Hunger Cannot Be Isolated (From Mr NANA, Provincial High School of Kaya)

The problem of hunger has to be faced both as a part of domestic economic development and in its links with the international economy. Agriculture cannot be treated separately from the essential complementary role of growth in the industrial and Service sectors. First the increased effective demand for food, necessary to continued production incentives in agriculture, must in substantial part form growth in employment in the non-agriculture …though not necessarily urban ---- sectors. The rural landless and even those with small landholdings cannot fully employed in basic food production and hence cannot drive adequate income and effective demand for food form agriculture alone.
Second inputs for agricultures growth such as fertilizers or farm equipment ---- which have to be at appropriate prices --- must either come from domestic production or from imports; in the latter case they have to be paid for largely by more exports, including manufactured exports. Third, the price farmers receive is not the only incentive they need for growing more crops; there must be attractive consumers goods from other sectors of the economy which they will want to buy. Fourth, investments in the infrastructure for agriculture are so expensive that part of the Costs must in many cases be carried by other productive activities. Finally, manufacturing and Service Sectors have potential growth rates of 10 to 15 per cent compared to about 4 per cent in agriculture. Thus giving due emphasis to agriculture is not a substitute for industrial development; it is a question both of the balance between industry and agriculture and of effective encouragement of the components of industrial growth which can assist agricultural development.
So, the problem of hunger connects clearly with the rest.
The expansion of trade and finance, including cooperation among developing countries, which can permit incomes to rise, is an important as producing more food or distributing incomes. The low-income countries need assistance both for rural development and for raising the entire productive capacity of their economies which alone can create adequate incomes and jobs. There are no shortcuts to eliminating hunger.

VOCABULARY:

incentive : motivation

A) Guided Commentary (14 pts)

1) Why can’t the problem of hunger be treated in isolation, according to the text? (2pts)
2) In your own words, in what ways does agriculture depend on other sectors? (3pts)
3) For a developing country, what should be given priority: agriculture or industry? Justify your answer. (4pts)
4) In your opinion, how can international cooperation help solve the food problem? (5pts)

B) Vocabulary building (3pts)

Find synonyms to the following words :
a) hunger ;
b) cure ;
c) disease ;
d) hideous ;
e) weighty ;
f) low income countries.

C) Grammar (3 pts)

Report the letter in front of the correct answer (like this : 4 – a )

1) He works very ----------------------
a) Fastly;
b) Hard;
c) Hardly;
d) Few;

2) I have not seen ----------------------yet.
a) somebody;
b) anybody;
c) nobody;
d) no one.

3) He has been working in this hospital------------------ three months.
a) since;
b) ago;
c) for;
d) there is.