The Importance Of Famine In Sub-Saharan Africa

In most of the civilized world, we have become accustomed to the assumed right that we all possess; to have as many children as we please. But the effect of this happening generation after generation has put the world in a crisis. The question at hand is, how many people can the earth support? Some things to consider when looking at this question are quality of life of the people, economic conditions, and the effect of the earth as a whole. This paper will demonstrate the need for a complete paradigm shift in the way we as a species think about reproduction or we will continue to face issues such as environmental destruction, unsustainable economies, and conflicts over limited resources.
The first reason to consider that humanity needs to rethink the right to have children freely is the destruction of our environment. This destruction is directly related to overpopulation and is only exacerbated as the population increases. One of the …show more content…
This can be seen in many parts of Africa today. While many are considering different causes of famine in Africa, Irogbe and Kema suggest that: “The first and most commonly advanced explanation of famine in sub-Saharan Africa is the neo-Malthusian overpopulation theory, or the increase of a population at a pace that exceeds any increase in the food supply”(Irogbe and Kema). What this basically means is that the population of many parts of Africa continues to grow but new developments in agriculture are not doing the same. With more and more people, it is becoming increasingly difficult to support and feed the people with the current technologies available. If one area is not able to feed its people consistently, it is likely that conflict will ensue with areas that have a more dependable supply of food. Again the simple solution of slowing population growth is the most logical way to prevent this problem from getting any worse than it already