Scrapping the Common Agricultural Policy would be a great start. Deposing some of the corrupt inhumane regimes in the world would also be useful step rather than simply imposing sanctions that only affect the civilian populations. Targetting the causes of poverty would be a far more useful strategy than treating the symtpoms of poverty.

The problem with poverty in Africa is that the aid agencies are trying to solve the whole problem all at once. This just cannot work. Africa is far too big a continent for us to just lay down one big blanket solution all at once. What would be more effective would be to use a domino effect of democracy and aid starting at one end of the continent and sweeping across allowing concentration of effort rather than several half-baked attempts. If the western world focussed on modernising one or two nations at a time, then it would take little time at all with our modern technology and vast resources to create a lasting and powerful legacy in these areas. Using this tidal wave of humanitarian effort, the problems of Africa could be swept away. Establishing a democratic regime in an area surrounded by militaristic autocracies is not effective, as Iraq is in the process of proving and will continue to do so. Giving humanitarian aid in countries that are ruled by inhumane governments does not help the people either, it only strengthens the militaries that bring the poverty and famines.

The problem with this solution is that it won't happen, because the bleeding-heart media and politicians won't provide any solution to a problem that doesn't provide some benefit to everyone at once. While this solution would eradicate poverty in Africa far faster than a tid-bit approach for the whole continent, it would take maybe one or two decades to reach some areas at all.