Why did forced labor under French colonial rule lead to food shortages and famine?

Under French colonial rule, the implementation of forced labour directly caused food shortages and famine because it systematically stripped the local population of the ability to sustain themselves.1

The French government leased vast tracts of land to private European companies, which were granted authority to exploit the region for profit with minimal oversight. These companies imposed heavy labor demands on both men and women, forcing them to gather wild rubber, hunt for ivory, and work on plantations. Because these individuals were compelled to dedicate their time to these colonial enterprises, they were unable to cultivate their own fields to produce essential food crops.1

Furthermore, the colonial administration later conscripted Central Africans to increase the cultivation of cotton and coffee, as well as food crops intended specifically to supply French troops and labor crews, rather than the local communities. This diversion of labor, combined with the forced relocation of populations into supervised villages, devastated traditional agricultural practices and led to widespread famine.1