Africa goes bananas

As I was looking through BBC News, I found this interesting, but sad article about a banana disease that is happening in Angola through to Uganda. Including those two, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and parts of Tanzania are also being affected by this crucial disease. Unlike it here in the United States, bananas are considered a "staple food" for the Africans. That means that it is a type of food that they eat everyday and almost in all 3 of their meals. In addition, the disease that is making these bananas completely unedible is called bunchy top and bacterial wit. Bunchy top and bacterial wit are both spread by insects. They bite into the bananas and then the bunchy top kicks in. It stunts the growth of the plant and the bacterial wit kills the plant and makes it unedible. Due to these major diseases within their "staple crop", there is going to be huge problems arising in the middle and western Africa.

I believe these diseases are going to turn into bigger catastrophes. Africa is having a lot of problems lately due to their low health aid. I've heard over 5 countries now that are being affected with epidemics. As I read an article about Kenya over the summer, it talked about how AIDS is affecting even more now. There is no reason why we can't help Africa. I feel as if we aren't taking the time to look outside our own country and help the needed. They are in serious help right now and wealthy countries like the United States and China have got to step in and help them. This disease may even come worldwide and then it would be affecting each and every one of us.