{3' At the end of 1984, many countries in Africa faced exceptionar food problemstper capita grain production In these countrles has declined by about Z per cenE peryear ever since 1970 and dipped berow the 140 klrograms considered a minimum for ahealthy diet in 1975, and it has continued to fall slnce then. In 1994, grainproduction in Afrlca fell belord 100 kilograms per cadrta for the first time. Thecauses of the food crisis in Africa are tbreeford. First, Africa iE experiencing abigher rate of population grolrth than any other contlnent. Secondly, Africa may beundergoing cllmatic changes and soil erosion on a scale that is perhaps not yetfully appreciated. Third, African Governments have given lnadeguate andmisdirected attention to agriculcure since independence. These three facEors arenow converging and reinforclng each other in a devastating fashion. 44. scarcity of investment resources and of lhe foreign exchange required toimport needed raw materials, internediate products and capltar goods severeryIimited the rate of socio-economic developr0ent in Africa. whlle these constraintsare present in arl deveroping countries, they are particularr.y serlous in a regronas poor as Africa. The share of consunptlon In cDp rras over 94 per cent for thelow-income African countries, as compared Hith 7? per cent for the row-income Aslancountrles and 76 per cent for all developing countries as a group. 45' with their export earnings growing sror{ry - as compared wittr historrcar ratesand the groeth of export earnings of other ileveloping countries and with the needfor imports even greaEer than in the latter - Afrlcan countries had to timitseverely the amount of goods imported. This, in turn, severely constrained thei.rrate of development, particularly during the past decade. Thus, while the foreigndebt of che rntin American countries is much larger in absolute terms, Africancountries aLso face an unmanageable foreign debt burden.ffilfl' Page 23 46. Accordling to the long-terR projectlons to the year 2000, the rate of lncrease ln rea:. sggregate cDP in Afrlca is projected ro be 2.7 Per cent per year bet$een 1986 and 1990 anit 2.8 per cent betrreen 1990 and the end of the century' The scenario i6 one of declining real Per caPita GDP in Africa, though the tlecline is
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic and environmental issues affecting Africa, particularly in the context of food production and availability. It highlights the decline in grain production, population growth, climate change, and soil erosion, which are all interconnected and have a significant impact on the continent's economic development. The text also touches on the issue of foreign debt and the constraints it imposes on African countries' development.

**Category**
Economic development, Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Natural resources and environment