Breaking the vicious cycle of poverty and environmental degradation in Africa





Poverty and Environment in Africa: An Overview

  1. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) recognises both the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation in underdeveloped countries, as well as the problem of unsustainable production and consumption patterns in developed countries. The protection of the environment and of natural resources is an essential part of development: without adequate environmental capital, development is undermined and this in turn may reduce the resources available for investing in combating environmental damage, and hence poverty alleviation is not only a moral imperative but also a prerequisite for environmental sustainability and sustainable development (World Bank );
  2. Africa faces many challenges relating to sustainable development. Over the past 30 years, the environment in Africa has continued to deteriorate. Thousands of people in Africa have already died from starvation brought about by environmental degradation. Millions more people are faced with imminent disaster because their water sources have run dry, their land has become so denuded they cannot rear livestock, and the soil so poor they cannot cultivate it. According to the FAO "poverty alleviation and environmental protection will remain the most important priorities over the next two decades". In this respect, empowering key stakeholders through policy and institutional changes and creating conditions to support sustainable resource management would be the main thrust of strategies in most countries;
  3. The region's severe environmental problems like soil erosion and declining soil fertility, deforestation, pollution of water supplies, and biodiversity loss are everyday, real and critical concerns to the African people. The unsustainable management and utilization of natural resources has been exacerbated by poverty and population pressures. With the world's fastest growing population, averaging about 3% a year, the region will be home to more than a billion people by the year 2025. The continent's population growth rate ranks highest in the world and therefore places additional strains on all systems. Poverty is endemic and has perpetuated under-development and mismanagement of resources (UNEP);
  4. Persistent poverty has contributed to accelerated degradation of natural resources. The majority of poor people live in rural areas and depend directly or indirectly on terrestrial and marine natural systems for income generation. It is estimated that two-thirds of the region's people live in rural areas and depend primarily on agriculture and other natural resources for income. In Africa, the poor depend on natural ecosystems for their livelihoods and live in the most fragile and degraded rural and urban areas. Though offering an enormous potential in natural and human resources, Africa is plagued by a rampant poverty affecting both rural and urban populations along with tremendous impacts on the environment. Alongside this situation, the standard of living has drastically deteriorated due to the lack of an efficient system of domestic and/or industrial waste management.
  5. The region is losing its natural resources at relatively rapid rates in comparison with other regions of the world. Africa is losing millions of hectares of forest every year. Its wildlife population of rich and unique species of animals and plants is under increasing pressure. Africa's biological resources are declining rapidly as a result of climate variability, habitat loss, over harvesting of selected resources, and illegal activities. Yet biodiversity contributes to poverty reduction in at least five key areas (food security; health improvement; income generation, reduced vulnerability, ecosystem services);
  6. Environmental degradation contributes markedly to many health threats, including polluted air, dirty water, poor sanitation, and insect-transmitted diseases such as malaria. Lack of availability and low quality of freshwater are the two most limiting factors for development in Africa, constraining food production and industrial activities, and contributing significantly to the burden of disease. Land degradation and water shortages in many parts of Africa are a major threat to the ability of the poor farmers to earn a living from the land. Land quality and productivity are declining in cultivated areas, rangelands and forests which results are reduced agricultural yields, affecting economies and food security; desertification of arid areas, raising competition for remaining resources; and increased potential for conflict. Land degradation impacts are felt most keenly by the poor because they are forced to cultivate on river shores and marginal lands such as desert margins which get degraded more rapidly. The poor also often live in degraded urban environments, including sites close to waste disposal areas or vulnerable to flooding;
  7. Real, lasting poverty reduction is only possible if the environment is able to provide the services people depend on, and if natural resources are used in a manner that does not undermine long-term development. African countries' ever increase population demands creative efforts to find new ways of producing more food from the country's finite resources. African governments should link biodiversity conservation with policies on overcoming poverty, especially in local communities that live around protected areas and in zones richly endowed with biodiversity, through the sustainable use of the resources.

Other main areas of action include:

  • Promotion of environmental information, education and public awareness;
  • Promotion of sustainable agricultural practices through Research and Development ( R&D);
  • Valorisation of local knowledge and practices in terms of environmental management and poverty reduction;
  • Facilitating exchange of experience and know-how as well as best practices among countries through effective functioning of networks;
  • Assessment and monitoring of the status of natural resources and promotion of community based natural resource management;
  • Enhancing the capacity of communities to actively manage and benefit from their natural resources;
  • Promotion of local knowledge and practice oriented at poverty reduction in natural resource management;
  • Promotion of soil and water conservation practices and security of land tenure as a vital tool for environmental protection.

» Read more about the State of African environment

A Word on Africa

With over 75 percent of its area within the tropics, Africa has a wide range of environmental settings that differ strikingly from the environments that predominate in Europe and North America. In addition, a large proportion of the lands beyond the tropics are extremely dry. Because of the different environmental conditions, Africa is often misunderstood. The varied and complex tenure systems of Africa are functions of the great cultural, ecological and economic diversity of the vast continent.

With a growing population, lack of an adequate technological base, inadequate financial resources and a low level of awareness, Africa is a continent that deserves considerable attention. Endowed with a rich natural and human resource base, Africa is a continent where new paths to socio-economic and sustainable development can be found. African countries too have their own different characteristics. Some are endowed with abundant natural resources, while others are not. For this reason, among others, it is absolutely necessary for effective African development initiatives to be sensitive and amenable to different geographical localities.

There are numerous broad generalisations, yet few are valid when examined within the diverse realities of the continent. This situation often arises because a single specific case has been extrapolated to represent the whole continent.

Critical development and environmental issues for Africa include: food production, energy, environment and natural resource degradation, water and development, health improvement, the resource base maintenance and population growth. The people of Africa have an intimate relationship with their physical environment. More than anywhere else on the planet, in Africa most people still rely directly on renewable natural resources for their livelihoods.

The African economy has continued to fall behind those of other developing regions. In Africa, the proportion of the population living in poverty has increased at an even faster rate, both in the rural areas, where the economy has continued to decline, and in the cities, where there has been lack of dynamism in fostering growth and job creation in the industrial and service sectors. Africa's share of the aggregate world output has continued to shrink while, at the same time, its population growth rate stands at roughly twice that of the world. Economic regression has lasted for far too long in the African region without real recovery or accelerated upturn.

Now Africa is only explained in terms of political instability, ethnic conflicts, unfavourable international economic environment or fluctuations in weather-constrained agricultural output.

Although some countries are making rapid strides, Africa is still widely regarded as a region developing more slowly than the rest of the world. Many African nations suffer from the legacy of colonialism, military dictatorships and corruption, civil unrest and war, debt and low investment, weak infrastructure and poor social services, famine, natural disasters and harsh environments.