Population Growth and Economic Development in Africa -Global Region
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Population Growth and Economic Development in Africa
Africa is one of the global regions with a higher rate of fertility and spurring economic growth that put pressure on the economy of the respective nations. As a third world continent, it is strenuous for the continent with which its states are less developed to support the pressure mounted by the increasing population. The general growth of the global population is expected to increase over the years, and this is likely to put pressure on the resources that are scarce making the population uncontainable. In places of residence, it is observable that some aspects of nature are strained, or the natural resources are not sufficient to support the needs of the people.
Even as some sectors within the continent show a positive image, they do not meet the expectations and demands of their populations. The population has grown over time depicting highest population across the globe yet there are no major adjustments in place to help sustain the bulging economy. The continent is hard hit by demands building from the population yet the rate of economic growth sometimes is negative in some of the states. The political turmoil that has ever been present in the region with ousting of governments and instabilities caused by political differences harm the economy of the area and so the population.
People require services, and the only way to do that is by the systems in place and economy supporting service delivery. If the economic growth rate is inversely proportional to the rising rate of population growth as it is observable in some of the countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa, then the population is strained the same way the economy is pressured. Population growth in Africa overstretches the services available, and there is need to create more opportunities for growth of service delivery points and the economy to spur through improved activities. It is realizable that most of the facilities within the continent have remained the same over the period even as the population grows (Del Casino, Knox, Liverman, Marston, & Robbins, 2013).
The fact that the governments have limited resources and funds to improve their infrastructure affects the populations (Del Casino, et al., 2013). With the services available getting minimal improvements and facelifts, it is still not possible for government to support the growing needs of the people and rising populations. Even as the government experiences instability and destabilization due to resistance and political differences, it is worth noting that, it only has an effect on the economic growth and not growth on the population (UNPF, 2015). With the improved human right watch over the region and sanity, there is minimal harm in the event of any political turmoil on the population of the area.
Through the millennium development goals, countries are expected to connect development with their rising populations to ensure that there is capacity to support the people and their needs. Africa still lags behind in achieving the MDGs with education having slight improvement, food security remaining low even as the mortality rates remain high (UNPF, 2015). It is worth noting that technology, research and development find homage in Africa, and it is the first asset of the millennium goals that the continent is first achieving being home to several innovations. In as much as the continent is putting effort to adjust to the needs of its populations, their economies are already strained. Therefore, it will require extra efforts to see that the resources match the needs.
Economies that support their populations experience faster growth rates because the sectors within the economies are not strained to lag growth. However, with a bigger population, scarce resources, political instabilities and lower technological advancement it is hard to balance the economy with the population (Del Casino, et al., 2013). The issues of African continent can be solved by controlling the populations and having sane governments focusing on the people and development agenda (UNPF, 2015).