Also, little of the yield increase has come from expansion. Eighty percent of the recent increases in food production in developing countries came from increased yields on nearly the same amount of land. He feels that better rural infrastructure, such as in the investment in rural communities, will aid in rural development and assist economic development. The problem is that agricultural growth is impossible without yield-enhancing technology. Natural resource management is needed to stop damage created by clearing lands and by livestock overgrazing.
Government policy associated with poor money management is another reason for lack of growth.
Food production and consumption will be driven by population growth, income, and food price. Africa will need to import 30 million tons of food by 2000 to feed its people. Unless something can be done to reverse the population trend, the prospects of feeding all of Africa's people is very unrealistic. Andersen concludes that although food production is increasing, many people will suffer unless the current population trends are changed. By 2050, estimates are that there will be a population of 10 billion people.