what was the main cause of inadequate food supplies in africa during european colonization?

Question

wich is the best answer? and why.

A.most of the farm land was used for mining.

B.native farmers were drafted into the colonial armies.

C.europeans used too much of the farmland as building sites.

D.europeans insisted on the growth of cash crops, such as cotton.

Answer 1

In reality, none of the above.

The "political correct" answer is D- cash crops (cotton, cocoa, coffee)

The real answer would need a long lecture on the farming practices of Africa- among others:
the lack of fertiliser use (no animal feces are composted),
no domesticated animals (cows are used for milk/ meat only by herders and are never used as "traction" for plowing fields. Farmers do not keep cows but goats only)
A really big factor was the "sleeping sickness" epidemic- but that was spread by muslim slave trader empires (Tippo Tib) in Central/East Africa - and therefore it is not "politically correct" to mention it. Every evil is solely the fault of the evil europeans, after all... yeah, right.

The lack of land was never an issue- Africa is BIG. And the "colonial armies" never really existed- the biggest army was the German Ascari corps (WW1) numbering some 20 thousand (out of 20 milion people in Tanganika)