It is normal for one to state that Sub-Saharan countries experience food shortage and famine which is caused by El Nino, however this challenge of food shortage and famine can be traced back to natural triggers (drought) and political crises (civil war). Nevertheless one may argue that a catastrophic food shortage is due to lack of or difficulties in food distribution, affecting large numbers of people due to climate hazard, environmental, socio-economic reasons or extreme political condition such as tyrannical government or warfare, however famine may be define as a discrete event that is triggered by food shortage and results in mass death by starvation and diseases such as malnutrition. This essay will critically analyze and assess how and
…show more content…
However, food shortage is most easily conceptualized as a production problem in this case not enough food is grown to meet regional needs but constraints on importation as well as storage can also cause or contribute to food shortage. Therefore, even when production shortfall is the primary cause of insufficient supply, the ecological and political reasons for food production problems vary widely although they range from natural disasters such as drought, flood, and political disasters such as civil conflict to misguided economic policies such as price controls all of which discourage production of essential foods. Nevertheless, food shortage has illustrated that its causes are complex under these circumstances some hunger indicators, such as production shortfalls, and highlight problems may lead to food shortage. However, these food-shortage indicators report outcomes of physical and biological factors, sociocultural influences, political-economic forces, and interactions among these elements (Glantz, …show more content…
However, production potential varies across countries, dependent on natural factors including (climate, soils, water, food species, and pests) and cultural factors including (technology and investment strategies) (Glantz, 1988).
Sociocultural influences one can claim that the causes of food shortage are in no way limited to physical and biological factors affecting production. However, sociocultural factors include the organization of land and labor use as well as dietary preferences. Political-economic factors involve world markets and government policies to modernize agriculture and increase foreign exchange, which at the local level are translated into incentive structures, especially "getting the prices right." Armed conflict, a major contributor to food shortage, is treated more comprehensively (Glantz,
However, food shortage is most easily conceptualized as a production problem in this case not enough food is grown to meet regional needs but constraints on importation as well as storage can also cause or contribute to food shortage. Therefore, even when production shortfall is the primary cause of insufficient supply, the ecological and political reasons for food production problems vary widely although they range from natural disasters such as drought, flood, and political disasters such as civil conflict to misguided economic policies such as price controls all of which discourage production of essential foods. Nevertheless, food shortage has illustrated that its causes are complex under these circumstances some hunger indicators, such as production shortfalls, and highlight problems may lead to food shortage. However, these food-shortage indicators report outcomes of physical and biological factors, sociocultural influences, political-economic forces, and interactions among these elements (Glantz, …show more content…
However, production potential varies across countries, dependent on natural factors including (climate, soils, water, food species, and pests) and cultural factors including (technology and investment strategies) (Glantz, 1988).
Sociocultural influences one can claim that the causes of food shortage are in no way limited to physical and biological factors affecting production. However, sociocultural factors include the organization of land and labor use as well as dietary preferences. Political-economic factors involve world markets and government policies to modernize agriculture and increase foreign exchange, which at the local level are translated into incentive structures, especially "getting the prices right." Armed conflict, a major contributor to food shortage, is treated more comprehensively (Glantz,