Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the social and economic factors that led to the recent surge in food prices in Sub-Saharan Africa. The analysis suggests that the surge in food prices results from an increasing demand for food such as dairy products in developing regions. Another contributing factor is the demand for fuel-crops, such as wheat, maize, sugarcane and oilseeds for the production of bio-fuels, bio-electricity, and bio-heat. The analysis finds that these factors have contributed to the global food security with major social and economic implications for Sub-Saharan Africa where poor households survive on less than a dollar a day. In sum, the study contends that social and economic safety nets should be provided to poor households to combat the adverse effects of high food prices, and suggests that sustainable traditional approaches to agricultural development must be adopted in order to better address food security in Sub-Saharan Africa.