Who will be future winners and losers in African Agriculture

Posted on by eMKambo

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 winners and losers. A formula for winning in African agriculture https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/agriculture/our-insights/winning-in-africas-agricultural-market?cid=other-eml-alt-mip-mck&hlkid=d31b21d5ace243d3b2ce17001f2c9ca1&hctky=2883691&hdpid=235f0b4f-dc4a-4226-98ca-e6c36e7703cd is not yet revealing the extent to which smallholder farmers and other small value chain actors will benefit from Read more about Who will be future winners and losers in African Agriculture[…]

How and why transacting is a small part of market linkages

Posted on by eMKambo

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 in developing countries. While the notion of market linkages is mostly associated with three to five year projects by development agencies, there is a new realization that linking farmers to Read more about How and why transacting is a small part of market linkages[…]

How can developing countries valuate their fluid economies?

Posted on by eMKambo

A major headache for many developing countries is developing criteria for valuating highly fluid and transitory economic activities that are now more prevalent. Employment creation in agricultural markets and informal business ecosystems is now a major domain for women and youth, most of whom are highly mobile. Economic actors in the trading business specialize on Read more about How can developing countries valuate their fluid economies?[…]

The importance of closing knowledge gaps in African agriculture

Posted on by eMKambo

Efforts to modernize African agriculture continue to focus on the supply-side at the expense of the demand side. In addition to infrastructure-driven agribusiness models, there is an unfortunate belief that agricultural extension is the only important form of knowledge in transforming the agriculture industry. Instead of embracing a holistic approach that identifies knowledge needs and Read more about The importance of closing knowledge gaps in African agriculture[…]

How climate change is inspiring intelligent experimentation at grassroots

Posted on by eMKambo

During times of socio-economic stability, farmers and entrepreneurs can afford to rely on one commodity or value chain.  Not when climate change is announcing itself in unpredictable ways. That is why experimentation is no longer a preserve for schools and universities. Farming areas and markets are becoming laboratories for intelligent experimentation among farmers, consumers, traders, Read more about How climate change is inspiring intelligent experimentation at grassroots[…]

The elusive quest for defining a business case

Posted on by eMKambo

If defining and executing a business case was easy, many farmers and traders in developing countries would have become business people. In spite of persistent emphasis on agribusiness from development organizations and academic institutions, business schools are not producing entrepreneurs able to translate agricultural resources from ground zero into reliable jobs, incomes and better lives Read more about The elusive quest for defining a business case[…]

What if big organizations no longer have monopoly on knowledge?

Posted on by eMKambo

Unprecedented disruption affecting the food retail sector across the globe is also spilling over into the knowledge industry. For some of the world’s biggest knowledge brokering organizations, gone are the days when a logo was enough to lure funding and command brand loyalty. For example, sources of agricultural and financial knowledge have become so diverse Read more about What if big organizations no longer have monopoly on knowledge?[…]

How can the predatory nature of development efforts be tamed?

Posted on by eMKambo

Many rural communities in low income countries are fed up with the predatory nature of external development initiatives. According to the WordWeb dictionary, a predatory animal is one that lives by catching and preying on other animals. Predatory tendencies also include living by or victimizing others for personal gain. When development agencies move into rural Read more about How can the predatory nature of development efforts be tamed?[…]

Of premature technology and information overload

Posted on by eMKambo

Hundreds of mobile applications and technology platforms are launched in Africa almost every day, thanks to the promise of digital-fueled progress. Unfortunately most of the platforms (including those owned by famous mobile network providers) are trotted onto the market prematurely before sufficient pre-testing. There is also confusion between a platform, a portal, a Whatsapp group Read more about Of premature technology and information overload[…]

Two hopes for African Agriculture and rural development in 2019

Posted on by eMKambo

The fact that countries which have moved toward middle-income status have started by transforming their agriculture sector is no longer debatable. Unfortunately, out of 54 countries in Africa, Ethiopia is mentioned as the only one on the path to meaningful agricultural transformation. The rest are still running from pillar to post, chasing different prescriptions. During Read more about Two hopes for African Agriculture and rural development in 2019[…]