WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2011-01-04 Time: 14:00:03 Posted By: News Poster
By Catherine Riungu
Nairobi – Africa can feed itself. It can make the transition from a hungry importer to a self-sufficient continent in a single generation, argues Harvard University professor Calestous Juma, in The New Harvest, Agricultural Innovation in Africa, a collection of studies outlining strategies for transforming sub-Saharan Africa’s agriculture.
The book was launched by Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete at a retreat of the East African Community (EAC) Heads of State in Arusha, Tanzania, in December 2010.
Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi, Mwai Kibaki of Kenya, and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, received copies at the retreat.
“African agriculture is at a crossroads,” said Prof Juma, a professor of international development at Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Centre for Science and International Affairs, and recognised globally for his work in applying science and technology to sustainable development.
“We have come to the end of a century of policies that favoured Africa’s export of raw materials and importation of food. Africa is starting to focus on agricultural innovation as its new engine for regional trade and prosperity,” he said.
“Yet Africa has abundant arable land and labour which, with an agreed common approach and sound policies, could translate into greater production, incomes and food security, ” he added.
The plan would combine the use of modern science and technology, infrastructure expansion, improved technical education, and stimulation of business development.
Among the steps he recommends are use of modern technologies (including biotechnology) and investment in geographical natural resource management; continued expansion of basic infrastructure (telecommunications, transportation, energy, and irrigation); improved technical education, especially for women and provision of experiential education.
Other measures are creation of new enterprises especially in fields such as seed production, farm mechanisation, food storage and processing; harmonisation of trading practices that extend regional markets; close co-operation between government, industry, academia and civil society in policy formulation and implementation and leadership by presidents and prime ministers to co-ordinate critical input involved a diversity of powerful ministries dealing with finance, infrastructure, education, trade and industry, and regional co-operation.
“An African agricultural revolution is within reach, provided the continent can focus on supporting small-scale farmers to help meet national and regional demand for food,” Prof Juma said.
Political support is strong and growing as African presidents start to pay attention to the importance of agriculture in overall economic transformation.
“They are also benefiting from exemplary leadership provided by Malawi’s Bingu wa Mutharika who until recently also doubled as the country’s agriculture minister,” Prof. Juma said noting that China, India, Brazil and others are recognising Africa’s overwhelming potential with a rising level of strategic investment.
Although 70 per cent of Africans are engaged in farming, production is so low that nearly 250 million people, one-quarter of the population, are undernourished – – a figure that has risen by 100 million since 1990.
One-third of sub-Saharan Africans are chronically hungry, while drought, soil degradation and disease appear endemic.
Only four per cent of the continent’s cropland is irrigated. Fertilisers, pesticides and high-quality seeds are expensive and in short supply.
Only a small minority of farmers uses machinery that is commonplace in Europe and North America. Deforestation is spreading as farmers seek to replace exhausted fields.
Water and energy supplies are often inadequate. Poor roads make it difficult to bring supplies and expertise to farms and get their produce to markets.
Government policies, lack of investment, bloody conflicts, the HIV/Aids epidemic and the global financial crisis all add to the problem.
In turn, agriculture’s poor performance derails the rest of Africa’s economy.
Prof Juma says it is important to see past the problems to recognise Africa’s immense land, water and energy resources.
It is the only continent with arable land readily available to expand agriculture. Southern Sudan alone could feed all Africans if properly developed, he says.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 3 January 2011
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201101030269.html?viewall=1