@article{Shapouri:197333,
      recid = {197333},
      author = {Shapouri, Shahla and Dommen, Arthur J. and Rosen, Stacey},
      title = {Constraints Facing African Countries to Provide Needed  Food},
      address = {1987},
      number = {992-2016-77603},
      pages = {4},
      year = {1987},
      abstract = {An analysis of the staple grain economies of ten African  countries shows that declining per capita
food production  has not been offset by mcreased imports. The impact  ofweathervanation, pa1ticularly drought,
has been severe,  reducing annual product10n by as much as 50 percent at  times. Pohcies affectmg food availabihty
have undergone  changes as governments seek to stimulate production.  Increased producer pnces, urged by donor
countnes, have  ehcited a positive response. The magmtude of pnce response  vanes among countnes but 1n general
provides support for  those who argue that raising prices ts an incentive to  producers. Lagging domestic production
has increased food  import dependency. At the same time, deterioration of the  domestic economies, combined with
global factors, has led  to financial crises. As food production has fallen, a part  of the dwmdhng supply of hard
currency has been spent on  the purchase of food. Governments increased imports m  response to production
shortfalls. Increased foreign  exchange earnings also led to greater imports. Food aid did  not s1gmf1cantly reduce
commercial imports. Adjustment by  means of food imports will be slow m countries with  historically low volume of
imports. Price pohcy reforms and  mcreased export earnings will lead to greater improvements  m food consumption
m those countries with better production  performance.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/197333},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.197333},
}