Hunger in Africa

Hunger is a devastating epidemic that has affected much of Africa. It has caused thousands of people to die each year. Hunger has been one of the toughest problems to solve in Africa. People in countries much like America often take having food for granted. Hunger, a vital issue in Africa, is often forgotten. There are many causes of hunger in Africa, one being war. War has caused crops to be lost, money put towards no good, and children to lose their parents. (Aaseng, 35). It also stops transportation of goods needed for basic living. (Aaseng, 35). Natural disasters such as floods and droughts have also contributed to hunger as they destroy the crops. (Aaseng, 35). The flooding also causes the loss of nutrients in the ground. Most of the African countries are poor and the farming villages very small so they cannot afford the equipment and advanced materials used in America today. (Sanchez, 2). They don’t have fertilizer to restore the soil. Once the nutrients are gone it becomes very difficult to grow anything. (Sanchez, 2). Dave Penny says it is because of the “unskilled farmers” that the soil has gotten to be so bad. Along with these causes are overpopulation and over consumption. (Aaseng, 37-38). It’s bad enough not having enough food in the first place but when there are too many people matters become even worse. There are so many people in Africa that there is not enough food to go round. The people, when they get food, eat too much and crave more. It is difficult when everybody wants and needs food when there is not any. Injustice also plays a role in hunger. (Aaseng, 45). It keeps the rich full and fed while the poor are empty and hungry. (Aaseng, 45). Most times the effects of hunger are devastating. It causes malnutrition which affects people of all ages, (Sanchez, 1) especially the children. Children are still developing and growing and without the correct nutrition it could damage their bodies in many ways. It also lowers the