current average annuaf rate of population groweh of 3.2 per cent is the highest in the $,orld. Africa is also ttre only continent reporting a rising average rale of population growth. At Ehe present rate, ghe population of Africa. nhich s'tood at about 440 miflion in 1980, will reacb nearly 840 nillion by the turn of the century. 327. In 1984 lhe United Nations identified nore than half of the African countries as facing exc€ptional food problens. FAO has found thae per capita qrain production in those countries has declined by about 2 per cent per year ever since 1970 and dipped below the 140 kilograns per capita considered a ninimun for a healthy diet in 1975, ahd it has continued to fall since then. In f984. grain producCion in Africa fell below 100 kilograms per capita for the first tine, FAO bas estinated. that in 1985 the countries rnost affected by crilica.l food shortages would require food aid of 5.2 rnillion tons, as compared to donor pledges of 3.7 rnillion tons. 3/ Abou! one in five people in Africa are currently fed by food inports. Without greater self-sufficiency in food, the generation by those countries of a sufficiently large export surplus on goods and services, in general' or to ateract enougb foreign investments to cover the food deficit by comrnercial food imports nill be increasingly impossible in lhe long tern.A/40/519 Engli sh Page I71 Table 59. crowth of total and per capita food production, 197I_1983 (Average annual percentage cha nge ) Grovrth of total food production subreglon l97l-r980 1980-19S1 1981-1982 198 2_1983 1980-1983 t'brth-eastern !{orth{restern western Central Eastern Southern TotaI*1.4 2.L 1t -0.5 1.86.5 -13.1 3.0 2.0 4.3 L2.3 r.0-5.2 13.0 3.4 1.35.2 -4.5 1.0 0.5 0.60,r 2.r 2.t crot th of per capita food production Subregion I971-I980 I98o-1981- r981_198 21982-1983 1980-1983 l,brth-eastern ldorth-western Western central Ea stern Southern Total r-l.s -0.9
**Analysis**
The text discusses the rapid population growth in Africa, which is expected to lead to food shortages and aid requirements. It also mentions the decline in per capita grain production and the reliance on food imports. This suggests that the text is primarily focused on the issues of food security and sustainability in Africa.

**Category**
Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Humanitarian aid and relief