This book is primarily based on a 1985 forum in Africa, organized by the US National Science Foundation of the National Centre for Atmospheric Research. The book deals with four main topics: the physical and social setting of drought in Africa, the relative importance of internal and external economic and socio-political factors and processes in understanding the drought and famine problem; specific case studies on how the drought and famine problem have been perceived and tackled in different countries, and a discussion of possible options for combating the problem thereby denying famine a future in Africa.