Africans are dying of thirst and hunger. They are skin and bones! When
did suffering start in Africa and why?

Perhaps the following links will be helpful to you.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/2449527.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/86443.stm

http://edition.cnn.com/2000/fyi/news/04/10/famine/

http://www.fhi.net/fhius/ethiopiafamine/history.html

http://www.foodfirst.org/pubs/backgrdrs/2002/f02v8n4.html

I believe that the last link TLSpiegel provides is the most useful one
for understanding the problem.  My interpretation:  Increased
involvement in international trade and finance after independence
upset their national economies.  IMHO, the access to dollar loans from
1st World sources turned the eyes of some leaders  - or led to their
removal -  and the top people lost interest in furthering the
countries' development.  Look at Zambia and Zimbabwe:  countries that
once could very well feed themselves, others too, no doubt.

Blame it on the people who became leaders, blame it on well-meant but
misguided and poorly controlled lending policies.  Blame it on the
colonial powers that did nothing to educate the nationals and involve
them in the management of the countries, thus leaving them unprepared
for self-rule and economic management.

myoarin-ga, retype the last paragraph as the answer and I will accept it!