[Nutrition in Africa]

A certain number of countries in Africa south of the Sahara are suffering from severe food shortages and famine which have called the attention of the international public opinion. A review of the situation clearly shows that, not only the availability of food depends upon agricultural production and its various conditioning factors (soil, climate, fertility, agricultural technology, storage facilities, etc.), but that such socio-economic factors as population, migration, supplies to urban centres, transport, unemployment, inflation and debt also have a strong influence. With some variations in intensity, these factors and conditions are the same everywhere. It may therefore be said at the present time that political disorders and a poor understanding of nutritional problems are more often than not responsible for tragic situations.