poorest and most marginalised, do not have access to the minimum nutritious food they need.
These eight food groups include breastmilk, dairy, starches including grains, tubers and roots, meat and fish, eggs, legumes, fruit and vegetables rich in Vitamin A (leafy greens, yellow vegetables and some fruits), and other fruits. At least five of these must be consumed to provide sufficient nutrition for growth and development of body and brain.
Many smallholder farmers lack the skills and resources they need to take part in commercialised agriculture, and more than 80% still produce at subsistence level. (Source: Pixabay)
According to recent reports, the situation in many African countries is dire. According to UNICEF, the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon, are worsening the humanitarian crisis. El Niño caused some of the hottest days in decades in parts of southern and eastern Africa, as well as some of the worst flooding in memory that destroyed many smallholder farms.
In Nigeria about 11 million (out of 31 million) children under the age of five, are consuming only two out of eight food groups. This usually includes breastmilk and some form of starch.
A lack of nutritious food leads to stunted growth of bodies and minds, which can impact them for the rest of their lives. (Source: Pixabay)
In Zimbabwe, 580 000 children are presently at risk of malnutrition. More than 60% of Zimbabwe’s population of about 15 million live in rural areas where agriculture is the major source of food and income. These conditions put the education of about 2 million children at risk, because they either drop out of school temporarily or for good because they do not have food, school fees or uniforms to remain in school.
According to a report released by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee, a government-led multi- agency body, up to 4,2 million people are expected to experience high levels of acute food insecurity later this year, as the drought led to a much lower grain yield. The World Bank estimates that about 72% of Malawians will face poverty following the weather shocks.
School feeding systems in Malawi and Zambia in many instances provide the only cooked meal for thousands of students. “The assurance of at leastone decent hot meal per day has been a strong incentive for families to prioritise sending their children to school,” said Yves Willemot, UNICEF spokesperson.
Smallholder farmers produce low-yielding staple food crops on a small scale on small pieces of land with no agricultural inputs like fertiliser or equipment. (Source: Pixabay)
Role of smallholder farmers in food security in Africa
Africa has more than 65% of the world’s arable land. Family farms that entirely rely on the labour supply of local families, provide food and employment for two-thirds of the African population. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), family farms, managed and operated by smallholder farmers, work 62% of the farmland on the continent.
About 60% of these farms are smaller than one hectare, which account for 20% of the farmland in Sub-SaharanAfrica (SSA). Some 95% of family farms in the Sub-Saharan region are smaller than 5 hectares.
Smallholder farmers, who produce food, cash crops and rear livestock, are the primary food producers for subsistence and local markets in many African countries.
They mostly rely on traditional farming methods to grow food with no or limited irrigation, chemical fertilisers, or a choice of seed varieties.
Despite being a major economic group that contributes substantially to rural food security, their productivity is very low, which results in poverty. They cannot support the increasing food requirements of the fast-growing population and protect against the threat of the food crisis.
Smallholder farmers, who produce food and cash crops and rear livestock, are the primary food producers for subsistence and local markets in many African countries. (Source: Pixabay)
Who are smallholder farmers?
There is no formal definition of smallholder farmers, but in summary, they share these common characteristics:
- Most farmers in Africa cultivate less than two hectares of land where they grow limited crops on poor, eroded soils with erratic rainfall to provide food for their families.
- They produce low-yielding staple food crops on a small scale on small pieces of land with no agricultural inputs like fertiliser or equipment.
- They do not have money to spend on seeds, agriculture or extra labour and they have little or no hope of producing food that they can sell, even if a formal market existed.
- They farm on soils that have been depleted because of unsuitable farming methods that led to soil erosion, and many are dependent on rainwater.
- Climate change with high temperatures, droughts and floods is makes it even more difficult to eke out a living.
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Some families send their children to school only so that they can get at least one decent hot meal per day. (Source: Pixabay)
What is hampering production?
Limitations to increased productivity of smallholder farmers in Africa include:
- unreliable and/or poorly distributed rainfall;
- low and unattractive prices;
- lack of small-scale irrigation facilities;
- insufficient selection of suitable crop varieties, especially for the marginal areas;
- pest and disease problems;
- large post-harvest losses;
- poor research-extension linkages;
- poor supply of inputs, especially seed and fertilisers;
- infertile soils;
- failure of the smallholder farmer to adapt to changing environments; and
- inability adopt new technologies.
Smallholder farmers mostly rely on traditional farming methods to grow food with no or limited irrigation, chemical fertilisers, or a choice of seed varieties. (Source: Pixabay)
Low input, low output
Smallholder farmers in most parts of Africa still produce in agricultural systems with low input and low outputs. Low yield is the most critical factor affecting their ability to provide sufficient nutrient-rich food.
In SAA, smallholder farmers’ use of agrochemicals (fertiliser, pesticides and herbicides) is the lowest in the world – elsewhere nearly 15 times more per hectare is used.
This results in lower yields in cereals and tuber crops in comparison to the rest of the world. The average maize yield in this region is only half of that in developing countries, and only 20% of the average yields in developed countries.
Smallholder farmers farm on soils have been depleted because of unsuitable farming methods that led to soil erosion, and many are dependent on rainwater. (Source: Pixabay)
Profitability and competitiveness
Many smallholder farmers lack the skills and resources they need to take part in commercialised agriculture and more than 80% still produce at subsistence level. Their low productivity leads to persistent poverty.
Because their food production, supply and consumption systems are not functioning optimally, they are reliant on imported food staples valued at about US$25 billion a year.
There is little or no value addition or processing of crops and post-harvest losses averages 30% of total production, which means that the region loses more than US$4 billion a year.
These factors explain the fate of billions of children who are facing hunger, malnutrition and stunted physical and mental growth, as well as impact their education and ability to one day get out of the vicious cycle of poverty.
Source references
Akombni-Inyang, B. (2024) 11 million Nigerian children are going hungry: how this hurts their health and what needs to be done. The Conversation
Blessing Akombi-Inyang
https://theconversation.com/11-million-nigerian-children-are-going-hungry-how-this-hurts-their-health-and-what-needs-to-be-done-234001?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20July%2023%202024%20-%203042531006&utm_content=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation%20for%20July%2023%202024%20-%203042531006+CID_47e60f462eefe41a5180339ece3a5575&utm_source=campaign_monitor_africa&utm_term=11%20million%20Nigerian%20children%20are%20going%20hungry%20how%20this%20hurts%20their%20health%20and%20what%20needs%20to%20be%20done
Child Food Poverty: A Nutrition Crisis in Early Childhood (2024) UNICEF
https://data.unicef.org/resources/child-food-poverty/
Mutsaka, F. (2024) Drought threatens millions of children in southern Africa.
Associated Press
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/drought-threatens-millions-children-school-dropouts-rise-hunger-112093115
Rédaction Africanews (2024) Drought threatens millions of children as school dropouts rise along with hunger in southern Africa. AP
https://www.africanews.com/2024/07/19/drought-threatens-millions-of-children-as-school-dropouts-rise-along-with-hunger-in-southe/
Report shows 4,2 million Malawians face hunger. (2024) CGTN Climate
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-07-06/Report-shows-4-2-million-Malawians-face-hunger-1v18MXmkmpW/p.html
Smallholder Farmers: The Catalysts for Sustainable Food Production in Africa (2022) Agribusiness Education and Research International
UN calls for global support as nearly half of Namibians face hunger crisis. (2024). CGTN Climate
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