Cloudless skies over Africa threaten the cotton cultivators of the country leaving 30 million people facinghunger. Cotton is a rain fed crop, and hence it is highly dependent on seasonalrainfall. Due to catastrophic drought and famine, cotton production hasdeclined considerably. Cotton belt lies mainly in the Central and western Africa. Famine persists mainly in South Africa and in many countries in the Central and West Africa. Cotton is the main cash crop in these regions. Majority rural areas in the Sahel region entirely depend on cotton cultivation because the climate and environment isnot suitable for any other crop.
Furthermore, drought has createda moisture problem that has affected the cotton plants from ripening properly,and the farmers had to lose a large portion of their crops. This is havingsevere repercussions on the people who depend on cotton cultivation for theirliving. Hot and dry weather has wilted the cultivated cotton plants. Poor rainresults in drought, and is predicted to continue for the next year as well.South African drought of this magnitude occurred previously during 1992.
Dryregions which include major cotton zones in Central and Western Africa
The impact of the drought onvegetation has left the producers badly shaken. The moneythey invested in cotton plants from banks, and co-operative societies were lostin the drought. Farmers harvested 1,000 metric tones of cotton this year whichis very lower than the expected 5,500 metric tones.
Economic Impact of the Famine:
1 to 2 million household in Africa produce cotton and 16 million people are involved in cotton production. West and Central Africa together are considered as the worlds 2nd largest exporter ofcotton next to US. Majority of the cotton cultivated in Western Africa is donein small family farms as an exclusive cash crop to meet the household expenses.Drought has caused direct and indirect economic, environmental, and socialproblems in the country. Africas economic evolution has been overshadowed bythe grip of rainless skies and a resulting drought and famine. The countrys cottonindustry has met with several market swings consequently ending up in asluggish economy.
A survey report states that Africa needs to have a growth of 7 percent on a regular basis to decrease its poverty to 50percent by 2015. Unfortunately, it has a long way to go as decline in cottonproduction is underpinning the overall economy of the country.
Genetically modified cottonseeds:
Geneticallymodified cotton crops are a good solution to the poverty and hunger strikingthe African farmers. Scientists from the University of California at Berkeley have observed that genetically modified cotton might provide a yield; upto 80 per cent higher than traditional ones. But cultivation of these crops hasbeen stopped in Africa since the past decade, for the fear that they mightbring forth environmental hazards. But as a need of the hour, geneticallymodified cotton offers the most immediate benefits for African farmers who facedrought. These seeds contain an insecticide and reduce the farmers need tospray pesticides. During the famine in 2002, the African government declinedthe food aid offered from U.S. because it was genetically modified, but thesecrops now, would help to suppress the hunger and famine in Africa.
The unprecedented crisis ofdrought and famine stalking the continent, stresses the need for researchinstitutes to develop drought resistant cotton seeds. Payments made to the WestAfrican farmers by the cotton companies have fallen by 15 percent since 2004which might also cause a decline in the cotton production. If adequatecompensation is not given to the affected farmers, it will only have an adverseeffect on cotton cultivation for the next year. The tarnishing of the cottonindustries may lead to mass migration, or the cotton farmers might shift tosome other product.
References:
To read more articles on
To promote your company, product and services via promotional article, followthis link:
Comments