Why is drought a problem in Africa?

Answer 1

Drought is a problem in Africa because poverty and environmental degradation are strongly interrelated being at the same time the cause and the effect of each other. Poverty is worse in drier zones than it is in wetter zones of Africa. Drought induced poverty leads to gross abuse of environmental resources, thereby generating land degradation that leads to desertification, which in turn accentuates poverty.However, The population in the drought-prone areas in Africa is generally characterized by lower per capita income than the national average while low agricultural productivity resulting in increased food insecurity.

Heavy dependence of the poor on the Natural Resources for livelihood that puts a disproportionate pressure on the land, thereby accelerating environmental degradation is also a problem of drought recurrent. The inability of the poor to afford alternative domestic energy source to fuel wood accelerate desertification especially during drought period and declining socioeconomic and ecological resistance of the poor to the impact of environmental degradation. in summary, African countries have less capacity to adapt with impact of drought, evident are the great drought of the early 1970s (Source: Nasiru Medugu 2007; Masters Thesis, UTM Malaysia).

Answer 2

Drought in Africa is a problem due to its impact on agricultural productivity, food security, and water availability. It can lead to crop failures, livestock deaths, and water shortages, exacerbating poverty and malnutrition in the region. Climate change is also increasing the frequency and severity of droughts in Africa.