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The objectives of this paper are: First, to discuss critically, the theoritical dimension of food security and social stress in the African arid and semi-arid environments. Because of the low level of food production and its fluctuation with severe climatic conditions, agricultural and pastoralist economic sectors are at a risk. Second, the displacement of small-scale or peasant farmers and pastoralist by public agricultural and nonagricultural schemes in regard to social stress and food production is outlined. This examination moved away from the point of view that holds the peasant farmers and pastoralist responsible for famine and consequently food insecurity. The impact of the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) on food production and security and social constraints is elucidated. The paper generally recommends that only a benign and effective political context is capable of pre-emptying the emergence of social stress and hence may prevent it from drastically damaging food security. Such a context should not only be struggled for by the peasant farmers and pastoralists, but also by all those individuals and institutions interested to contributing to food self-sufficiency and security in the arid and semi-arid environments of African. |
