tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21205162091562706192024-03-05T06:41:58.609+02:00Sustainable Development PerspectivesBy Harrison ManyumwaHarrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-39045399169480349282015-09-22T13:18:00.004+02:002015-09-22T23:15:43.280+02:00The Africa I dream of everyday<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SvHQP_tYuKXEUtbJl6_KlU-9ka2eFC0g_zTqKc2iXCBH25vXr0UOnudnG-QjjiuTEkaGaFSUFxEBfizas2Os4V-F5P8rgnk_UDEPSDdJ3Uk8Rx_mjUnugGJXRaR7gDWZbokG10wVNfc/s1600/farm+boy+with+shovel_ILRI_Steven+Mann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SvHQP_tYuKXEUtbJl6_KlU-9ka2eFC0g_zTqKc2iXCBH25vXr0UOnudnG-QjjiuTEkaGaFSUFxEBfizas2Os4V-F5P8rgnk_UDEPSDdJ3Uk8Rx_mjUnugGJXRaR7gDWZbokG10wVNfc/s320/farm+boy+with+shovel_ILRI_Steven+Mann.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: ILRI/Stevie Mann</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have just been thinking about Africa lately. Our continent is currently at a crossroads, we can either make it or break it. It is becoming apparent to the world that the future of food production and agribusiness is strongly linked to Africa. The continent still has potential to expand area under production and to intensify production through new technologies. The developed countries are well aware of this and seem to be ready to do business with Africa. But where is the deadlock? Why is the puzzle not fitting together?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In addition to the resources advantages of good land, climate and minerals, Africa has another advantage - a burgeoning and most youthful population. While the developed world has to deal with an ageing population, Africa is carrying a 'ticking time bomb' or a demographic dividend for the continent - the youth. If these young men and women do not get jobs or fail to become true value-creating entrepreneurs, the whole continent could just explode! But if they do get the right skills to stand on the global stage, negotiate mutually beneficial world class business deals the continent could also explode, but this time in a more positive way :-). When Africa's youth get it wired in their heads that 'yes, we can build Africa' - the African continent would explode and the next century could be the continent's golden century.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The 'Africa I dream of' is one idea I am not afraid to share. Keeping it to myself will not help me or anyone else, but if anyone would jump onto it, I am guaranteed that the returns will be positive. Here we go... 'What does Africa need the most?'... money, food?... Well yes, all of that is important to help people to respond to negative shocks in the short to medium term. But I believe what Africa needs the most is 'human capital development.' Yes; you heard me right, 'human capital development.' Let's just call it HCD for simplicity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In my perspective, HCD is NOT synonymous with education, though education is an essential element of HCD. HCD goes beyond the desk, or college graduation. HCD 'goes beyond the desk, or college graduation'? What does that mean? It means HCD includes a change in mindset and belief system. We might... but we don't always get this kind of support in the classroom or the college halls, (well I speak as far as Africa is concerned). HCD is something that should start and continues in the home and the community in which the school or college is just one part (though a very essential one). HCD is also a cultural issue, it is a continuous, multi-faceted yet targeted process of building the required skill set and belief system into the African child and equipping him and her for the global opportunity. It is the gradual development of the freedom to make informed and strategic decisions whose impacts go beyond oneself and one's immediate surrounding. HCD is about taking the African child and broadening their vision beyond the savanna, and giving them a world perspective. One of my early career mentors, Prof Rukuni, used to say, 'development is about people, helping people help themselves.' A truthful statement I have never forgotten, it actually feels so real whenever I say it or write it.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My dream for Africa in the context of a rapidly urbanizing world, is to see some young men and women decide to stay in the farming community because they 'want to' spend their lives producing quality food for the world's cities. My hope is that this nightmare will end, where the majority of African youths are in farming not by choice but by default - a fate of circumstances largely caused by an HCD gap. My dream is of young Africans who choose to take to the metropolis and build or help build technologies that solve human challenges such as poor access to health services. I dream of young men and women who will choose to code until until they make doing business easier for their fellow farmers through building systems that reduce supply chain inefficiency in Africa.<br />
<br />
HCD will empower young Africans to <b>choose</b> to make Africa a better place, in ways that are unique to all of them. HCD will help us find our place. If you ever get the chance to educate an African child or youth, please do it with all your heart, you could be making the first step to taking Africa to the 'next level.' </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On the belief system as part of HCD, the African society has a huge role to play. Noone can do this for us, we have to do this for ourselves. I dream of the young African professional who chooses to say NO to corruption and chooses to put 'delivering value first, before the money.' This is the basic ethic of business... we cannot thrive sustainably without it, for 'one should not expect earn what he has not created value to exchange the money for.' Money will always follow value. I dream of the African youth who will choose hospitality before pride and make Africa the warmest and safest place to be.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Though, all these be dreams for now, I know all this is possible. It is possible when I wake up to do it and inspire you to do it. And when you do it and inspire one more; everyday we will inspire more young men and women to build this 'Africa I dream of everyday.'</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-13111588923031562582015-04-09T06:23:00.002+02:002016-03-11T09:04:09.776+02:00Zimbabwe’s limited fiscal space is constraining agricultural growth and development<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5tnY9WUDEwgpm917C8JSPrTWX1HG7EuWLOgX0pC5zYPGVLm_ikYBy-A738u1XOtUgHPH4uSPrGgFPQNemqkFHCS2Cn0Oql3ZNJDlNQNdbWS-Ag37XvYENIXgxHxK2I3zD2LbhoplxJg/s1600/M.+Granados_CIMMYT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5tnY9WUDEwgpm917C8JSPrTWX1HG7EuWLOgX0pC5zYPGVLm_ikYBy-A738u1XOtUgHPH4uSPrGgFPQNemqkFHCS2Cn0Oql3ZNJDlNQNdbWS-Ag37XvYENIXgxHxK2I3zD2LbhoplxJg/s1600/M.+Granados_CIMMYT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: M. Granados - CIMMYT</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
Defining fiscal space</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fiscal space is defined by the balance between government revenue (i.e. tax), denoted by T and government expenditure, denoted by G, through time. For instance, if G < T, then there is a fiscal surplus, but if G > T, then there is a fiscal deficit. A sustained or perpetual deficit through time results in build-up of annual deficits, leading to an unsustainable high debt. With a high level of debt, the government cannot borrow on the international market, and its ability to finance future deficits, i.e. the fiscal space is limited. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Zimbabwe currently endures very limited fiscal space since debt distress is undermining the capacity of the country to service its debt obligations. Accumulation of external payment arrears since 2000 (including interest charges) has resulted in public and publicly guaranteed debt reaching 51% of GDP and was projected to reach US$7.2 billion by December 2014 (Chinamasa, 2014).<br />
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Fiscal space is constraining agricultural growth</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div>
The country’s credit worthiness in the international community has been eroded and efforts are currently being made to reengage with the international community. While there may seem to be sufficient ground to argue that limited fiscal space has constrained agricultural growth; constraints to agriculture sector growth may emanate from a variety of angles.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, it is to a large extent, that Zimbabwe’s limited fiscal space has affected agricultural growth and rural development. Zimbabwe has not been able to access patient capital from international financial institutions (IFIs) as well as global agricultural investment funds.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
International and regional lines of credit in Zimbabwe are few and are subject to a high risk premium, reflecting the perception of Zimbabwe as high risk due to the existing external debt payment arrears and debt overhang, said Agribank Chief Executive Officer Mr S. Malaba at an Agribusiness Conference late last year.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Failure to unlock patient money</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
With limited fiscal space reflected by an unfavorable credit worthiness, Zimbabwe has limited opportunities to unlock “patient” capital from IFIs. The IMF had closed its Zimbabwe office for over a decade. However, possibly in response to ongoing efforts to reengage with the international community, the IMF office in Zimbabwe has since been re-opened. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
IFIs are a source of patient money which is critical for agricultural growth and rural development given the capital intensive nature of agriculture as a business, and the high risk of smallholder agriculture.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Failure to unlock innovative agriculture investment</h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the recent past, agriculture investment funds have grown in Africa as a region. In 2010, 31 agribusiness investment funds were targeted at Africa, with capitalization ranging from $8 million to $2.7 billion (<a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ags/publications/investment_funds.pdf" target="_blank">Miller, et al., 2010</a>). These have different asset classes (such as commodities) and financial instruments (for example bonds, listed securities and derivatives). These include both public/donor (with philanthropic objectives) funds as well as private investment funds. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Due to the risk associated with Zimbabwe’s limited fiscal space, private investor funds, for instance debt funds, which are the type of funds that may provide loan capital directly to agriculture may shy away from Zimbabwe. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Credit guarantee schemes are innovative tools that are being utilized to unlock financing of agriculture especially through value chain approaches. Some credit guarantee schemes may involve financiers who will require the government to be guarantor for external agricultural financing. Limited fiscal space compromises government’s ability to guarantee credit e.g. for financing smallholder agriculture.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Debt instruments such as treasury bonds are another form of instruments that the government can use to finance agro-industry and agricultural value chains. In 2014, treasury bonds were issued by the government to input suppliers for the debt owed for inputs supplied through the RBZ quasi-fiscal activities. Limited fiscal space may compromise the government’s ability to meet the commitments to the bonds. This constraints agricultural growth. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In countries such as Nigeria and some Asian and Latin America countries that have benefitted from developed countries’ debt relief, FDI in agriculture/agribusiness is reasonably high. In Latin America and Asia, it is as high as 78% of FDI. Though in Nigeria, the value of agriculture related FDI is proportionately low compared to total FDI, falling within single digit percentages, the country’s agricultural sector benefits from investment funds such as Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria, FAFIN (<a href="http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/90416548/uncertainty-foreign-direct-investment-case-agriculture-nigeria" target="_blank">Ogwumike, 2013</a>; <a href="http://nsia.com.ng/nigeria-infrastructure-fund/" target="_blank">Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, 2014</a>). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Agricultural investment funds and other innovative financing instruments can play a critical role in agricultural growth and rural development in Zimbabwe, but their success requires “space” for both social and market lending facilities.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Failure to absorb external hazards or shocks </h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most rural farmers in Zimbabwe still depend on rain-fed agriculture. However, rainfall patterns are increasingly becoming erratic and less predictable. This makes smallholder agriculture extremely risky and in need of the absorptive capacity of government to ensure resilience in the event of external hazards. The majority of livelihoods depend on agriculture and the growth of the smallholder agriculture and rural livelihoods improvements can be considered key in achieving economic growth and development. Limited fiscal space however limits ability of the government to absorb the effects of shock and in turn propel agricultural growth and rural development.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Limited investments in key drivers of agricultural growth such as research and development</h3>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Research and Development (R&D) can be considered one of the key drivers of agricultural growth and rural development. The United Nations recommended a minimum threshold of spending 1% of GDP on R&D. Given a scenario of limited fiscal space government has to negotiate this with other investment priorities. In the case of some “inescapable” budget requirements which have immediate/short term implications, resources are often channeled to other priorities e.g. the “next season’s” input support programme. Lower fiscal space and sustained budget deficits may result in starving of strategic investment areas such as R&D and extension.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Other factors constraining agricultural growth and development in Zimbabwe</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While there may seem to be sufficient reason to argue that limited fiscal space constrains agricultural growth and rural development, it may seem also important to consider some of the forces that may be independent of limited fiscal space but also constrain agricultural growth and rural development. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
General macroeconomic policy gaps, for instance the lack of clarity on the indigenization policy and lack of resolution on land tenure instruments such as the 99 year lease also constrain agricultural growth. For instance, there is still debate whether ownership structures are the only means of complying with indigenization regulations. This form of uncertainty shies away even domestic investment which may then find better havens elsewhere. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Additionally the lack of resolution on the bankability and transferability of the 99 Year Leases renders complications to the functioning of domestic land markets, suffocating domestic investment and hampering productivity. Surges in the local costs (financial and time-related costs) of doing business through high transaction costs hinder growth of agricultural businesses. For instance cumbersome processes related with acquisition of licenses and registration by traders also stifles local agribusiness.</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-62391854976672966222014-11-15T18:37:00.002+02:002014-11-17T10:36:41.846+02:00The "Open" Secret of African Agricultural Transformation<div style="text-align: justify;">
Over the past three months, I have been in my first semester of Masters training in agricultural and applied economics, and I am yet to optimize the functions of maximizing my blogging passion and maximizing my grades all subject to a time constraint. <br />
<br />
After reading the transcript of a <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/economic_studies/prospects_for_growth_an_interview_with_robert_solow?cid=mckq50-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1411" target="_blank">classic interview</a> between the <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/" target="_blank">McKinsey Quarterly</a> and Nobel Prize winning economist <a href="http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economic-sciences/laureates/1987/solow-facts.html" target="_blank">Robert Solow</a> I thought I should come back to the blogging after a long period of silence and share what I dubbed the "open secret" of African agricultural transformation. You will realize by the end of this blog why I have called it an open secret. But first, let us start with a question: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<strong><em>What really determines the differences in productivity between nations, sectors and firms?</em></strong></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Just as background information, Prof Robert Solow is internationally recognized for his contributions to the theory of economic growth and development. In the 1990s he worked with the McKinsey Global Institute in some sector level studies across the globe. From the interview transcript, his view in response to the question I have just paraphrased above was that, <em>the difference in productivity (across countries, sectors and consequentially firms) is not technology, and neither is it capital accumulation; rather, it is management, organizational behavior, how decisions are made, how tasks are allocated</em> and I would add, how risk is managed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Prof Robert Solow remarks in the interview: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"...the idea that everybody is everywhere and always maximizing profits (turns out) to be not quite right..." (<em>emphasis mine)</em></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Part 1 of the "open" secret: "To assume that all economic agents are naturally maximizing profit, or acting rationally is incorrect... the open secret is that 'competition' is actually the factor that spurs economic agents to do more... we have to acknowledge that competition is healthy if we wish to transform African agriculture." </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While this sounds a little like going hard on our so-called "poor" farmers and entrepreneurs whom we at times view a little too much as victims, it could be part of the secret behind a brighter, robust and sustainable growth path for our beautiful continent. But perhaps, the question in context could be, just how does competition result in transformation? Prof Robert Solow also explains in the interview how "trailers" in an industry, nation or region actually move up to realize that inert potential and become trendsetters:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Part 2 of the "open" secret: The exposure to the competition of other players who are applying right practices (i.e. using the right tactics in the game), spurs "trailers" to do more and thus into higher levels of productivity. </strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Prof Robert Solow remarks again in the interview: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
"...international trade serves a purpose beyond exploiting comparative advantage. It exposes high-level managers in various countries to a little fright. And fright turns out to be an important motivation..."</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some might wonder, can African farmers stand global competition? Well, yes, African farmers can be very competitive. I have shared a few insights in <a href="http://barefootagri.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-year-of-family-farming-inclusive.html" target="_blank">this post</a> that might be of interest in this subject. You can also learn a lot from <a href="http://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/publications/sfproc.pdf" target="_blank">this report</a>. African small farms have the potential to offer great value, for instance in supplying niche markets for healthy and more nutritious foods produced under intensive small scale management. Local agribusiness firms such fertilizer and input suppliers also benefit from healthy competition among themselves. Exposure to the practices of other firms within and beyond the country or region will spur local firms to be more efficient and produce better quality products and services.<br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Part 3 of the "open" secret: The primacy of the agriculture sector; a "productivity tipping point"</strong> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
On this point, I believe there is a lot we can learn from <a href="http://www.biography.com/people/jeff-bezos-9542209" target="_blank">Jeff Bezos</a>, the founder and CEO of Amazon one of the world's largest e-commerce companies. But before we get into the details, let me explain the last nugget from the classical interview between <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/economic_studies/prospects_for_growth_an_interview_with_robert_solow?cid=mckq50-eml-alt-mkq-mck-oth-1411" target="_blank">McKinsey Quarterly with Robert Solow</a> in relation to our discussion. The McKinsey Global Institute studies in which Prof Solow was academic adviser, also found that wholesaling and retailing were the strongest accelerators or decelerators of productivity growth between nations and were at the time of the studies, <em>low productivity growth sectors</em>. However, entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos managed to see the opportunity in these low productivity sectors and struck gold; not only for themselves but for the American nation and the world at large today. Wholesaling and retailing could have been "slow"sectors in most developed countries but also these sectors employed large proportions of the population, and this was the growth dividend, summed up by Prof Robert Solow in this way: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>"...a little improvement in the productivity of these sectors would make a large contribution to national productivity..."</strong></div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Conclusion: Enhancing agricultural productivity; taking Africa beyond the tipping point</strong><br />
<br />
It is no longer a "hidden" secret today that the agriculture sector in Africa faces the challenge of low productivity, but in principle still employs the majority of people. When most people hear the word agriculture today, they think of either the few large scale commercial farms and estates. These have great potential as well but that is not where all the money is! Agriculture employs <a href="http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/AFRICAEXT/0,,contentMDK:21935583~pagePK:146736~piPK:146830~theSitePK:258644,00.html" target="_blank">65% of Africa's labor force</a>, and where is that mostly? In small and medium scale farms whether in the rural areas or around growing rural towns and bigger cities. I would like to rephrase Prof Robert Solow's statement and say: <em>a little improvement in the productivity of African smallholder farmers would make a large contribution to national and continental productivity, and by the way, you could make millions like Jeff Bezos did in transforming retailing in America and now in the world.</em> Have you ever wondered what <a href="http://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote/" target="_blank">Africa's richest man</a> is doing? Among three things, he derives his wealth from sugar and flour business, the third is cement.<br />
<br />
Now is the time for Africa to go beyond the tipping point. Development and transformation is about growth in total factor productivity and the driver of total factor productivity is not capital accumulation, labor or natural resources. The distinction in total factor productivity between countries or firms is the spur to do more; the motivation to put the best tactics to use, i.e. leadership, management, organization, managing talent, managing risks. And the spur to do more comes from exposure to competition.<br />
<br />
Now is the time for Africa to be bold enough to foster healthy competition, locally and externally, it is an "open" secret. It is time for African entrepreneurs and governments to see how agriculture will catapult the continent's economy from dormant potential beyond the tipping point. There is opportunity for nations and entrepreneurs in transforming African agriculture. Committing to the <a href="http://www.caadp.net/" target="_blank">CAADP</a> and creating conducive environments for competitive agribusiness to grow is key. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-89296638207585729402014-10-22T18:36:00.002+02:002014-10-22T18:37:03.677+02:00You want to know more about the role of agricultural innovation in creating food security in Africa?<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="color: #3b3b3b; font-family: 'source sans pro', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.6000003814697px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Agricultural innovation lies at the heart of striking the opportunity lying between agriculture’s demand-side incentives and supply-side constraints. Innovation is a subject of great importance because it stimulates sustainable growth in a highly competitive market"</span></blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FARAAfrica?v=app_350771298416695&app_data=entry_id%3D70810359%26gaReferrerOverride%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252F" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjBmRaLlgOx2OL25cheUKmm1_FSHWRoA2a9IHB1JxhV0pjqJVjcoDuM1jKl8hcjneyskNy8QSNvuc0VGCKDo_jmqtlmLYwKgHQtIa-XVRi_-OQNsu_eyy5FkEnTXj5RkMOErLwUyzremg/s1600/FARA+essay.PNG" height="118" title="" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FARAAfrica?v=app_350771298416695&app_data=entry_id%3D70810359%26gaReferrerOverride%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252F" target="_blank">A snapshot of the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) website</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
Hi guys!</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
The Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa, FARA just launched an essay writing competition for young agriculture academics. I have submitted my essay and our essays are in the public evaluation stage where we need to mobilize many votes through Facebook. If you are on Facebook, please help me win. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FARAAfrica?v=app_350771298416695&app_data=entry_id%3D70810359%26gaReferrerOverride%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.facebook.com%252F" target="_blank">My essay</a> gives a clear picture why "innovation" should Africa's priority in a dynamically changing world, marred by its challenges but full of its unique opportunities. <span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Regardless of being food insecure and suffering from supply-side constraints, Africa has demand-side incentives for agriculture. It however takes the eyes and guts of innovators to realize the gold lying between these two "rocks".</span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
To read and vote for my essay <span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">click on this link:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fow.ly%2FDapG3&h=uAQGmnott&enc=AZNapzh7ErNOrnRT2o1k1nl1w7PUCuid1snFtum36fjdYqh_OhbKf8Su-rJWyu_gj5RRVE_k2mZRFpBiwqSAXBUQVOqEjtqiRM09UwK9QwxmLIrVHjrFUby4ETClEN8n40UQqNk2gvjoohXnHoytYmnVCsrli90LCkdnr6aKlbhOEg&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://ow.ly/DapG3</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">It will take you to my essay on the FARA facebook page.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">At the end of my essay u will find a box to vote, just click in that box and cast your vote!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">The main link to the FARA facebook page is right here:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Ffaraessay&h=VAQHu-7Zn&enc=AZNln89lQmyu28b1A_hDQWoHcbtJH6Qu7IA9Lc5Y_7S92pGCbYcFyby_G2CB33J3mPh9WrZiltDNH8Z-GD-k-YPKTQGNWtXG5KihzpqML3A3kjywv1YLV04bVWFsDcOXBJ5ryF1BSUAdo7O4vRUIW086tLQvUyGKfVfZQdaLDGm56Q&s=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/faraessay</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
You can also search for my essay by going through the essays on the page, but if we are friends on Facebook, just click the button that says "friends" and my essay will appear.</div>
<div style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
Remember you have one vote to use "everyday" to vote for your favorite essay! </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
Also remember you can share this with your friends and encourage them to vote as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 19.3199996948242px;">Many thanks!</span></div>
</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-32028606496017746462014-10-02T19:22:00.002+02:002015-04-15T12:52:19.056+02:00What distinguishes a good life from a sustainable and bright future<div style="text-align: justify;">
We have entered now the era of Sustainable Development, where the focus is not only on ensuring that people from the most marginalized parts of the world have a good life, but that they also have aa sustainable and bright future.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6isAkSGPBWxkbXyjviLzfntiYy7_H29lY7viYFKqyYRbwGYBuZapyl7YPUEsS9vQjvY2IdEzDEMzJXE_fJyQ3uTfYIswiKlQWCPzaZMexaIMqRAEyXtonU8zAPJS9DEq2bIP66BMrJg8/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6isAkSGPBWxkbXyjviLzfntiYy7_H29lY7viYFKqyYRbwGYBuZapyl7YPUEsS9vQjvY2IdEzDEMzJXE_fJyQ3uTfYIswiKlQWCPzaZMexaIMqRAEyXtonU8zAPJS9DEq2bIP66BMrJg8/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To help understand how a sustainable and bright future future is different from a merely good life, I thought I should remind our "valucentric" readers about the relationship between economic growth and sustainable economic development.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Defining economic development</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The term development means a change over time, typically involving growth or expansion. According to (Norton, et al., 2006), development is a process with many economic and social dimensions. It is a dynamic process including not only changes in the structure and level of economic activity, but also increased opportunities for individual choice and for improved self-esteem. In the first <a href="http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/reports/219/hdr_1990_en_complete_nostats.pdf" target="_blank">Human Development Report</a>, UNDP defined development as expanding people’s choices. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Economic development therefore refers to a process of economic transformation; involving more efficient resource utilization as well as expansion of productive capacity accompanied by a sustainable and equitable distribution of the gains from such growth. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Several theories of development such as the Mercantilists, the Classicalists, Stage of Growth proponents and Capital Accumulation theorists converge to the belief that: economic development is a transition from traditional society to a modern commercial society with improvements in people’s standards of living. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Economic development is thus a multi-faceted phenomenon involving both growth and productivity gains as well as social and distributional efficiencies. </div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Contrasting economic development with economic growth</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflARcN84cHdM7RfvmBXzO6QDrbYFNYEAUKDuej1WHEEj-yhot83AwSL7iWSgJgPBUkeGoFoxEU_RSZ6XcNEWbmN6SBheWA4-lS6zhu5wcJ3XcesP064vPrZYaQMe8VaB9ST1kdKSJ-Vs/s1600/child+drinking+milk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhflARcN84cHdM7RfvmBXzO6QDrbYFNYEAUKDuej1WHEEj-yhot83AwSL7iWSgJgPBUkeGoFoxEU_RSZ6XcNEWbmN6SBheWA4-lS6zhu5wcJ3XcesP064vPrZYaQMe8VaB9ST1kdKSJ-Vs/s1600/child+drinking+milk.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PHOTO CREDIT: Mabel Munyuki Hungwe (PhD)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The term economic development is often used interchangeably with the term economic growth. The two terms, however related, have different connotations. Economic development requires economic growth. Economic growth is often measured by metrics such as per capita GDP growth rates. However, measuring economic development is a combinations of both measures of growth and measures of the actual distribution of wealth. Indices like the Gini inequality coefficient, or the gender disparity index, are often combined in composite measures of economic development. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
“Economic growth is a necessary but not sufficient condition for economic development.”</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The difference between economic growth and development can be illustrated by the recent findings that the early 2000s have been Africa’s decade of unprecedented economic growth. For instance,<a href="http://africantransformation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/2014-african-transformation-report.pdf" target="_blank"> six of the ten fastest growing economies globally in the early 2000s were in Africa</a>; including Angola, Niger, Ethiopia, Chad, Mozambique, and Rwanda who registered growth of over 7%. However, this unprecedented growth has not delivered the jobs and poverty reduction that Africa has been seeking. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Africa is <a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/2014%20MDG%20report/MDG%202014%20English%20web.pdf" target="_blank">off target</a> on achieving MDG 1 of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger. This may be seen to resemble “economic growth” without “economic development”. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Economic development focuses on concepts which include, though not limited to:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ol>
<li>productive capacity of resources and productivity of both self-employment and wage-employment </li>
<li>equity of income and asset distribution </li>
<li>social protection</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>To a sustainable and climate smart future post-2015!</i></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-29834484640732850732014-09-05T12:22:00.002+02:002014-09-20T12:57:11.047+02:00Zimbabwe Research and Intellectual Expo (RIE) Week, 3rd to the 6th of September 2014, Part 1: All we have is what we have…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRvH_l4fLR_kxVs-g4B24hkKefFJ3QHVu5tzhkEuluBaYttWqsTYuRietan32FFkiOGMRQMZcTSUQr-3okMHNnbveBuAOxTbqULIUrOwRI4PnrGMZyYYOKxzDE2zB-msc_KP9avfzeQ8/s1600/Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRvH_l4fLR_kxVs-g4B24hkKefFJ3QHVu5tzhkEuluBaYttWqsTYuRietan32FFkiOGMRQMZcTSUQr-3okMHNnbveBuAOxTbqULIUrOwRI4PnrGMZyYYOKxzDE2zB-msc_KP9avfzeQ8/s1600/Poster.jpg" height="129" width="320" /></a></div>
<h1 align="center">
Resource efficient and portable small scale rural brooder heating system</h1>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This week has been a great week for Zimbabwe’s Sunshine City, Harare. Despite the fairly cold mornings lately, this week we have been warming up ourselves with some “hot” ideas at the Research and Intellectual Expo (RIE) currently underway at the University of Zimbabwe. The RIE is an initiative of Zimbabwe's Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education that seeks to showcase the various innovations taking place in the country's universities and colleges. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I decided to dedicate most of my time strolling through the exhibition stalls, sniffing around for some agricultural innovations, especially those that do not kill the “<a href="http://barefootagri.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-60-percent-game-changers-for-youth.html" target="_blank">golden egg goose</a>.” My search today was quite successful as I made a stop at the Midlands University stand and met one inventor showcasing what he calls the “portable brooder heating system.”</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgCgKoCzPxJgCyq590FxG0mBWUd9UiibNJq2rUWX_M_CHRbvjE1FgugqGjx8lvMFf0w3KKWpfRMrCfXBnhV6I9Bi5g8P037QX2ljQnzDNmFxOTIar0VCaB4yZKLQpPoFsdB_R21S4cbQU/s1600-h/showing%252520of%252520the%252520brooder%252520at%252520RIE%252520exhibition%25255B3%25255D.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="showing of the brooder at RIE exhibition" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf5jrDnvYQPVMcwHnAriw_G_aTBT6Yu-zfkr_WNF3zesFkVKBeHyu1ppaOUrXkjuM0gPsGh8xDV7eJBNjeKG54NjliMyBy6qlFuYS262w09bVmzXj10tFcnbHeMXZn6CVnpeiVPK3ZF1k/?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="showing of the brooder at RIE exhibition" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The witty inventor, Mr Chiwishi, shows off some<br />
happy chicks in his portable small scale brooder heating <br />
system at RIE on Thursday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
The mortality challenge</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
.For most rural African families, commercial breeding of chickens could be a viable but yet very risky enterprise. In Zimbabwe commercial chicken breeding has become a popular urban backyard enterprise, whilst in countries like South Africa, it is a commonly large scale commercial farming business.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As a way of broadening income sources for the smallholder farmer rural farmers, commercial chicken rearing could be one avenue to increased incomes. However, some of the major challenges faced by smallholder rural farmers include poor access to markets and high mortality rates, especially those related with low temperature and high humidity. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
A resource efficient and environmentally friendly solution</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While urban and more sophisticated farmers use electric heating systems, in rural areas, farmers often use fire braziers where they burn pieces of firewood in an open steel drum. The brazier initially burns outside the brooder until only red ambers are left; then the brazier is placed into the brooder.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This conventional process has negative impacts on the environment and is quite wasteful of the earth’s scarce resources. The heavy reliance of the braziers on firewood means we destroy more trees and, the fact that the brazier is initially heated out of the brooder means that some heat energy is wasted. We need a more efficient and environmentally friendly technology because for most rural farmers “all we have is what we have” and hence we need to make the most out of it. As Ghandi said in one of his famous quotes: </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“there’s enough in the world for everyone’s needs, but not enough for everyone’s greed” </blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mr Chiwishi's small scale brooder heating system is an innovation is driven by the need to come up with a “mortality reducing” and environmentally friendly solution for smallholder commercial chicken growers. According to Mr Chiwishi, mortalities of chicks can exceed 50 percent in cases where prolonged cold spells are experienced and the absence of electricity in rural areas only exacerbates this challenge. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While the conventional braziers make use mostly of firewood, the portable invention makes use of firewood, cow dung and maize cobs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy_OZgyGvhnlmeJaHn8t5DCvlmhPqXyrBC2ZtCGPK-LcKPCcJkRzwp9yIjLK91tdI8E2mob3YVOqg4ukr_kPwcicBcB23guF6VtRz4AVvQKww-HRD-RHWYnRgJB36972B3_IPDFXKFjxw/s1600-h/a%252520lump%252520of%252520cow%252520dung%252520burns%252520with%252520sacks%252520of%252520more%25255B5%25255D.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a lump of cow dung burns with sacks of more" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7t9-lWrTvVNcH58O0z8LU0CT8tcXILXhAenU50-6-U_ayoi6wDwlIs0-ExW_3FoV8lkGaOD8hVK8g0uVrUhZLBSjkBqkSCPPsxP1CKtyuCFULkuQRUSEpbVAlalmC_Vd0OHzyHz72Zjk/?imgmax=800" height="184" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="a lump of cow dung burns with sacks of more" width="244" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lump of cow dung burns in the “drum furnace” <br />
(i.e. the cylinder with an open cap) <br />
of the heating system. More cow dung and maize cobs <br />
are besides the system. <br />
the drum furnace is where the fuel (cow dung, <br />
firewood, cobs) is combusted.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
The benefits</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>1. </i></b><b><i>An 80 percent energy save!</i></b><br />
<div>
The small scale brooder heating system is also said to use about 12% of the energy used by the conventional method of the braziers. There however would be need to estimate the level of emissions as well just to be certain how “Climate Smart” this technology is<br />
<br /></div>
<b><i>2. Just wake up once...</i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the inventor, the farmer would ordinarily fuel the burner once before going to sleep and then would wake up usually once just to check and adjust the temperature. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So in a simple way, smallholder farmers reduce mortality rates, find alternative income sources and “warm” out of poverty!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i>3. </i></b><b><i>No fans needed, just the wind will do...</i></b><br />
<div>
To increase the temperature, the farmer does not need any fan or complicated mechanism. The farmer simply opens the cap on the drum furnace to allow more wind and air to pass through the system. This increases the combustion and heat is transmitted through a round piping element into the brooder. Any smoke from the combustion is transmitted safely out of the brooder through a little chimney.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The system is currently designed more smallholder farmers rearing more or less than a 100 birds.</div>
</div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
Keep an eye on upcoming posts on the RIE...</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the way, on the market challenges, I still have a date with the “<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-dhewa/24/bb3/159" target="_blank">rain maker</a> ” who will take us through how he is overcoming the market hurdles by merging digital and physical at “Mbare Musika”, (i.e. <em>Mbare market in English)</em>. So we will definitely have that covered in one of the forthcoming blog posts, so make sure you hit the RSS button to follow this blog.</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-17800214775082850572014-09-02T09:22:00.000+02:002014-09-20T12:59:04.205+02:00The "60 percent" game changers for youth in developing countries and the "golden egg goose": Power Points for the Youth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6isAkSGPBWxkbXyjviLzfntiYy7_H29lY7viYFKqyYRbwGYBuZapyl7YPUEsS9vQjvY2IdEzDEMzJXE_fJyQ3uTfYIswiKlQWCPzaZMexaIMqRAEyXtonU8zAPJS9DEq2bIP66BMrJg8/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6isAkSGPBWxkbXyjviLzfntiYy7_H29lY7viYFKqyYRbwGYBuZapyl7YPUEsS9vQjvY2IdEzDEMzJXE_fJyQ3uTfYIswiKlQWCPzaZMexaIMqRAEyXtonU8zAPJS9DEq2bIP66BMrJg8/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Climate Smart Journey Has Just Begun...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been doing some research on Climate Smart Agriculture and the youth and I thought I should just share a few "power" points today on "why the world needs more climate smarts", like you and me. I have called them the "60 percent" game changers and the "golden egg goose."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2 style="text-align: justify;">
The "60 percent" game changers</h2>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"As the world needs to feed more mouths, it needs to create more jobs; this convergence of events is making agriculture not only an option for youth employment and entrepreneurship, but a very viable one"</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In my research I bumped into three 60 percent statistics that point to possible game changers for the youth in developing countries. I have summarized them in the phrase above and I call them the three "60 percent" game changers.</div>
<br />
<h2>
Food demand growing by 60 percent</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHvPXsp4qNi37eve8Newi_rUkSdU4eeGewk_9dSeA9oxT9yT8HOWl9YEizglyL4McNehqBjrfxg3N8g3rfG6HCKfGGjcqjkLrSdcBd2IrwXpb_1AUTW2SrAi5hEUc2oSxyNCQPuS1Vp0/s1600/child+drinking+milk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAHvPXsp4qNi37eve8Newi_rUkSdU4eeGewk_9dSeA9oxT9yT8HOWl9YEizglyL4McNehqBjrfxg3N8g3rfG6HCKfGGjcqjkLrSdcBd2IrwXpb_1AUTW2SrAi5hEUc2oSxyNCQPuS1Vp0/s1600/child+drinking+milk.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture by Mabel Hungwe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
First, it is <a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/esag/docs/AT2050_revision_summary.pdf" target="_blank">estimated</a> that agricultural production will have to increase by <b>60 percent</b> by 2050 to satisfy the expected demands for food and feed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<h2>
Youth make up 60 percent of developing regions' population</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Accompanying this first 60 percent, is the second <a href="http://publications.cta.int/media/publications/downloads/1781_PDF.pdf?" target="_blank">observation</a> that <b>60 percent</b> of the population in the 48 least developed countries, most of which are in Africa, are under the age of 24, and 40 percent are under 15. Sub Saharan Africa for instance, is considered the “youngest” region though the majority of this younger population remains unemployed and their skills and capabilities under-utilized.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
Not only 60 percent of the population, but also 60 percent of the unemployed!</h2>
<div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Third, it is also predicted that <b>60 percent</b> of the continent’s unemployed are aged 15-24 years and about 40 percent of Africa’s workforce is under the age of 23.<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<h2>
60 percent of total marketed food in Africa is the local urban population</h2>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-QqKFoT_y9Tr056wekiPwJe-ovkEd7H18EWiveC8HyQjr2HLTN0z3cZ_Bp_GDXLNRT24I80c04ks3DXT8l5av77aQ0f-k6luKXlP_7d1rlJdwVhhXl-_3NGpZoSv0GkCNr4i1zsEXOw/s1600/transporting+food+to+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7-QqKFoT_y9Tr056wekiPwJe-ovkEd7H18EWiveC8HyQjr2HLTN0z3cZ_Bp_GDXLNRT24I80c04ks3DXT8l5av77aQ0f-k6luKXlP_7d1rlJdwVhhXl-_3NGpZoSv0GkCNr4i1zsEXOw/s1600/transporting+food+to+market.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transporting food to the market: Image by IFPRI</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fourth, it is <a href="http://www.merid.org/~/media/Files/Projects/Africa%20Ag%20and%20Food%20Systems/African%20Agriculture%20and%20Food%20Systems%20Full%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">predicted</a> that 60 percent of total marketed food in Africa is local reachable market for these bubbling young agropreneurs.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now for today, I will leave the food in the thoughts for the climate smart entrepreneurs to find the opportunities embedded in these "60 percent" game changers. But let me dash to the story about the golden egg goose before this blog becomes too long and boring!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
The golden egg goose...</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The late Dr Steven Covey narrates an interesting story in his book, "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." The story which most of you might know, is about an old man who had a goose that would produce golden eggs. With much delight and excitement that grew everyday about the golden eggs coming from the goose; this old man eventually killed the goose to take more golden eggs "out of the goose." But we all know the unfortunate part that after killing the goose, he didn't find any golden eggs in the goose. In pursuit of the product, he killed the production capacity, the goose!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Now I will leave the majority of the food in this thought for the climate smart environmentalists, but here is a short line:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In our attempt to grow more food, feed more people create more jobs, we could easily get carried away with increasing the production, while we endanger our very production capacity, our land, people ecosystems.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is why we need Climate Smarts, i.e. global citizens who are smart about the impacts of their present day actions to produce (P) on the resilience and capability of communities and ecosystems to produce more (PC)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
Winding up...</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In conclusion, the youth are the main "60 percenters", i.e. they are a central part of the subject in all "60 percent" game changers. Youth are the most critical respondents to the world's Climate Smart Agriculture challenge.In spite of the food security challenges the world may face today, the youthful population in developing countries can offer a growth dividend for these regions given their dynamic and fast learning capabilities much needed in a globalizing and digitalizing society and economy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Future food supply relies heavily on the youthful developing country populations and it is clear that agriculture in these regions must transform to meet the increasing demands.According to the WWF Pan African <a href="http://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/pan_african_youth_strategy_on_learning_for_sustainability.pdf" target="_blank">Youth Strategy on Learning for Sustainability</a> :</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
“it is the youth who will inherit whatever problems as well as opportunities that the current generation of decision makers leave behind, the current young generation is also better equipped and more motivated than previous generations to play a role now in accelerating sustainable development approaches.”</blockquote>
<div>
<br /></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-65369126898084922512014-08-16T13:25:00.004+02:002014-08-19T19:56:35.596+02:00Together we can make the world a better place... Launching Climate "Smarts" Perspectives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU39gvdI_9vTLI6z7YgB-ixqtwcY9WLHkM2UrWT4z6mH3x846BGP39LO0nsTsyr4KskT7MiYE8CuQ5p3LhwA8G2W6aBEl8SkFpMW1Izk-eF7GqznVBULe_Gx9GjzND15H_CXTO2iyLcTg/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU39gvdI_9vTLI6z7YgB-ixqtwcY9WLHkM2UrWT4z6mH3x846BGP39LO0nsTsyr4KskT7MiYE8CuQ5p3LhwA8G2W6aBEl8SkFpMW1Izk-eF7GqznVBULe_Gx9GjzND15H_CXTO2iyLcTg/s1600/CSA+perspectives.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Climate Smart
Challenge</b></h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We have all heard by now that global food demand is increasing and that food consumption worldwide is <a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf">expected to increase</a> in 2018 by nearly 30 per cent over 2005 figures! This is driven to a great extent by a growing middle class in emerging markets fueling an increased demand for non-staple crops such as cashews, tree nuts, chocolate, and coffee. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This trend also comes on the backdrop of complexly changing climatic conditions <a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/esa/Global_persepctives/world_ag_2030_50_2012_rev.pdf" target="_blank">evidenced</a> by increasing floods, deforestation, and soil erosion which has had a disproportionate effect on agriculture, especially in developing countries because of their high dependence on agriculture. In some cases these effects have been catastrophic.</div>
<div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
You should be thinking climate smart by now</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the face of an increasingly hungry population (<a href="http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3434e/i3434e.pdf" target="_blank">an estimated</a> 870 million people, one in eight of the world’s population, were undernourished in 2010–2012) and a rapidly transforming transforming population (annual cereal production <a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/expert_paper/How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf" target="_blank">will need to rise</a> to about 3 billion tonnes from 2.1 billion today and annual meat production will need to rise by over 200 million tonnes to reach 470 million tonnes) we face two big challenges to meeting future needs:</div>
<ol>
<li>Scarce and in some cases, inequitably distributed factors of production (e.g. land, labor, capital, scientific knowledge, indigenous technical knowledge); and </li>
<li>Ecosystem services degradation </li>
</ol>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The challenge to meet food demand in the future is not only a challenge for agriculture. Actually as the food equation has become more complex to solve in the recent past, other fields such as electronics and ICT, engineering, structures and design, renewable energy, finance, biotechnology have all become more relevant to and intertwined with agriculture. </div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXbjbhsgUNYadiydwaQWK7LnJu0NXzgiiVwl-99KPF83wwOBB8LVyLtRnLbg9MjuNX5m3QJrw5GTCjTxk5LPzEGCTpPi_YtwU8L0OdpOsLl4zBUL9FeiEVhZnwbkw6znCJsqIFM8pEU8/s1600/20140718_125617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXbjbhsgUNYadiydwaQWK7LnJu0NXzgiiVwl-99KPF83wwOBB8LVyLtRnLbg9MjuNX5m3QJrw5GTCjTxk5LPzEGCTpPi_YtwU8L0OdpOsLl4zBUL9FeiEVhZnwbkw6znCJsqIFM8pEU8/s1600/20140718_125617.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In July, I visited Kenya as a Social Reporter for the <a href="http://www.fin4ag.org/" target="_blank">Fin4ag</a> Internantional Conference. During the field trips, I learnt that being climate smart is not only about cropping but also has to do with livestock. Here a smallholder farmer demonstrated to us how their recycle chicken manure to make "good" dairy feed out of it. They then use the dairy manure to fertilize napier grass as well as supplying bio-fuel for household energy. Relying less on industrially manufactured dairy feed as well as the utilization of bio-fuel is an integrated and climate smart approach to farming and reduces Carbon emissions for a more sustainable future.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/esa/Global_persepctives/world_ag_2030_50_2012_rev.pdf" target="_blank">Reportedly</a>, most climate models indicate that the agricultural potential of developing countries may be more adversely affected by climate change than the world average. </blockquote>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
While citizens of developing countries are the most vulnerable to climate induced food insecurity; climate "Smarts" have better sure be a part of the agricultural transformation phase. And that is why I launched the Climate Smart Perspectives recently at a meeting with three people in Harare, Zimbabwe.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
What is Climate Smart Perspectives</h2>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Climate Smart Perspectives is a voluntary initiative to engage young people in more climate smart dialogue and action.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The initiative also seeks to identify and scaling the voices of youths who are climate smart, i.e. "climate smarts." I have learnt that "climate smarts" are not necessarily farmers, climate smarts are also engineers, software developers, actuarial scientists, biotechnologists, marketers, graphic designers, researchers... virtually people in any profession with any skill who know how to employ their skills to ensure a climate smart future. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The model we use is very simple:</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Climate Smart Talk</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We invite a Climate Smart professional or researcher who spares just an hour to talk with young people in schools and colleges. The talk is not meant to be a lecture but a two way interactive discussion where young people get to know more about the trends such as those I have shared in this post and basically where are our world is going in terms of sustainable development.</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Share your Climate Smart Perspective with the world</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Following the talk, we want to know whether the perspective of the young people involved in the talk has been changed and what they are going to do to contribute to a climate smart world. We therefore ask them to share their story of their Climate Smart perspective and their climate smart contribution through a blog post to be featured on this blog or their own blogs (or both).</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Progress so far</h3>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well the first thing is that my small "Climate Smart Movement" has declared our two main digital territories, i.e. our two sites <a href="http://barefootagri.blogspot.com/">barefootagri.blogspot.com</a> and <a href="http://valucentric.weebly.com/">valucentric.weebly.com</a> strictly climate smart zones! Meaning our dialogue on these sights is climate smart.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The second is that we are in the process of negotiating with a university in Zimbabwe to give our first University Climate Smart Talk. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The third thing is that we have been invited to join the formation of a sustainable development initiative called the Preserve Trust Zimbabwe. We look forward to greater partnerships with you and other people. If you feel like joining the Climate Smart Perspectives Initiative feel free to contact harrisonmanyumwa@gmail.com </div>
<div>
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FsLFE1Vc_GcuXE9Y8o0Pe_95NkKCAdLkIW7_x5G7TonoBTx4kkEN_XhM-5o_WNl8dcGY-lL5oUHGZ-YUcXdizoDbZlkHhb4VSouOmLHW58gWut5u8VzsWhvLTaQ5ktfF0kig_I_T-1A/s1600/rural+development+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FsLFE1Vc_GcuXE9Y8o0Pe_95NkKCAdLkIW7_x5G7TonoBTx4kkEN_XhM-5o_WNl8dcGY-lL5oUHGZ-YUcXdizoDbZlkHhb4VSouOmLHW58gWut5u8VzsWhvLTaQ5ktfF0kig_I_T-1A/s1600/rural+development+016.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knowledge exists only at the point of action<br />
PHOTO CREDIT: MABEL HUNGWE<br />
Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-45257727048362088612014-08-04T15:44:00.000+02:002017-03-06T17:03:41.521+02:00And they lived dairy ever after...<h2 style="text-align: center;">
The Story of Kiambaa Rural Dairy Cooperative</h2>
<div>
<div>
The <a href="http://www.fin4ag.org/" target="_blank">Fin4ag</a> International Conference held in Nairobi from the 14th to the 18th of July 2014 set in motion a number of evolutionary processes, especially among young people whose impact on agriculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific is going to be revolutionary. A <a href="http://www.cta.int/fr/article/2014-07-25/fin4ag-creates-a-new-energy-in-young-people-for-a-modern-agriculture.html" target="_blank">recent news article</a> by the main organizers of the conference, the Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) supports this. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As a young African agriculture enthusiast, one of my encounters with destiny at the Fin4ag conference was during the field trips when we visited Kiambaa Rural Dairy Cooperative and met two happy couples that are living <b><i>"dairy ever after"</i></b> in rural Kenya, Mr and Mrs Nyaka and Mr and Mrs Njeka. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The two couples shared their life stories and how dairy farming through the network of a Savings and Credit Cooperative (SACCO) is impacting positively on their families and communities. I was astonished by how these humble and hardworking farmers have an intrinsic understanding of the markets. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI3l7zO6ODEPlZQXGOX1yKJGpmxZQKDyeinQV5ph2gA3pwHNHAwdz2WcZBAfhs8XW7r_MIEIn1iY3a49c1xsIy6wkP4XBDtR9QSw5ghnYr_MjVAp4W1CPRP77GH22Hjoo4yaP_0vs_1Y/s1600/a+lighter+moment+at+Kiambaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI3l7zO6ODEPlZQXGOX1yKJGpmxZQKDyeinQV5ph2gA3pwHNHAwdz2WcZBAfhs8XW7r_MIEIn1iY3a49c1xsIy6wkP4XBDtR9QSw5ghnYr_MjVAp4W1CPRP77GH22Hjoo4yaP_0vs_1Y/s1600/a+lighter+moment+at+Kiambaa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Members of the Kiambaa Dairy Cooperative share a lighter moment as they demonstrate to Fin4ag Field Trip 1 participants how they carry out milk quality testing at their milk colletcion depot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
During the trip, Mr Nyaka explained to us that African agri-food markets are growing relatively fast and the growing, modernizing and diversifying population in Kenya and beyond will need to be fed, especially with dairy products. "I'm in the right business!" Shouted the optimistic look on his face as he explained to the startled crowd of Bankers, Policy makers and investors standing around his field of napier grass.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/0f0Gm_oRrRo/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/0f0Gm_oRrRo&source=uds"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/0f0Gm_oRrRo&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></object></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
The impact of Saving and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) on rural farmers</h3>
<div>
<div>
The SACCOs are creating communities of dynamic service oriented farmers who I believe that with the right support will be able to feed the growing local, regional and even global population. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In particular, the Kiambaa Dairy Cooperative comprises of about 2,500 smallholder dairy farmers and produces about 16,000 liters of milk per day. Through the SACCO, the farmers have organized themselves, trained themselves to save, by providing the incentive to borrow once you have consistently saved for about 3 months. As such, the small scale farmers have been gradually expanding their operations and profits. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
In addition, through organization, the farmers have been able to access services, and benefits such as agricultural extension, transportation, refrigeration and processing that would have otherwise been inaccessible to individual farmers. In our language, they have over come infrastructural bottlenecks. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Kiambaa Dairy Cooperative Society has evolved over the years to become a viable "business model" for and driven by smallholder farmers themselves. Currently, the society enjoys a "big brother" relationships with big market lenders such as Kenya's Cooperative Bank. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here are a few more interesting achievements at Kiambaa:</div>
<div>
1. They employ their own support staff for extension, administration, milk testing etc.</div>
<div>
2. They have their own yogurt brand, "Dafina Yogurt"</div>
<div>
3. They contributed tosuccessful advocacy towards a <br />
Value Added Tax exemption on dairy feeds!</div>
<div>
4. There is a dairy cow insurance scheme that specifically services them<br />
<br />
Isn't that impact...</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
The sustainability lessons</h3>
<div>
<div>
One of my teachers and mentors, Prof Mandi Rukuni often says, "Development is about people, helping people help themselves." This principle, first taught to me about 2 years ago, I believe, is the mantra of resilience and sustainability. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Kiambaa Dairy SACCO is a model of how rural farmers have been able to help themselves, they have organised themselves; and have leveraged that to negotiate better input and output prices, to create relationships with bigger banks and dairy processors.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Kiambaa SACCO has evolved from a simple grouping of organized farmers into a fluid and functional system with default rates on credit of less than 2%. The SACCO is therefore now a safer and high potential haven for additional investment and greater partnership, for instance to access higher level technology to enhance their processing capacity so as to penetrate higher level markets and create more jobs.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Development partners, governments and private sector should invest time and resources in learning from models such as the Kiambaa SACCO so as to scale them up for sustainable and broad socio-economic development. </div>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Acknowledgements </h3>
<div>
<div>
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the <a href="http://www.cta.int/" target="_blank">Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation CTA</a> for awarding me the opportunity to contribute to the online coverage of the Fin4ag International Conference in Nairobi, Kenya from the 14th to 18th of July 2014. It was through this conference that my resolve to continue sharing and disseminating knowledge on sustainable solutions such as what I have shared was strengthened. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It was also during this conference that I got the wonderful opportunity to meet with some dynamic and inspiring smallholder dairy farmers iin Kenya such as Peris Njeka and Gladys Nyaka, togeter with their supportive husbands and families, wishing them continued success in feeding their families, country and whole world.<br />
<br />
<i>Find more interesting articles on <a href="http://www.harrison-manyumwa.strikingly.com/">www.harrison-manyumwa.strikingly.com</a> </i> </div>
</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-68792539607697406642014-06-11T18:26:00.001+02:002014-06-11T18:26:58.237+02:00Building new capacities to conquer tomorrow's challenges. https://www.dropbox.com/sc/qpgos1790b1wyjn/AAAeHNjs2_VRSak38xAZ0uXhaHarrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0Vainona, Harare North-17.76008 31.073639tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-35009802349598163412014-06-02T17:22:00.001+02:002014-06-02T17:26:21.357+02:00Just to give you All a BIG THANK YOU!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"Lack of gratitude is as the sin of witchcraft" - </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(My Translation of a common Shona Proverb)</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sometime back I asked for your support in the YoBloCo , Young Agriculture Blogger Competition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I would really like to thank all those who voted for this blog, and all those who found time just to look at my blog and read the posts. I know time is expensive for you all to make detailed comments on each posts, BUT I also know that you read my blog, because the number of views has kept on increasing to over a 1,500 views now!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am very pleased to share with you that even though the Barefoot E-ssue did not make it into the top 12 Blogs, we sure did get a special mention from CTA! Check out the News item <a href="http://www.yobloco.info/news/Top-12-bloggers?utm_source=YoBloCo&utm_campaign=637b066b64-Yobloco_newsletter_1&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4225a24b6f-637b066b64-78313449" target="_blank">here</a>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the same regard, I would also like to extend my warm gratitude to the Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (<a href="https://www.cta.int/" target="_blank">CTA</a>) for organizing the Web 2.0 Training that introduced me to blogging and birthed the Barefoot E-ssue.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">By the way, I started the Barefoot E-ssue as part of a class assignment in the Web 2.0 for Development Training and have just loved blogging since then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">All your support and encouragement (to everyone of you) is greatly appreciated from me and my writing "imaginative" partners in my mind here at the Barefoot E-ssue! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lastly, meet us at the </span><a href="https://www.fin4ag.org/" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank">Fin4Ag</a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> International Conference in Nairobi from 14-18 July 2014! See you there!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVII4rOqqBaH6yNZ1oSgtgQ7d4Y7WtgGhOWq8G7stGJAjal3ceWhgO3YKjnUKZrvYpKtRPwGgdYhfvMbewVxrsBZ0EBa1eRJZUake6ipieNlXYhGczvS38u8Ex401Ch-UnGL3K4cX2GrU/s1600/smiley.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVII4rOqqBaH6yNZ1oSgtgQ7d4Y7WtgGhOWq8G7stGJAjal3ceWhgO3YKjnUKZrvYpKtRPwGgdYhfvMbewVxrsBZ0EBa1eRJZUake6ipieNlXYhGczvS38u8Ex401Ch-UnGL3K4cX2GrU/s1600/smiley.PNG" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: large;">ciao! </span></i></span></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-90314772882004505202014-06-02T16:22:00.000+02:002014-06-06T16:39:29.471+02:00Let's do a little bit of Math... The Sustainable Food Future Equation<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i><b><span style="color: lime;">Sustainable Food Future</span></b> <b>=</b> <b><span style="color: red;"><u>grow more food (with less resources)</u></span></b> <b>+</b> <b><u><span style="color: yellow;">grow more people</span></u> <span style="color: #999999;">who love to</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> <b>grow more food (in a more sustainable way)</b></span></i></span></blockquote>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
I am quite happy to be communicating with the world again after a significant period of silence. Things have been a bit hectic but pretty exciting. I have had the privilege of joining a group of representatives from one my country's largest farmer representative body (you can check 'em out <a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_536455817"></span>here<span id="goog_536455818"></span></a>) in visiting their farmers around the country.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxC9F_Z61Xco7jFbhF5aQZLvStaqdsDBFwY95mQkerUCZVIXvbqdDjcT2GvnLbyiDIRLnLbXA6qwF4JwvODi_wHdNSAAakkoD6CKcgds8s1uaYWiAkAPpp6s6emG7FHsoqG1oI1nmius/s1600/murehwa+growth+point.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxC9F_Z61Xco7jFbhF5aQZLvStaqdsDBFwY95mQkerUCZVIXvbqdDjcT2GvnLbyiDIRLnLbXA6qwF4JwvODi_wHdNSAAakkoD6CKcgds8s1uaYWiAkAPpp6s6emG7FHsoqG1oI1nmius/s1600/murehwa+growth+point.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Young people are the dominant drivers of African agri-food markets <br />
transformation- Picture by Mabel Hungwe </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The most intriguing aspect of the visits I was privileged to join, is the evidence of young innovative and resilient agro-preneurs that are emerging across the African rural and rural-urban food markets landscape. From the far country side to the budding rural towns, ant-army like busy groups of young agriculture entrepreneurs are producing and moving food in a manner we have not seen as much in African history.<br />
<br />
Gradually more young people are taking over the mantle of food production and food trade in Africa and these young girls and boys are faster, sharper and have a variety of tools that their predecessors did not have (like ICTs, vehicles etc.) at their disposal.<br />
<br />
Just to cite a little bit of research to give my discussion a bit of legitimacy.<br />
<br />
A paper by Michigan State University, International Food Policy Research Institute and Harvard University experts titled <b><i>“Harnessing Innovation for African Agriculture and Food Systems: Meeting Challenges and Designing for the 21st Century”</i></b> shares their findings that "seemingly largely 'under the radar' of the development debates - there is emerging a <b><i>'Quiet Revolution'</i></b> in supply chains, with 10’s of 1000s of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in trucking, wholesale, warehousing, cold storage, first and second stage processing, local fast food, and retail, making major investments (in agriculture) in recent years" (Reardon et al., 2013).<br />
<br />
Further, their research reveals that post farm-gate segments of the supply chain – the midstream segment (processing and wholesale/transport) and downstream (retail and food stalls) - together form 50-70% of food costs to urban Africans.<br />
<br />
My bet is that young Africans are the invisible driving force behind this Quiet Revolution of African agri-food markets; moving agri-food commodities from point X to point Y relaying back non-food commodities, cash or even agro-inputs from either to point Y or point Z.<br />
<br />
<i>Well they are the only ones who could have such energy!</i><br />
<br />
This transformation has numerous implications and leads to a number of development perspectives.<br />
For instance:<br />
1. Young people could be finding a critical economically profitable role to play in the transformation of African agricultural markets. Though at a small to medium scale, the efforts and returns are spread out leading to broad based growth in rural areas and rural towns in Africa. - POSITIVE!<br />
<br />
2. While the participation in agri-food markets has increased and the monetary value of agri-food economies circulating between African rural and urban environments has increased, the majority of agri-food business value is still retained in post-farm-gate activities. - ... NOT so positive... (at least in my perspective)<br />
<br />
Any Options?<br />
Yes...<br />
Let us build on and find new ways of raising the amount of monetary value earned from on-farm/production activities.<br />
What could this entail?<br />
Well...<br />
1. Innovative post-harvest technologies<br />
2. Shifting value addition to rural on-farm<br />
3. Creating a conducive food production environment<br />
Why?<br />
Raising the returns of the producers in the food supply chain makes food production a more attractive venture.<br />
Yes, most young people are better of shifting food from here to there, but while this positive shift is happening, we need to be growing more people who love to grow more food at the same timein order to secure a sustainable food future.<br />
<br />
What do you think? Share your perspective!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: xx-large; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: lime;">Sustainable Food Future</span></b> <b>=</b> <b><span style="color: red;"><u>grow more food (with less resource)</u></span></b> <b>+</b> <b><u><span style="color: yellow;">grow more people</span></u> <span style="color: #999999;">who love to</span></b><span style="color: #999999;"> <b>grow more food (in a more sustainable way)</b></span></i></div>
<br />
<br />Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-80650231465898219662014-03-31T10:57:00.001+02:002015-04-15T13:13:10.899+02:00Retelling the tale of "two-speed economies" - inclusive growth imperatives<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJjD_-MCvN0968sqr8TMcSjSA6NznoNKSQGtQE1gQ6AV7rXzaEOxpdyTqww4_AFXeakFPJW2h846ou8s8rmuzmaKLHjiRH_gQxPwoLzhoUegqxBO2lwDew9wxzrAs_QKrwOvRH-HOB5A/s1600/rural+development+057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJjD_-MCvN0968sqr8TMcSjSA6NznoNKSQGtQE1gQ6AV7rXzaEOxpdyTqww4_AFXeakFPJW2h846ou8s8rmuzmaKLHjiRH_gQxPwoLzhoUegqxBO2lwDew9wxzrAs_QKrwOvRH-HOB5A/s1600/rural+development+057.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture of Zimbabwean children working in a field<br />
by Mabel Hungwe <br />
Trustee, Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">One third of the world's people depend on small farms for their
livelihoods. This is a key development statistic. Inclusive smallholder agriculture driven growth should be
a central part of our development priorities. Africa has experienced trends of impressive economic
growth, improved governance and improved human development over the past decade. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">However, the pace and pattern of recent growth in Africa has not delivered the jobs and poverty reduction that Africa has been
seeking. Africa's rural communities have been
left behind in its “positive” economic growth. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This is the “two-speed” economy tale told by the McKinsey Global Institute in a Mexican report titled "Growth
and prosperity in a two-speed economy." The report shares how Mexico, a
modern, fast-growing economy, with globally competitive multinationals and
cutting-edge manufacturing plants exists amid a far larger group
of traditional enterprises that really do not contribute
to growth. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You can read the McKinsey report </span><a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/Insights/Americas/A_tale_of_two_Mexicos?cid=other-eml-alt-mgi-mck-oth-1403" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">via
this link</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After reading this report, I got interested in unpacking the black box of the disparity between the developed minority and underdeveloped majority, I began to study more about Mexico. I
learned that, in the rural areas of Mexico, 61% of people lived beneath the
national rural poverty line in 2010, according to World Bank data. Given that
the country’s rural population was estimated at about 25 million, this means that more than 15
million people in those areas were living in poverty.</span></div>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH0sMxiFCjMa3k1mkSAbYPTcvQyyVyPqoc-SR0irz6pDD9EOsYzkG-kP7AvloSyWZn4ndhb1OwBMMjv2CF1WeDmyn9qlVGQGBSAZHbaBsACHOqY0agjWpZTYK6mb4qRBghfZjO2Qlg1g/s1600/agribusiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgH0sMxiFCjMa3k1mkSAbYPTcvQyyVyPqoc-SR0irz6pDD9EOsYzkG-kP7AvloSyWZn4ndhb1OwBMMjv2CF1WeDmyn9qlVGQGBSAZHbaBsACHOqY0agjWpZTYK6mb4qRBghfZjO2Qlg1g/s1600/agribusiness.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of a Zimbabwean farm worker in a Rose greenhouse<br />
Picture also by Mabel Hungwe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I related this story to our homeland Africa, where we are similarly going through a trend of “two-speed” economies. Therefore i</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">nclusive growth is an imperative... not just for Africa... It is an
imperative, no matter where in the world you are!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Last year I was working in an African agriculture organization. It so
happened that one of our experts was engaged to assist in developing an issues
paper for a renowned annual African agriculture event. </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">nclusive growth is an imperative... not just for Africa... It is an imperative, no matter where in the world you are.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is at this time that I began to dig deeper into the world of "inclusive"
economic growth and development. I came across a variety of materials,
interacted with a variety of scholars and researchers, networks and platforms
such as the Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF), The World Economic Forum and
the Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust (BEAT).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a nutshell, this is why Inclusive
growth is an imperative for the African century:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Africa and other developing regions have millions of smallholder farmers who are settled on some the world's scarce arable land. These are potential producers to feed the world. Africa also has millions of youths with
untapped innovation potential as entrepreneurs to drive the emerging
food markets. With a growing population, Africa carries billions of people who are huge consumer market. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Given Africa’s unique
resource endowments and demographic features, inclusive, innovative,
smallholder-centered business models are the entry point to the transformation
that Africa is seeking.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">The future of African
agricultural development means making rural farming and entrepreneurship
broader, deeper and stronger; also creating more economically viable non-farm
activities linked to the growing rural farm activities to meet the emerging
demands of a changing population.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Africa's Bottom of the Pyramid have the will, the qualities, the
opportunity to “lead” development in Africa as long as the right
incentives are in place. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-24462655914822626502014-03-06T13:46:00.000+02:002014-03-06T13:46:38.452+02:00The YoBloCo Youth Blog Competition Public Evaluation has opened.. Vote for this Blog!Greetings,<br />
<div>
Exciting news! </div>
<div>
The Youth in Agriculture Blog Competition (YoBloCo Awards) is now open! </div>
<div>
After an initial selection that followed the blog submission, 145 blogs (out of 194 submissions) have met the minimal requirements of an eligible blog and have been qualified for public evaluation.</div>
<div>
Guess what...?! </div>
<div>
This blog, "Afrika's Barefoot Agriculture E-ssue" is one of the pre-selected individual blogs!</div>
<div>
There are 121 blogs in the individual category and 24 blogs in the institutional category. </div>
<div>
If this blog happens to be one of your favorite blogs, please do not hesitate to vote for it NOW!</div>
<div>
<br />
Here is the procedure:</div>
<div>
1. Click on the link below to go to the voting page:</div>
<div>
<div>
<a href="https://tinyurl.com/individual-blogs" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/individual-blogs </a></div>
</div>
<div>
(By the way you are supposed to vote for the two best blogs of your choice)</div>
<div>
2. On the website of the YoBloCo Awards, you will find my blog's profile listed as "The Barefoot E-ssue". You should see something that looks <i>almost</i> like this:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIw3WSgsC2iUI0EgQxYuCKYzYsBL_fZoLltV26MWHZX7dp4v8ddqVUShVdCy4ZvVEBC_261L94aDlL1vHNVxgWQM47VduOcl-k-UtqGuIEjIPq5q9ihFdB0RSHolGNj06oStO_mwscHw/s1600/blog+for+yobloco.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDIw3WSgsC2iUI0EgQxYuCKYzYsBL_fZoLltV26MWHZX7dp4v8ddqVUShVdCy4ZvVEBC_261L94aDlL1vHNVxgWQM47VduOcl-k-UtqGuIEjIPq5q9ihFdB0RSHolGNj06oStO_mwscHw/s1600/blog+for+yobloco.PNG" height="142" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
3. Click Vote on my blog and then select the second blog you would like to vote for.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
4. After this, A dialogue box will appear on the right of your screen indicated by the two red arrows in the picture</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
5. You will then be asked to enter your email address before the "Vote" button becomes active. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
6. After clicking the "Vote" button, an email will be sent to you... Go to your email and confirm the votes you would have just made</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Note that your votes will not be counted until you confirm them through the email sent to you).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
7. That's it!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Many great thanks for your support, and see you on the vote counts!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-7295204291759805872014-03-04T08:20:00.003+02:002014-03-04T08:58:56.417+02:00My best 2 minute lecture on Agricultural Development so far...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"When we invest together, good things grow"</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
IFAD, 2014</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have never heard it expressed in a simpler and more powerful way before.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I happened to bump into one of IFAD’s videos on the Year of family farming, and I must say, this short video is one of the best lectures I have had on agricultural investment and development so far.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You can watch the video <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rn14KR5-Gk">here</a> (right click to open it in a new tab or new window).</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFMI08ZRy7a3CQGm4CXjDrO4zn9owklFZR851wPURRMzcYBZDZKJls5E86M9NNbTeN9CpctBnzX7f6dLXo2PaZGtDnJxU47Yje_TDKvDZDVkTxJUgV_A3KqHM7pt4tM91CMm0eUGgs38/s1600/ifad+screen+shot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFMI08ZRy7a3CQGm4CXjDrO4zn9owklFZR851wPURRMzcYBZDZKJls5E86M9NNbTeN9CpctBnzX7f6dLXo2PaZGtDnJxU47Yje_TDKvDZDVkTxJUgV_A3KqHM7pt4tM91CMm0eUGgs38/s1600/ifad+screen+shot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A screen shot from the video</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Below, I share with you three main insights from the video and my short homework exercises on “what I learnt.”</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Insight Number 1:</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
One third of the global population have their livelihoods dependent on small farms, that’s approximately 2.3 billion people and they work extremely hard for long hours every day, struggling to feed their families and educate their children.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
What I learnt: </h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>I realized just how important productivity and profitability increasing technologies are to helping change the world.</li>
<li>The need for more advanced seed, more effective, efficient and environmentally friendly technologies became more apparent to me as these could potentially raise farmers’ productivity.</li>
<li>I also learnt that profitability can also be improved for instance by interventions that result in enhancing the ease of doing business for the world's small family farmers.</li>
<li>This could be inclusive of lowering transaction costs and improving logistics and post-harvest technologies to reduce post-harvest loss.</li>
</ul>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Insight Number 2:</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Ultimate goal of agricultural development is about “Investing Together” to ensure that rural farmers get the resources they need to grow more and sell more.</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
What I learnt: </h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>On this, I really liked the idea of “investing together” or pooling investments. On that note I realized that agricultural development is not a one person, one organization, one country issue; but must be a coordinated effort driven along the lines of a shared vision with clearly defined priorities.</li>
<li>I realized that agricultural development is really about “getting the fundamentals right, i.e. giving farmers access to NOT only resources, but the resources they REALLY need.</li>
</ul>
<span style="text-align: justify;">From having a first-hand experience and appreciation of rural farming as a young African boy my agricultural investment wish list would look something like this:</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In order to help farmers grow more and sell more, there is need to invest in,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><u>Number One:</u></b> Research & Development that allows for co-creation of knowledge with farmers by combining word-class competencies with intrinsic indigenous knowledge and experience to boost plant and livestock performance effectively within African environments and also identify new niche markets without compromising humanity’s environmental stewardship.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This will help farmers to first, know what is best for them to grow (through market research), and then second, be able to grow more of it (through production research)</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><u>Number Two:</u></b> Sustainable and flexible financial vehicles and instruments for rural farmers.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This will help farmers grow more by allowing them to access to enough working capital</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><u>Number Three:</u></b> A well maintained, strategically linked transport/road network (perhaps something like growth corridors, that move along nodes of developing rural towns and growing cities linking rural producers to rural, urban and even export buyers). In my mind it could look something like this:</li>
</ul>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuhb4Hi-ojbm4yNecsFxZ7EOBCMNebe5eAk6CjMW5-IsxNFVqtrx1wIsbrT7y6-WkwyZ6qDf5KjMcFysg7lmAnntXxf__WpwDBHJpCve8dQFhXqYVL6b2Bo87uHRr4Y4Co0RmZ7QvS5c/s1600/road+networks.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuhb4Hi-ojbm4yNecsFxZ7EOBCMNebe5eAk6CjMW5-IsxNFVqtrx1wIsbrT7y6-WkwyZ6qDf5KjMcFysg7lmAnntXxf__WpwDBHJpCve8dQFhXqYVL6b2Bo87uHRr4Y4Co0RmZ7QvS5c/s1600/road+networks.PNG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My simple illustration of how transport networks should link the rural farmers to more business</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Improved transport networks will help farmers to sell more</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><u>Number Four:</u></b> Reliable energy infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A wide range of technologies have been developed to help farmers make the best of their farming and agribusiness experience. However, most rural farmers are still faced with the challenge of trading off between the best technological functionalities and limited energy supply.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Reliable energy infrastructure could significantly help rural farmers to sell more</i></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Farmers also need energy to harness other natural resources to their advantage like water for irrigation, or gas and or solar for storing, refrigerating or processing their produce to ensure they get the best value for money.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><b><u>Number Five:</u></b> Efficient ICT infrastructure</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I believe now is the time that governments and the agricultural development fraternity MUST have dedicated strategies towards leveraging ICT for agriculture e.g. for accessing market information and learning new production techniques. Agricultural ministries especially in Africa specifically need to have dedicated strategies towards making the most of emerging technologies especially to engage youths into agriculture</div>
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">
Insight Number 3:</h4>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Farmers, local leaders, national governments, private sector, donors make a great team, and “WHEN THEY INVEST TOGETHER, GOOD THINGS GROW, things like better nutrition, better schools and secure communities.” (IFAD, 2014)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFMI08ZRy7a3CQGm4CXjDrO4zn9owklFZR851wPURRMzcYBZDZKJls5E86M9NNbTeN9CpctBnzX7f6dLXo2PaZGtDnJxU47Yje_TDKvDZDVkTxJUgV_A3KqHM7pt4tM91CMm0eUGgs38/s1600/ifad+screen+shot.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFMI08ZRy7a3CQGm4CXjDrO4zn9owklFZR851wPURRMzcYBZDZKJls5E86M9NNbTeN9CpctBnzX7f6dLXo2PaZGtDnJxU47Yje_TDKvDZDVkTxJUgV_A3KqHM7pt4tM91CMm0eUGgs38/s1600/ifad+screen+shot.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we invest together, good things grow, IFAD, 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-sBcIVu4ugpQ%2FUxVv3JPyorI%2FAAAAAAAAAyg%2F_kxiomc1ZWY%2Fs1600%2Fifad%2Bscreen%2Bshot.png&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghFMI08ZRy7a3CQGm4CXjDrO4zn9owklFZR851wPURRMzcYBZDZKJls5E86M9NNbTeN9CpctBnzX7f6dLXo2PaZGtDnJxU47Yje_TDKvDZDVkTxJUgV_A3KqHM7pt4tM91CMm0eUGgs38/s1600/ifad+screen+shot.png" --><!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-vI7YYOd2Ivw%2FUxVt4utDi2I%2FAAAAAAAAAyU%2Fdn9YYXzjn4E%2Fs1600%2Froad%2Bnetworks.PNG&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDuhb4Hi-ojbm4yNecsFxZ7EOBCMNebe5eAk6CjMW5-IsxNFVqtrx1wIsbrT7y6-WkwyZ6qDf5KjMcFysg7lmAnntXxf__WpwDBHJpCve8dQFhXqYVL6b2Bo87uHRr4Y4Co0RmZ7QvS5c/s1600/road+networks.PNG" -->Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-76035021424168351512014-02-04T09:41:00.000+02:002017-05-06T12:30:35.958+02:00What does Development mean to you (Part II)... "Aiding Aid to work better for Africa"<div style="text-align: justify;">
A couple of months ago, I wrote an article entitled, "What does development mean to you... Never miss the value for the money"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I know and understand that the post was not that popular because it carried a little bit of mind-boggling issues. My apologies, but the whole idea is to trigger thoughts outside the box and to foster dialogue, so that at the end of the day, we all get the fundamentals right and we are operating on the same wavelength.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the way, we are still celebrating the "Year of Agriculture and Food Security (I usually call it the <i>YoAFS</i>)" and the "Year of Family Farming." And I am becoming really excited by the increasing amount of YoAFS "multimedia traffic" I am encountering in the digital space.Was just having a look at the <a href="http://pages.au.int/caadpyoa">AU page</a> for the YoAFS, and check out a glimpse of it below:</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN3KfYENPVbba848Qf7_TfyIkrvTKsuKmTTeDE3ssrinLYhLYwd999olG0GGV-gB0nEJhPA19Q14H1Y0AtMd-_1xp_qr1_E8Q5-XIXNrfyNDZulFQZdu_ILxEdS4U1YK_jehyphenhyphenVTr8vgI/s1600/AU+YoAFS.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaN3KfYENPVbba848Qf7_TfyIkrvTKsuKmTTeDE3ssrinLYhLYwd999olG0GGV-gB0nEJhPA19Q14H1Y0AtMd-_1xp_qr1_E8Q5-XIXNrfyNDZulFQZdu_ILxEdS4U1YK_jehyphenhyphenVTr8vgI/s1600/AU+YoAFS.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Anyway, before I get carried away, let me talk about what I really want to talk about. In my earlier "Development Perspectives Article" I raised a number of issues, like whether the world is making the right investments in Africa, developing the right skills, making the right policy and regulatory decisions and so forth. Of course, I talked about aid subtly, but today, I want to share a few thoughts on aid after reading and learning quite a bit from the <a href="http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/">2014 Bill and Melinda Gates annual letter</a>. One of the most optimistic notes from the letter is that 7 out of 10 of the fastest growing countries today are African, so forgive me if I tend to maintain a bias towards Africa.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Aid, don't just "add" the Aid</i></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
First I would like to clarify that this is not argument against aid. One of the most crucial lessons I have learnt about a "barefoot" approach to learning and development, is that <i>"Development essentially is about People". </i>Hence the question is really not, "is Aid good or bad?" I guess the more fundamental question today is, how can we better use Aid to advance and positively transform people's lives. What are the critical investments and development pathways that we should channel Aid to so as to develop a complete, healthy, productive and self-reliant person. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
In as much as aid has contributed to significant health breakthroughs like malaria and polio and has provided a fall back for the vulnerable in times of severe crisis or disaster, I still believe that aid could do better if focused on addressing some specific, critical bottlenecks to personal and community empowerment such as infrastructure, markets, technology, networks, energy, education etc. While there is much being done in pockets of projects, there is more that could be achieved if these projects could be scaled and dealt with at macro levels. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
If we believe in helping build a prosperous Africa in the next 50 years, there might be need to revisit our approach to aid from "adding" more Aid to "aiding" it to work better. Africa needs more focused and empowering investments. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
There is potential for greater returns from aid if more Aid is spent <b><u>not</u></b> on doing things for people, <b><u>BUT</u></b> helping people do things for themselves. Africa has a great potential and this potential will only be realized through partnership, yes partnership even with foreign aid, but these partnerships can only be effective if Aid is focused onto the right spots in the right quantities, at the right time, and there should be no compromise.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
This is not only an issue for the donors. Recipient countries of aid need to know for themselves the most effective areas or targets for Aid. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<b><i>Inequality: Africa's development Cancer</i></b> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I really like to acknowledge B&MG's allusion to the issue of corruption and aid. And I am in full agreement with their view that advances in ICT will also help curb corruption in the future. My take is that, this is one of the ways of aiding Aid to work better: <i><b>Channeling Aid towards the fight against the drivers of inequality such as corruption.</b></i> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Corruption disempowers, the low income-earners who often do not have the bribes or the right "political relationships" to access better services and richer opportunities. Corruption concentrates wealth around a certain minority rather than distributing it among the majority.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Though B&MG express a certain degree of comfort by claiming that corruption is an insignificant tax on aid, the impact of corruption in Africa in the public and private sector is a big Cancer to Africa's development goals and will continue to do so in the next decades and may hamper the optimistic predictions of a better life if not curbed effectively. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
I was reading an ActionAid report that revealed that in a certain African country, one Member of Parliament estimates that perhaps <b><i>20% of the agriculture budget goes missing</i></b>. In another African country, a leading public policy institute estimates that<b><i> 20–30% of the agriculture budget goes missing</i></b>, regardless the government's pledge to fight corruption. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Corruption fuels/drives inequality, and inequality stifles development. The 2013 Human Development Report states that <b><i>"It will be neither desirable nor sustainable if increases in the Human Development Index (HDI) value are accompanied by rising inequality in income..."</i></b> Sub Saharan Africa still has the highest inequality in health according to the same report. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Improving ICT, improving the quality of education and civic engagement will contribute to fighting corruption and can aid Aid to work better for Africa.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
Well, that's my take, what do you think?</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-17524575246749246012014-01-20T20:26:00.001+02:002014-01-20T20:26:41.361+02:00Zimbabwe Farmers Union (Youth Development) - Fit for life Program<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/guDYniXN0ow" width="480"></iframe>Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-13058809446406940892014-01-17T17:41:00.003+02:002014-02-15T21:04:51.387+02:00Make the first 90 days of the Year of Agriculture and Food Security count!... Trust me, It will change the game...<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: lime; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">90 days</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>89 days</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: orange; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>88 days</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>... and counting</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, we all got really excited when the leaders of Africa in 2012, declared 2014 the year of Agriculture and Food Security.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well I could be seen by others to be asking or expecting too much if I say, what I am about to say, but I will say it anyway...</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"We have not managed to make the first 17 days of 2014 as Africa's Year of Agriculture and Food Security (YoAFS) effectively count, and hence we need to roll up our sleeves and increase momentum..." </div>
</blockquote>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This statement does not mean that our leaders are doing nothing. Certainly not. I know there are a number of high level meetings taking place on the continent and beyond deliberating how the YoAFS can be the dawn of Africa's century.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But, while the high level technical meetings are happening; for instance, while our leaders are preparing for the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union which will run from the 24th to the 31st of January 2014, under the theme, "Year of Agriculture and Food Security," what is happening "on the ground"??? A couple of decades ago, "on the ground" could have meant something a little different from what I want to investigate today. This is what I mean; in the first 17 days of 2014, YoAFS, to see what is happening "on the ground", I dived into the "Social Media" sea to see what's treading and what's happening... That could be today's meaning of "on the ground"...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, I started with Facebook... looked for a "2014 Africa Year of agriculture and food security" Page...Found nothing...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then went on to Twitter; typed #yearofagriculture... Yeah... something came up, but the most recent #yearofagriculture tweet was on November 6, 2013 by @ONEinAfrica... No tweet #yearofagriculture tweet in 2014;</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Then Google; the latest post on Google + related to "Africa 2014 Year of Agriculture and Food Security" was by Harrison Manyumwa on December 30, 2013... Haven't seen anything as yet in 2014.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Guess we all got some homework to do.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But I would really like to commend people like <a href="http://emmiekio.blogspot.com/2014/01/2014-year-of-agriculture-and-food.html">Emmiekio</a> who have started with the Blogging. I have just checked out your blog, and I really like it!!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I believe as African individuals, we should commit from all spheres social media, high level technical, youth, civil society, basically everyone, everywhere has to be engaged in a plans for the first 90 days of the YoAFS to create the momentum and the drive: otherwise; the YoAFS might never count and might simply pass away like all other years have passed away.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
If we all care so much and believe so much in focusing on achieving our biggest goals in the first 90 days of the year, or the first 100 days of our Presidential careers... doesn't the same also apply for our national, continental and global goals?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Spread, Share, encourage an African to make the first 90 days of the YoAFS count... Trust me, this will change the game!!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-9738791784433169572014-01-01T12:26:00.001+02:002014-01-01T12:26:17.483+02:00Happy and Prosperous 2014.<p>Wishing you all my friends a very happy, pleasant and prosperous 2014. Remember to trust your intuition, to do the right thing and never miss the VALUE 4 the Money!!!</p>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-57506042434894882772013-12-31T16:22:00.000+02:002014-02-15T21:05:45.724+02:00What does Development Mean to you?... Never miss the VALUE for the money<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most of Africa's youth are unemployed. Reportedly, 60% of the Africa’s unemployed are
aged 15-24 years, and underemployment is pervasive among rural youth and growing among urban youth. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBneet0U75rwiX6q5cT_fVoBAnDQrh8IjkXQ019n3qgPhOda92lbk19xrppjFv__AGFovFLI3mnvceKxApdAEAR8cxAtVIUJwXb5WJj9MqHBwVnTHAmWX90iNzKNwIfjF_exFSEbOB27Q/s1600/2013-12-15+16.20.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBneet0U75rwiX6q5cT_fVoBAnDQrh8IjkXQ019n3qgPhOda92lbk19xrppjFv__AGFovFLI3mnvceKxApdAEAR8cxAtVIUJwXb5WJj9MqHBwVnTHAmWX90iNzKNwIfjF_exFSEbOB27Q/s1600/2013-12-15+16.20.06.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Young Academics Mutating into Farmers"...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Smiling over a small garden I share with a friend</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">in the town on Norton, Zimbabwe. In background,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">is a small portion of potatoes growing in sacks,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">an Israeli technology that is growing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">fast as a form of urban farming in Zimbabwe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The technology allows for a larger number of</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">plants per unit area and improved management</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">and efficiency of input use.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Earning a University Degree, is really an envied achievement in Africa, but recently, in some African countries like Zimbabwe, the rate of unemployed graduates has soared and young people are desperate for jobs even if they do not understand the job description! What some youth are looking for, is just... a job. In the midst of the crisis a remnant of the resilient are mutating into entrepreneurs. But in this post, I want to talk about the Job and Money System and the implication it has had on African Development, of which I am very passionate about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">An article in a <a href="http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/opinion/18962-zimbabwe-graduates-join-the-jobless-heap.html">Zimbabwean Newspaper</a> reads, "Each year, Zimbabwe churns out close to 10 000 graduates. But... few of them have any real chance of a job"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the backdrop of a collapsing private sector, jobs in the non-governmental/non-profit making sector (NGOs/NPOs) are a lucrative landing for most young Zimbabweans. Some are even quickly starting their own NGOs to hopefully find a donor and at least make a living. Some have ventured into NGO or NPO through genuine passion, but the line between the authentic and inauthentic is increasingly becoming difficult to draw. </span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While aid has played and will continue to play a crucial role in cushioning the impacts of poverty and vulnerability to external shocks, experts agree that it is not proving to be the answer for poverty eradication. I just read an article by David Bennett on </span><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/201312310440.html?viewall=1" style="font-family: inherit;">"African Agriculture needs Trade not Aid"</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">... and I it just confirmed the need for sustainable, practical and working solutions.</span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I came across the gloomy Zimbabwean article on unemployed graduates, I then bumped into an interesting Post by a Forbes member of staff on </span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/05/11/10-jobs-that-didnt-exist-10-years-ago/" style="font-family: inherit;">"10 jobs that did not exist 10 years ago"</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">! Really interesting, but in between these two observations, I began to remember reading a book by Calum Roberts entitled the "The Wealth of Nations, Timeless Concepts for Today." As I remembered this book, my memory was brought to a section where the author explains how "markets can be manipulated" and that innovation, is at times limited to a system already created, and that innovation does not always naturally create markets. In the Job Market sense, I then presumed that this might mean that "not all jobs created necessarily address specific needs" because we end up consumed by the system and miss the ultimate purpose. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, I would want to believe that so many donors and African governments have a lot of financial resources. Additionally, it is not a mystery where those resources should be channeled to or in what they should be invested in to eradicate poverty. There are also so many people, young and old who have great skill and knowledge and it is also not a mystery how that skill and knowledge can be utilized to drive transformation. However, these financial resources, skills and knowledge are are not put in the right places because of impeding systems and bottlenecks.</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, intuitively, I began to ask myself a day ago, do we really need some of these new "jobs" (I mean new descriptions of titles) that are emerging? What does it all add up to? For instance, let us take a look at agricultural development in Africa, I choose that because that is my profession.We could</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> ask ourselves, "What is Development all about?"... Well "If development in poor countries is about lifting the <b><i>poor people</i></b> out of poverty, then all development interventions (regardless who is driving them) must be linked directly to the specific needs of the poor people. Whatever a development intervention is bout, it should automatically focus on things that make the currently poor more self-reliant rather than dependent in the near or distant future. </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I believe that some African and non-African approaches to development have failed because they have been manipulated as markets that have to create and/or sustain certain jobs </span>or systems <span style="font-family: inherit;">even if it means that <b><i>"the poor remain poor or even become poorer."</i></b> </span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well we all know that at a higher level, there is always a conflict of the ideals of </span>power, governance and money <span style="font-family: inherit;">between various parties while at a lower or operational level there is the hunger to find and keep employment by always pleasing our clients or partners, even when we do not necessarily have to. At the end of the day, the net effect of the forces tends to pull towards fuelling poverty and hunger instead of eliminating it.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What is your role in development? Are you an Entrepreneur... Development Practitioner... Donor... Government Officer... Student... Researcher... Consultant... ?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Are you not missing the "forest for the trees" by shortchanging long term gains for short term benefits?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Trust your instinct,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Do the right thing,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have always said... "Never Miss the value for the money"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Chao!</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">oh, by the way, keep on the look out for my new magazine coming soon. just follow this blog by email or RSS feed and you won't miss out! </span></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-44959206223422765672013-12-30T14:44:00.000+02:002013-12-30T15:07:29.882+02:00Celebrating the Year of Agriculture and the Year Family Farming the BAREFOOT Way!!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Volume 1, Post 1</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr_4QiKZwaG3shSWnbZYv3eXXVlNhTQD3MW1NrXB6g7sUMRMlKotHQxY0eAkOFs5XHN8isO4S_woZ3n7GLQ940WUe2dypiDw_bUQTnMvIeJcljqpnHBMXx7tbvFyU7FCGmeESiVUeqFE/s1600/modernize+2.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqr_4QiKZwaG3shSWnbZYv3eXXVlNhTQD3MW1NrXB6g7sUMRMlKotHQxY0eAkOFs5XHN8isO4S_woZ3n7GLQ940WUe2dypiDw_bUQTnMvIeJcljqpnHBMXx7tbvFyU7FCGmeESiVUeqFE/s1600/modernize+2.PNG" height="113" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
"Qouted from Prof Mandi Rukuni"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As we are knocking on the door of 2014 which will be the
Year of Family Farming at the FAO and the Year of Agriculture and
Nutrition/Food Security at the Africa Union, I have decided to dedicate this
blog to celebrating Agriculture. <i>By the way, I have also changed the sub-domain name of the blog from beatzw.blogspot.com to barefootagri.blogspot.com, "so don't get lost".<span style="font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold;"> </span>This post also unveils the first Post, under the title of "The Barefoot E-ssue Vol. 1." So let's enjoy the ride and see how far we go with this Volume.</i><br />
<br />
Specifically, as we discuss and deliberate on agricultural issues on this e-ssue, it is my hope that we will in 2014, bring to light the type of agriculture that will create a pathway out
of poverty for hundreds of millions of Africans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
After learning of so many farming and agriculture models as
a young African student; I have received, during my time working with the Barefoot Education
for Afrika Trust (BEAT), additional education on an "alternative" farming
model. This model is actually more than just a farming model but rather a "renaissance
of an Afrikan lifestyle". Yep, I’m talking about “Barefoot Agriculture”.<br />
<br />
(Without really
seeing the expressions on the many people reading this post right now, I know
that this kind of a "farming model" will likely be received with some grumbling
and a little bit of resentment.) I mean, "who in this day and age of shoes with different styles and sizes would be still interested in doing anything "barefoot"???!!!. :))<br />
<br />
BUT... Hold your horses and don’t fire! (as yet). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Let me explain... When I say “Barefoot Agriculture”, I do not imply or advocate for
stagnating progression of farming and entrenching rural people in poverty and an
underdeveloped or less mechanized subsistence-oriented farming; certainly not. I
will discuss in subsequent posts in this e-ssue how I strongly believe that
technology, urbanization and modernization all form a central part of the future of Barefoot
Agriculture.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I believe (and these are my thoughts, no theory from a Professor, or what, But just basically how I have understood these issues during my junior career):</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"By 'Barefoot Agriculture', we envision an 'open' agriculture with
equal opportunities. An Agriculture that appreciates grass roots knowledge and
wisdom and embraces <b><i>co-creation rather than imposition.</i></b> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Barefoot Agriculture
seeks to further open up the markets of technology, knowledge and even products which allows each people and culture to identify their niche in the
current complexity of global challenges and how each culture and people can supply and uniquely
contribute to a better and more food secure world. </blockquote>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTzx6peLzvBuR5JC36t2xX4_8kD9VUS1xs0azlmbFHKdKBr29SFfJMx5zvCZoJpU7UOC8e9CbNp2CtCKl2UoVwlnxKa0akYAcJm52W9MRoxcxxPbVySiGDWl48VgfILRW6LKlJzLj2qM/s1600/2013-09-28+12.10.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTzx6peLzvBuR5JC36t2xX4_8kD9VUS1xs0azlmbFHKdKBr29SFfJMx5zvCZoJpU7UOC8e9CbNp2CtCKl2UoVwlnxKa0akYAcJm52W9MRoxcxxPbVySiGDWl48VgfILRW6LKlJzLj2qM/s1600/2013-09-28+12.10.26.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A Picture a relative's family farm in the area of Ruwa, Zimbabwe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As you can see family farms are transforming rapidly in Zimbabwe,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">a high level of resilience and entrepreneurship is being exhibited as family</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">farmers start thinking "beyond grain", diversifying into ventures like </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">horticulture.They ingenuously find ways of getting the right technologies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">to compete in supplying growing and diverse </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">rural and urban markets, and it works!!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<blockquote>
Barefoot Agriculture removes
the psychological barriers that have hindered the success of many African
countries in solving even their own problems. In essence Barefoot Agriculture is about opening up the markets "psychologically" rather than in conventional trade theory terms. Practically, the ground we can never level the ground, but we can raise the level at which we Africans view ourselves in a competitive world. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Barefoot Agriculture restores the
confidence of African agriculture and food brands while appreciating the need for
Africans to “up the game” and meet the standards of competing in an aggressive global
market. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Barefoot Agriculture allows Africans to change from just “<i><b>adjusting</b></i>
to become faithful servants and followers in the agri-food markets” to “<b><i>adapting</i></b> to compete threatening rivals in agri-food markets”</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
BAREFOOT AGRICULTURE IS TELLING AFRICANS THAT THEY CAN DO IT!" </blockquote>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I believe that as we celebrate the 2014 Year of Agriculture and
the Year of Family Farming; it is time that we as Africans call for aggressiveness
towards agricultural development. Where we are willing to stand the heat
without losing, but rather, <b><i>making the most of our uniqueness</i></b>. Like my good old
Professor, Mandi Rukuni says:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="text-align: justify;">“Modernize, Don’t Westernize </span><i style="text-align: justify;">or Easternize</i><span style="text-align: justify;"> African
Agriculture” </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Chao!</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-72330865821188223762013-12-12T03:09:00.001+02:002014-04-03T15:19:49.077+02:00Sustaining Agriculture Momentum in Africa... The Story of Youth and Agripreneurship in Zimbabwe<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3EJiUiFr3s-k2KRSEHWFO_x9grFqNCbymUdjjzav0MWECy1QXQyDOOismwSS1gCFBACGScvpvO0ZCGfdPdMcpFeS7WycbOpRlArk63yE6KuLalICNTM4nHw4Ijawe76aZiH3ErVLjjI/s1600/yuth+summit+zfu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3EJiUiFr3s-k2KRSEHWFO_x9grFqNCbymUdjjzav0MWECy1QXQyDOOismwSS1gCFBACGScvpvO0ZCGfdPdMcpFeS7WycbOpRlArk63yE6KuLalICNTM4nHw4Ijawe76aZiH3ErVLjjI/s1600/yuth+summit+zfu.JPG" height="248" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>The greatest thing that has ever happened to Young People,
Agriculture and Entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe... The Agripreneurship Summit
2013!</i></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I was sitting in a building called <i>The Engineering Workshop</i> at
Zimbabwe’s Harare Institute of Technology. However, at the same time, I was surrounded by the aura of a Grandeur
Arena similar to that of a place of great authority such as a Kings Palace; where every word spoken seems powerful beyond
measure; where one can actually touch and feel the power that resonates in
words of confidence and words of great vision. Yes it sounds irregular and unconventional, being in an Engineer's Workshop and feeling the proud and electric energy of young agricultural leaders and entrepreneurs resonating in the background. Sitting in that environment I knew and I felt that the future belongs to the youth of Africa. Believe me, there is nothing conventional about what I am talking about; nothing is, nothing has been, and nothing ever will be conventional about the
Agripreneurship Summit! You don’t even find the word “Agripreneurship” in the
dictionary and that’s just what makes it!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
From the 10<sup>th</sup> to the 12<sup>th</sup> of December 2013,
the Zimbabwe Farmers Union has been running the inaugural Youth Agripreneurship Summit 2013. By
the way, <i>ever since I have opened this blog</i>, I have changed the name of the
blog a dozen times to try and explain what it is we really want to achieve. After
a variety of names came up, I realized at the end of the day, that all
the issues I am discussing, all this Barefoot mindset and philosophy we have
been working on with other scholars at our organization, BEAT, for years is all about ways of finding or defining the sustainability of development in Africa, and hence from today, I have called the blog, “A Long Walk to the Sustainability of Development in Africa… The Barefoot Principle”. And of course, I have been inspired by the courage, boldness and resolve of the Great African legend Nelson Mandela's <i>"Long Walk to Freedom." </i>May he rest in eternal peace.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Refocusing on the Agripreneurship Summit, the Barefoot Education for Afrika
Trust (BEAT) was invited to the Youth Agripreneurship Summit as a strategic and potential knowledge partner. Barefoot Professor Mandi Rukuni gave the Keynote Speech and the atmosphere was electric as young people itched and boiled with the eagerness to take on the challenges of agriculture and entrepreneurship. BEAT believes that partnering in any way, with initiatives that
engage the Youth effectively into agriculture is essential to completing the Long Walk
to the Sustainability of Development in Africa, and hence a crucial part of the Barefoot story. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
One of the most radical things about the Summit, is the
unconventional and non-traditional way that the Agripreneurship Summit has been
launched and organized. Of course, a few bolts and nuts will need to be
tightened but this is the first time ever, I have seen the youth in Zimbabwe
keenly involved and enthusiastically engaged in agriculture, with a voice that is shouting, “We wanna do this!!!” The use of Open Space Technology gave young people the room to say their views and feelings unapologetically. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The overall theme of the Summit was, “Breaking
the Barriers” and the first barrier that has been broken in Zimbabwe over the
past few days of this summit is the socio-cultural misconception and
barrier of inequality that has always side-lined the voice and opinion of young
people and especially young women. It was a touching and eye opening experience as young girls talked about their challenges regarding critical issues such as access to land and capital.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps most of our readers
and followers might not understand, but it is not conventional in Africa and
more evidently in Zimbabwe, for the young people to confidently voice their
opinions with regards to strategically important issues such as agriculture and in particular land. Well to “statisize” this statement,
the Human Development Reports over the years assert that the rates of
inequality of income, resources/assets, health and education in
Sub Saharan Africa are among the highest in the world. In 2010, the ten countries
in Africa with the highest Inequality adjusted Human Development Indicator
(IHDI) were: Gabon, Tunisia, Egypt, South Africa, Morocco, Ghana, Namibia,
Congo, Swaziland, and Kenya. It is glad to note that Zimbabwe was among the ten countries
with the lowest IHDI in the same period and the Youth Agripreneurship has been testimony to
this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I will not take the limelight from the Young Farmers’
Agrpreneurship Summit. For more information, visit their Facebook Page by simply clicking this link <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ZFUYoungFarmersClubs">https://www.facebook.com/ZFUYoungFarmersClubs</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-59978191288674682032013-11-19T08:57:00.000+02:002013-12-19T15:37:56.291+02:00What is Barefoot Education? A Word from a Barefoot Professor...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 13px;"><span id="goog_1428019098"></span><span id="goog_1428019099"></span><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyFqgRSHd1GREMFnpcU8PDs4DXswOlpNlaEsRhlWuOABu0FNQS2IxtZubkREI50hTZhpX2dK5EMO2bWmOiqP53JVtHEE3YBRVX0nw_Ijalu85Fp-Nm7_PgND_NSJl8gmY7z7-GJUrqyg/s1600/study+circle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnyFqgRSHd1GREMFnpcU8PDs4DXswOlpNlaEsRhlWuOABu0FNQS2IxtZubkREI50hTZhpX2dK5EMO2bWmOiqP53JVtHEE3YBRVX0nw_Ijalu85Fp-Nm7_PgND_NSJl8gmY7z7-GJUrqyg/s1600/study+circle.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"The Barefoot Education for Afrika Trust (BEAT) was established in 2009 for the purpose of promoting ‘barefoot’ education—referring to community and family education. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Formal education in Africa has failed to transform people’s lives directly. In rural communities, families invest in ‘educating’ their children so that they can leave the community and go elsewhere and find a job—working for government and so on, as a way of escaping their own community and family who are bound to be trapped in poverty for the fore-seeable future. The idea is to build the capacity of rural and poor people to learn for themselves—as a way of life. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Development in the end is about people- equipping people to fulfill their own potential and their on dreams. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As BEAT we have been interested in the challenge that the agricultural extension system in most African countries is not effective and has struggled with issues of science and technological change, as well as in assisting farmers equip themselves with business and life skills. We then borrowed the idea of “learning circles’ from the Swedish Cooperative Center, who operate in many African countries. But the idea of ‘learning circles’ in itself in a universal one. Learning in traditional African society for instance, is in learning circles and discussion groups. Using learning or study circles as an extension tool has proved powerful. Adult learners form themselves into groups of 10-15 and commit to learning together and meet regularly. The group decides for themselves what issues they face and what they would like to learn about. We assist the learning process by providing learning material to the groups. The material is developed for self-directed learning in the absence of a teacher. It does take time to prepare these materials since experts are required to work with farmers on the curriculum development and in co-creating the written material so that it communicates directly to the intended audience. When the learning circle read these materials for themselves we find that they have a lot to discuss, learn and share. We also find that they are able interrogate new knowledge, add, subtract etc and co-create their own new knowledge that they are more prepared to apply. Study group members encourage each other and support each other in applying new knowledge. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We believe therefore that knowledge exists only at the point of action. Before action one only has ‘information’ which still has to be translated to action through co-creation. That is in essence the power of ‘barefoot education’. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
These learning materials are also available in local language. Formal education is available only in English and other foreign languages and fails to incorporate traditional, cultural and indigenous knowledge. So as a semi-retired professor myself, and a former Dean of Agriculture at the University of Zimbabwe, I believe that we can re-introduce learning and education as a way of life for families and communities outside the formal education system, and cover all aspects of life including life skills, business and leadership. The idea of a barefoot university is because we realize that if these alternative educational models are not formally recognised, it takes us longer to get the support and impact that we seek since of course there are detractors for various reasons such as elitist mindsets, as well as exclusionary tendencies."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Excerpt from an Electronic Interview of Prof Mandivamba Rukuni, Founder and Executive Director of BEAT, with Rachel Zamzow, BS Doctoral Student, Neuroscience University of Missouri-Columbia</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Go Barefoot!</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
</div>
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-68885532674494035852013-11-06T11:40:00.001+02:002013-11-06T11:44:13.200+02:00I've learnt a new spelling!! The "@" in "@gricultural revolution"Watch this great and inspiring video from CTA!!!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/wGmoX052TLk?autohide=1&version=3&attribution_tag=y5GTA5XDNhYq666FvVoJ9w&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&showinfo=1">The @gricultural revolution</a><br />
<br />
Go Mobile, Go Social, Go Barefoot... and... Way to Go CTA!!!Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2120516209156270619.post-45900232455958033712013-10-21T17:41:00.001+02:002013-10-21T17:41:31.297+02:00And the Keyword is... PARTNERSHIPS!!! <a href="http://www.cgiar.org/consortium-news/partnerships-lead-to-measurable-impacts-for-drought-tolerant-maize-for-africa/#.UmVKmnpw-wM.blogger">Partnerships lead to measurable impacts for Drought Tolerant Maize for Africa</a><br />
<br />
Harrison Manyumwahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05677116459717064694noreply@blogger.com0