Agriculture is an extensive part of the Sub-Saharan African culture, economy, and landscape. Around 65% of working people in Sub-Saharan Africa participate in food production, whether for their own subsistence or for commercial activities (Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010). Due to its major presence in people’s daily lives, agriculture in Africa has positive and negative impacts on the lives of average, African people. African agriculture has been plagued with obstacles regarding food production and the changing population. Coupled with problems regarding the use, or the under-use, of new technologies to increase crop yields, African agriculture is in need of changes that will support its growing population. There are three major problems concerning the Sub-Saharan African region: The regional limitations caused by the landscape and climate, the lack of technology and education, and the emerging problems due to a growing population and declining agricultural workforce.
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The overuse of agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa is causing the quality of soils to greatly decrease. Many farmers are pressured into using less than desirable methods of producing food. Whether they are cultivating the land too often or using methods that degrade the soils too much, farmers do not have many incentives to change their methods because of the need for food and capital. In the forest regions, slash-and-burn agriculture is a commonly used practice that clears vegetation and burns the remains, this produces ash that aids in the production of food (Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010). Other than the obvious problem of deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture also contributes to climate change due to the increased amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the air (“Ecologic Development Fund,”
The overuse of agricultural land in Sub-Saharan Africa is causing the quality of soils to greatly decrease. Many farmers are pressured into using less than desirable methods of producing food. Whether they are cultivating the land too often or using methods that degrade the soils too much, farmers do not have many incentives to change their methods because of the need for food and capital. In the forest regions, slash-and-burn agriculture is a commonly used practice that clears vegetation and burns the remains, this produces ash that aids in the production of food (Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, 2010). Other than the obvious problem of deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture also contributes to climate change due to the increased amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the air (“Ecologic Development Fund,”