Science Journal of Agricultural Research and Management ISSN: 2276-8572 http://www.sjpub.org/sjar.html © Author(s) 2012. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Published By Science Journal Publication International Open Access Publisher Research Article Subsistence Farming: Antidote to Famine and Food Insecurity Olawuyi Oluseye M.¹ , Olawuyi Oluwasanjo J.² ¹College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Rhema University, Aba ²Department of Computer Science, School of Science and Industrial Technology (SSIT) Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. Nigeria olawuyijo@yahoo.co.uk 0805 908 8508 & 0805 515 5511 ABSTRACT- A famine is a widespread scarcity of food that may apply to any faunal species. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Emergency measures in relieving famine primarily include providing deficient micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, through fortified sachet powders or directly through food supplements. Aid groups have begun to use a famine relief model based on giving cash or cash vouchers to the hungry to pay local farmers, rather than buying food from donor countries as the latter distorts local food markets. Long-term measures include investment in modern agriculture techniques, such as fertilizers and irrigation, which largely eradicated hunger in the developed world. Minerals (largely petroleum) accounted for an increasing proportion of exports through the 1970s, increasing from 13 percent in 1955 to 35 percent in 1965, to 93 percent in 1975, and then to the peak 96 percent in 1985. The dependence on oil and a few other export commodities made Nigeria (being a consumer nation) particularly vulnerable to world price fluctuations. God blessed Nigeria with vast arid land that can accommodate all classes of plants, crops, shrubs, and roots which should be able to feed the mass populace and should still remain in the form of exports which can generate foreign exchange earnings; hence to reverse our balance of payment deficit. Nigeria has emerging, though currently underperforming manufacturing sector is the second-largest on the continent, producing a large proportion of goods and services for the West African region. Keywords: epidemic, poverty, hunger, food availability decline (FAD), global warming Introduction Agriculture has always been the basis and take-off point for socio-economic and technological advancement. This can be traced as far back as the neolithic revolution in 8000 B.C through to the industrial revolution of the 18�� and 19�� centuries and even up to the Chinese revolution of the 20�� century. Food surpluses have been plowed into all kinds of accumulation for development in any civilization. The motive which led to the "discovery" of the Americas was mainly to achieve food security in Europe by establishing new food supply routes. Although the explorers unexpectedly found precious minerals like gold and silver which they found more important and contributed to Europe’s money supply, the new food preservation methods, spices and crops like corn, tomatoes, and beans which were taken back to Europe contributed significantly to the agriculture revolution which preceded the European industrial revolution. In any country, the long-term goal to achieve sustainable development must be tied to a strong agricultural base. The rationale for others to "feed the world" fails to recognize this historical fact, at a time when developing countries are striving to emerge from poverty and debt. Without food security there is no way they can achieve a strong technological and industrial base. Investing in food crops means satisfying the primary needs of individuals: that is, food, shelter, clothing, as well as the pre-conditions for development. It may be acceded that the right of nations with the ability to produce their own food is a fundamental human right. The rationale pursued by grain exporters to ship surplus food to other food deficit countries will not guarantee food security but rather aggravate the global socio-economic and environmental problems both in producing and recipient countries. Developing countries, which due to very unfavourable conditions cannot produce enough food, are threatened with currency devaluation, higher tariffs associated with exports to get the needed foreign exchange and higher interest rates which are all backdrops of trade rules and Bretton Wood’s agreements. They inevitably have to commit themselves to the payment of higher import bills with all or a greater percentage of the foreign exchange accrued from exports to achieve food self-sufficiency. Although trade plays an important role for such countries, the existing rules help predict that it should not be the starting point but a complementary support to the attainment of food security. Famine pandemic: causes, risks and effects A famine is a widespread scarcity of food that may apply to any faunal species. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Food shortages in a population are caused either by a lack of food or by difficulties in food distribution; it may be worsened by natural climate fluctuations and by extreme political conditions related to oppressive government or warfare. One of the proportionally largest historical famines was that of the Great Famine in Ireland. It began in 1845 because of potato disease and occurred even as food was being shipped from Ireland to England. Only the English could afford to pay higher Volume 2012, Article ID sjarm-102, 7 Pages, 2012. doi: 10.7237/sjarm/102 Accepted 05 April, 2012 How to Cite this Article: Olawuyi Oluseye M. , Olawuyi Oluwasanjo J., “Subsistence Farming: Antidote to Famine and Food Insecurity” Science Journal of Agricultural Research & Management, Volume 2012, Article ID sjarm-102, 7 Pages, 2012. doi: 10.7237/sjarm/102