Includes bibliographical references (pages 310-313) and index.

pt. 1. Introduction and background ; The black man's burden -- pt. 2, Coping with escalating food insecurity: The threat of climatic changes ; Can Africa feed its people? ; Is Africa doomed to permanent food crises? -- pt. 3, Africa's poverty traps and obstacles to growth: The geographical map and man-made obstacles ; The deomgraphic and social changes and the urbanization of poverty -- pt. 4, Civil conflicts, wars and democracy : will democracy inflame or help to settle civil conflicts?: The roots and long-term effects of Africa's wars and civil conflicts ; The impact of wars and civil conflicts on Africa's growth and poverty ; Will democracy settle or intensify civil conflicts? -- pt. 5, The fourth wave of democratization : will democracy cement the African multiethnic nation state?: The transition of the African countries to democracy ; Can democracy help the African states to cement their multiethnic societies?

"The book evaluates alternative policy options for the African countries to overcome the food crisis and the changing structure of world trade to sustain their impressive growth of the early 2000s. These policies must go beyond economic reforms and seek a solution to the entrenched political problems that divided the continent"--Provided by publisher.