Feeding africa and saving african kids.

'Would african slum kids ever escape malnutrition?' this is a question
that rings in my head each time I think of the millions of kids who
live a painful life due to the challenge of non availability of
adequate food. Though it is no news that famine is ravaging parts of
africa at the moment, what should be news is that the governments of
these african countries are not doing enough to curb these ugly trend.
In a situation where emphasis are placed on urban
beautification,sophiscation of government procedures, inter-tribal
wars,struggle for power and overdependence on non-agricultural sectors
of the economy, at the detriment of intensive agriculture, its not
surprising that millions of kids still go hungry.
Now, if we add the alarming rate of desertification and adverse
climatic conditions to the mix, it shows how imperative it is for
african leaders as a matter of moral obligation to do more than they
are doing now in order to ensure that quality food is made available
to the african people.
Through efficient planning and correct placement of priority, I
believe africa can attain self-sufficiency in food production within
the next decade. African leaders ought to invest adequately in modern
farming techniques, encourage local farmers with farming inputs and
friendly policies. Also, farming should be made attractive to the
african urban youth inorder to have as many hands tilling the ground.
It does no side good ( the government and the masses) when the whole
'army' of african job seekers are gunning after white collar jobs or
office appointments when they could do well as farmers earning a
decent income while contributing their quota to eradicating the evil
called malnutrition in africa.
Efficient storage and processing facilities should also be built in
order to ensure that only minimal produce are lost to spoilage.
African governments should at this point begin to 'think' agriculture
because no matter how technologically advanced africa become, if the
children continue to remain malnourished in their formative years, the
future still remains bleak.
The african union, ecowas and every regional body on the continent
should harp it upon each country to begin an intensive campaign into
boosting the food production on the continent in order to save these
kids who are going through hell for no fault of theirs.