Summary paper on self help housing schemes within the Ghana community development programme

Abstract

The recent World Food Conference has dramatically publicized the critical balance between food supplies and the food needs of the billions of people in the world. Indeed, recently there has rather been an imbalance which has resulted in hunger for much of the world. Nutritionists say that over 400 million people subsist on a diet which is less than the estimated minimum daily requirement for health. Most of these unfortunate people are located in developing countries which include most of the African countries where even in the best year’s food production has only kept pace with population growth. It should be borne in mind that, traditionally, food crop has not received high priority because of the emphasis on export crops which earn much needed foreign exchange. Demand continues to outstrip domestic supplies and places great pressure on the individual countries import capacity and also on world Stocks of food, which are at precarious level. This has occurred at a time when African countries have placed great emphasis on economic planning and development programs, while this action has perhaps boosted food production, preventing it from lagging further behind this rapid increase in population, the absolute effect still does not measure up to expectations. It is therefore proposed that a regional body as part of the World Food Council be established to promote concerted food action in the region aimed at the substantial increasing of food production.