Assesses the impact of drought as a major factor in the agrarian crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. `This book is an extraordinary odyssey through the travails of Africa's crisis ... While rooted in climatology, its grasp of political, economic, social and environmental issues is rigorous and wide-ranging.' New Scientist.
Preface; Foreword Bradford Morse; Part I. Physical and Social Setting: 1. Global climate change and variability: effects on drought and desertification in Africa Eugene M. Rasmusson; 2. some aspects of meteorological drought in Ethiopia Workineh Degefu; 3. Drought and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa Michael H. Glantz; 4. African pastoralism and poverty: some implications for drought and famine Michael M. Horowitz and Peter D. Little; 5. Part II. Internal-External Perspectives: 5. The decline of African agriculture: an internalist perspective Michael F. Lofchie; 6. Internal factors that generate famine Robert J. Cummings; 7. Towards a political economy of the African crisis: diplomacy, debates and dialectics Timothy M. Shaw; 8. Linking and sinking: economic externalities and the persistence of destitution and famine in Africa Randall Baker; Part III. Case Studies: 9. Drought, environment and food security: some reflections on peasants, pastoralists and commoditization in dryland West Africa Michael Watts; 10. Drought, food and the social organization of small farmers in Zimbabwe Michael Bratton; 11. The social impact of drought in Ethiopia: oxen, households, and some implications for rehabilitation James McCann; 12. role of government in combatting food shortages: lessons from Kenya 1984-85 John M. Cohen and David B. Lewis; 13. The social impacts of planned settlement in Burkina Faso Della E. McMillan; 14. Evolution of food rationing systems with reference to African group farms in the context of drought William I. Torry; 15. The role of non-government organizations in famine prevention Michael F. Scott; Part IV. Lessons for the Future: 16. food self-sufficiency in Malawi: are successes transferable? J. Gus Liebenow; 17. Famine relief policy in India: six lessons for Africa Michelle B. McAlpin; 18. Famine and famine relief: viewing Africa in the 1980s from China in the 1920s Lillian M. Li; 19. Denying famine a future: concluding remarks Rhys Payne, Lynette Rummel and Michael J. Glantz; Index.