Africa’s grain production
Date:11-14-2013 Number of visits:4116 Font size:T|T
Africa’s grain production over the recent years has the following
features: a. the rate of self sufficiency is degrading gradually and
grain scarcity is becoming more intense. Although many countries have
made great efforts in grain production development since independence,
generally speaking, grain increment hasn’t been able to keep up the
increase of demand. Self sufficiency rate of grain has dropped from 97%
of early 1960s to 70% of middle 1980s. Grain import has increased by six
times. b. Grain production takes a prominent position in agriculture
and planting industry. Mostly, for the countries with a lower economic
level, its grain production takes a more prominent position. c. Low and
unstable production level. Most part of grain production is done by
small farmers and their technology is backward. d. The crops have a
large variety and coarse food grain takes a large proportion (about 70%
or above of total grain throughput). Wheat and paddy take a smaller
proportion. Teff, yam, taro, cattail millet, ragi millet, edible banana
are all grown in Africa; farmers use corn and cassava as staple food.
Corn has a long plantation history and a large plantation area. It is
mostly concentrated in southern Africa. South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi
are main producing countries. High lands in east Africa, Egypt and
Morocco in north Africa and Ghana, Guinea, Benin in west Africa also
have a large plantation area. Sorghum and millets are traditional food
crops. The middle streams of Niger River and the Nile are two major
sorghum producing areas. Millets are widely spread. Nigeria, Chad, Niger
River are major producing countries. Wheat and barley are mainly spread
in coastal countries of Mediterranean and south Africa. Paddy is
concentrated in few countries like Egypt and Madagascar. In recent
years, the coast of Guinea Gulf, the middle stream of Niger River,
eastern area of Congo Basin have seen plenty plantation of paddy.
Cassava is one of the traditional food crops; it is the staple food of
tropical African villagers; it is almost spread across the whole
continent, especially between N16° and S16° tropical area.
(Editor: HBA)