But as the population rises, with more siblings competing for their share of the family farm, the slices are getting thinner. Scientists say large stretches of Africa are drying up, and they predict more desertification, more drought and more hunger. In a bad year, maybe one country in Africa will be hit by famine. “There are going to be some serious food-security issues,” said Zachary Donnenfeld, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies in South Africa. Many foreign companies and local businesspeople have speculated that despite soil degradation, African farmland is destined to become more valuable.

Source: New York Times July 29, 2017 09:00 UTC