The opportunity cost of industrialization in developing countries
The African spiny horned cucumber (pictured below) is abundant in Southern Africa this farming season. Like other natural crops, it does well in seasons characterized…
From academic and scientific research to commercial and social viability
When academic and scientific research came into African economies, communities were already surviving on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). In agriculture, for instance, a long tradition…
How people’s markets value satisfaction more than colonial measurements
The formal education system in developing countries has not taken time to explain and justify colonial measurements that continue to be used in attaching value…
How ICTs are being misused to perpetuate poverty
Contrary to the hype in which ICTs are presented as a panacea, ICTs-related costs in many African countries eroding the meagre promised benefits. Countless studies…
How can developing countries build financial systems that work for the majority and for the environment
Not much research is needed to prove that financial systems in most developing countries do not work for the majority of people and for the…
When poor communities start asking searching questions!
Although rural communities in Africa may not directly push-back donor support, murmurings of dissatisfaction with some development interventions are getting louder. Such concerns are being…
What if policies are highly over-rated?
Policy makers in developing countries are often blamed for lacking the vision to craft appropriate agricultural policies that can guarantee food security and better standards…
Why do cities consume more food than rural communities?
While 70 percent of the population in most African countries live in rural areas, the bulk of food produced in rural areas is consumed in…
Who will be future winners and losers in African Agriculture
While many African countries are competing to lure investors into their agriculture sector, a lot still needs to be done in order to clearly identify…
How and why transacting is a small part of market linkages
Reducing market linkages to transactions is one of the major reasons why efforts to integrate smallholder farmers into value chains have failed to transform agriculture…