Plant Science, Agriculture, and Forestry in Africa South of the Sahara: With a Special Guide for Liberia and West Africa

By Cyril E. Broderick Sr. Ph.D.

Deficits in food production across Africa have resulted in starvation and famine for babies, children and families throughout Africa, and without serious transformation in the production of food and agricultural commodities, mal-nutrition, starvation, famine, and poverty will perpetuate across this region. The provision of critical knowledge and understanding of agricultural principles as they relate to traditional and modern practices is the essence of this text. Plants are presented first in this treatise, and then the place of animals in agricultural production is introduced. Finally, the roles of the environment, labor-saving devices, fertilization, and other intrinsic factors are discussed. This treatise is indispensable among farmers, students, and professionals in agriculture in the scientific decision-making process for agricultural sustainability. Dr. Broderick draws on dozens of years of academic life and practical professional experiences to present this essential text.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Aug 15, 2019
• ISBN: 9781462898428

Cyril E. Broderick Sr. Ph.D.

Born in Liberia on the West Coast of Africa, Dr. Broderick has lived through and seen many critical circumstances during periods of underproduction in countries around Africa. The need to address the low productivity in agriculture became his focus during his studies at the University of Liberia, Iowa State University, and the University of New Hampshire. His formal education was followed with teaching and research at the University of Liberia in Liberia and at Delaware State University in the United States. His investigation of avenues to improve productivity in Liberia and other African countries led him to study systems in many countries, including Kenya, Israel, and the United States. It is clear that agriculture presents magnificent choices for improved human nutrition, health, welfare and development. This conviction continues to drive Dr. Broderick to teach, conduct research in agriculture, and write to do everything he can in harnessing knowledge and resources that enable the people to ensure productive, sustainable and profitable agriculture.

Book preview

Chapter I

Introduction

The title of this book, Plant Science, Agriculture and Forestry in Sub-Saharan Africa, emphasizes a focus on very critical tenets to life in tropical Africa. These tenets firstly relate to survival, and it is imperative that scientists address the most intrinsic facets that are components of the economic life and welfare of the people of Africa South of the Sahara. Food shortage with nutrient deficiency among the population has caused widespread nutritional problems among the people of Africa. Food scarcity continues to be the cause of famines in many African countries. Drought and crop failure have forced a lot of food deficiency and caused a scourge of malnutrition and illnesses, with death to large populations in many countries in Africa. Diao et al. (2007) explained how Sub-Saharan agriculture has fared badly although agriculture is widely recognized as the key to growth and the reduction of poverty in the region.

My choice to write this book is recognition of an immense need to address and reverse the low level of production in agriculture, forestry, and the complementary production professions that sustain Africa and the world. The prospect for a great future for West Africa is dependent upon the recognition of contributions that individual citizens have to make to improve the production of essential commodities for the people of Africa. Farming is the first tier of productive investment, but only with good success would people be released from the farm to pursue other avenues for social and economic development. There are too many reports of famine in Africa, and the incessant need for food aid from developed nations to these countries make continuing reports of under-productivity and conditions of famine quite superfluous to the casual listener. The perpetual dependence on others in foreign lands for basic food supplies for sustenance is the first prescription for economic disaster. That dependence reveals a complacency that must not persist.

The neglect is now widely recognized, as reported by the Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN) in an electronic report that referenced a paper by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a US-based think-tank, saying, African countries are not spending enough on agriculture and the overall productivity of the continent has dropped since the mid-1980s. It further states, Since the 1960s, Africa has lost ground in the global marketplace. Its share of total world agricultural exports fell from 6 percent in the 1970s to 2 percent in 2007. The report referred to a paper entitled, Public Spending for Agriculture in Africa: Trends and Composition.

The reports are awakening, and Africa needs to do a lot better. With reference to West African countries, there is a note here that there are many resources that can provide for Africa and enrich its citizens. A notable statement in the IFPRI conclusion is: Spending money on food production is critical in Africa, where 70 percent of people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for food and income. The thrust is that African countries, especially their governments and institutions must invest in agriculture. In contrast, it is obvious that developed nations do. Most developed nations, in contrast, are impressive by their commitment and the orchestration of family and corporation farms in the production of the required food commodities and other products that are requisite to sustaining their economies. The production and processing of many these commodities result in the products that secure additional income for farmers and investors in these countries who utilize their surpluses to secure economic and political advantages.

Surpluses from developed countries form major economic and political assets in their dealings with other nations and their people. The prospect for a great future for West African agriculture is dependent upon recognition of the contributions that individual citizens, partnerships, and corporations can make in improving the production of essential commodities for the people of Africa. That recognition makes for deliberate, organized and systemized commitment to the production and processing different kinds of foods. Farming is the first tier of such productive investment, but only with good success, can people be released from the farm to engage in food conservation, food processing and the pursuit of other avenues for development. The perpetual dependence on others for basic food and agricultural supplies is the first prescription for economic disaster. Africa needs no such prescription.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is a primary staple of many tropical countries around the world. Rice is the primary staple in many West African countries, and the need to increase rice production cannot be questioned, because the demand for rice among Liberian consumers is very high. Moreover, rice is a world crop, and, West Africans, other Africans, and people from most nations of the world, including China and the United States, consume rice. This makes the crop highly demanded, marketable, and very attractive as a commodity for that secures a lot of international attention.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a second important crop, and it is emerging to fill a larger role in countries of West Africa and elsewhere. It is second in demand to rice, and it is a crop that local populations rely upon in times of food scarcity. An additional positive factor about cassava is the number of different food types that can be made from this root crop. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable, and the root may be boiled to form the ‘cooked cassava’ meal. Cassava may also be processed into fufu, dumboi, cassava fries, and farina, a product that stores very well.

Other root crops such as yams (Dioscorea alata) and sweet potatoes (Iopomea batatas) are also important. Their popularity is much less than that for rice and cassava, but they hold their place as important food crops in West Africa. Other crops exist as staples in some other West African countries: Corn (Zea mays) is a staple in Ghana, and yams (Dioscorea alata) are a staple in parts of Nigeria, Ghana, and a few other countries. Eddoes (Xanthosoma malfalfa) are widely consumed Liberia and some other African countries, including Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Ghana, but it preparation is more popular as a breakfast food.

Crops grown to secure money for the purchase of other needs are referred to as ‘cash crops.’ They include sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), peanuts (Arachis hypogea) and even oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) all of which are important to the local money-making and exchange process.

Animal production is complementary to plant production, and cattle (Bos taurus), swine (Sus scrofa), goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries) are also very important. These animals are supplied regularly in local diets, from the local market, and the place of these animals, as well as the place of poultry, especially chickens (Galus galus) cannot be