A look at food security issues relevant to Africa: Part I

This form of ‘shamba’ farming is unique because, contrary to modern farming, many crops are planted concurrently to take advantages of rains, staggered crop times with provision for feeds for domestic animals that contribute to the enhanced fertility of the soil. It is therefore common to find corn, peas, beans, potatoes, cassava, sweet potato and sorghum growing in a ‘shamba’. A long-standing practice of a banana plantation with coffee, yams, pumpkins, leafy green vegetables, and fruit plants like oranges, mangoes lemons, guava or pineapples, can be observed in many African areas. This form of ‘shamba’ farming has a low crop yield and is considered to be of low efficiency. This ‘shamba’ system however, has hidden unique benefits.

There is a beneficial stepwise sequential food supply and is sustainable. The stepwise sequential food supply is achieved because the various crops mature at different times.

There is a constant supply of organic matter that enriches the soil. Organic matter increases the ability of the soil to retain rainwater. These conditions can be achieved through management of organic matter, which can increase soil water storage by 180,000-litres/hector/30cm depths. (16,000 gallons per acre foot) for each 1% organic matter. (3)

There is added shading as a result of many plants growing closely together that reduces evaporation, soil erosion, with enhanced soil enrichment.

An objective study to improve the ‘shamba’ system of farming is one of the ways that food security can be improved.

Exploiting some natural phenomenon:

There is an observed fact that some plants are drought resistant. Research is on going to discover the genealogical factors that enable some plants to survive in conditions of minute amounts of water for long durations and the phenomenon of plant dormancy. Some drought resistant millets cassava, sorghum, sweet potatoes and some maize varieties, provide a vital food source for people in arid regions of Africa. Crops like cassava are used for food during the dry seasons when other products cannot survive. Applying science can help to understand how to improve the efficiency and adoptability of the drought resistant crops. The development of drought resistant soils (3) is another way of enhancing food production in arid conditions. These methods are affordable, sustainable and are currently in practice. Success is achieved by adopting processes that are in practice in the communities.

Harvesting of rain-water:

This is the collection of rainwater practiced in many areas with low erratic rainfall patterns and in areas where water distribution system

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