Accelerating Africa’s industrialization based on agriculture as a business

CSO Sun and Gobal Citizen host Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo

Written by: Silomba Thomson +260971602312    silombathomson60@gmail.com

Most of African countries got independence in the early 60s. Since then, this has remained only political independence, that, evidently, this has been the thick genesis to most of countries experiencing conflicts and pandemonium provisions that have left most of people homeless and bursting them in informal sector.

Without a thick doubt, most countries has suffered economically due to lack of accountability, transparency and not knowing the game they are in, leaders. I say so, because poverty has not been reduced but instead it has been getting debilitating in nearly most of countries if not all.

Economic independence is farfetched, as such; something has to be done now rather than later before the situation gets out of limbic system. Africa being the goal custodian of the natural resources and availability of land that would wither poverty, the only way to go is prioritizing Agriculture as a Business in order to reduce poverty levels.

Silomba Thompson is an Agents of Change Foundation Zambia (1)

In the excitement of economic independence, Agriculture sector is an undeniable focal point that would swamp Africa with the loads of industry for the wellbeing of Africa as a whole. As anything else in life, business is value which cannot be flooded with challenges that are beyond human understanding. Our humanity is driven by value. People buy, share, give gifts, donate and enter into business agreement and forth based on perception of value.

Agriculture is not difference. In fact, farming is a business, to think that farming stands alone, is incorrect. If you have a farm there is just as much consideration needed assessing the risks and growth potential as any other concern in life.  Also farming is the catalyst that health ecosystems, wellbeing, livelihood, jobs and sustainable growth which will impregnate Africa with thick and tangible industrial elements through the action sea-shore of foreign investment and burst in economic independence than political independence.

This includes irrigation system. Irrigation system is the most likely provision that would wither away dependence of small scale farmers. It also creates food security system, market, liberation of people from the poverty datum line; improve the country’s economy that paves a wider way of industries in Africa. Because if farmer A produces twenty bags of maize and sold at K100 each bag, there would be a solemnly difference from farmer B who indulges in irrigation farming practice and and harvest 4, 000 cobs of fresh maize and sell  K1 per cob, farmer B will get more profit than farmer A.

The question that arises therefore is why the continent spontaneously struggle with limited economic transformation, low or no resources rent and scarce employment. In some years ago, commodity prices have hit a super-cycle and intentionally Africa share of windfall earnings have been minuscule, compared to what our tentacles have expected per share.  On the other hand, the reducing policy space available must be made independent where Africa within international trade processes. The independence of trade international treaties and rules set poisons Africa’s value addition process to its thin commodities need to be re-swallowed.

As such, Africa will stream in the ocean of economic independence and solve its complex and broader challenges it is facing currently that will etiquette and expertise a huge added advantage for the government to generate revenue through the variety of taxpayers and implement purposeful projects it intends to implement. This will safeguard its citizens by creating the environment for both investors and promote local business based on Agriculture as a Business.

This will also eradicate people who are working in informal sector, because more jobs means more revenue which means more infrastructure based on Agriculture as a Business. These activities are, bio diesel which is given birth from domestication animals and plants which can be an asset to industrialization in Africa. Families and individuals whose income/wages fall below a given poverty pipe-line, bio diesel is a catalyst high prices of fuel.

This paves a wider and thick way for trade and chews the loads of debts. Because any kind of business requires good road network, affordable means of transport and market places. You would smell that most of farmers lack cadre force, hence, the great ideology will perhaps offer farmers to invest and enhance productivity by buying different categories of machineries such as planting and harvesting machinery to mention but a few.

That, evidently, value determines a given substance and the endless benefit it has once exposed. Raising the value of commodities is based on the impact it has, not only how much billions of dollars are made annually but influence prices and where is to be sold.  Because a system is greater than a goal, and it is meant for zero-poverty! Thus, when Agricultural commodities if branded can solemnly approach the therapy and act as a preliminary to industrialization in Africa.

In Africa, huge is potential for fruit farming and export business in Africa is the land saturated by fruits. As millions of people around the whole world seek health and organic food. Fruit are growing on mammoth demand both locally and globally. Not only primarily healthier life such as exercises, eating healthy etc. But who’s creative and innovative that drives verbs of a producer and consumer communicate inside out where Agriculture as a Business is a symposium provision for the wellbeing of Africa.To be particularized, Africa holds huge volumes of bananas, pineapples, mangos and several others tropical variety of fruits that once stormed into industry textile for clothes manufacturing can offer mammoth opportunities to excel in business.  On the other rational side, farmers needs inputs such as fertilizers, quality seeds etc. This core originality and innovative by farmers is based on indigo and mobile banking. Most of small farmers in remote areas of Africa are stagnant due to slow delivery of inputs and market places.

Indigo offers endless ideas, innovative and creative which farmers can replace economies that are based on natural resources upon reviving industry operation in Africa. This can enables farmers foster preliminaries, where abnormally, talented individuals, entitles in farming system are able to realize new levels, positive results and economic achievement once fruits are fetched in farming system and marry them with industry textile.

Also mobile banking is an asset to rapid move Africa’s industrialization marrying it with indigo. For instance, people around the whole world seeks healthier life. However, mobile banking offers its users to deposit and withdraw money instantly and deliver when purchasing or doing profitable businesses. It offers as well balanced parameters of trade among the producers and consumers while enhancing productivity and deliver industrialization eye burn in the remote areas of Africa.

Marketing is one of the biggest challenge for small scale farmers in developing countries. Thousands of farmers would like to improve their outputs, but most of them are peddlers/hawkers. Hence, this hinder the core of industrialization in Africa. Factually, it’s only the existence of Non-Governmental Organization and allow investors in order to pave a wider way for markets.

Also to have their products branded which will enable consumers to identify commodities as good and most needed products which will etiquette to stream in oceans of opportunities. Because it will offer producers to be identified as a way of advertising, makes consumers confident of what they are buying etc. Lately, Agricultural and Agribusiness which Africa’s industry is a major player is constantly beset with impurities that impair an area of survival. Continuing low commodities prices is the major threat of nearly all. Stagnantly beset low commodities prices and inability to export drastically affect farmers. Even though, Africa’s staple food is based on Agriculture products most families lie on poverty pipe-line.

However, this can be permanently waved out by increasing commodity prices and at least amplify those in informal sector, hence, inputs will be as well available for them and having prices affordable of which many of our enthusiastic youths will priorities Agriculture as a Business and as a core to industrialization in remote areas of Africa.

In addition, collaboration with media sector as Agriculture sector through advertising its products can provoke consumers to purchase unconditionally and shower Africa with the loads of industrialization. Most of those in industry will grow to appreciate the value of Agriculture as a Business digitally, and if DStv and Gotv could advertise its provision on its own! It’s crystal clear for farmers to advertise their produce, more especially by creating their own channel where only agricultural products are advertised spontaneously.

President Lungu with ZNFU 2018 with Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) – Mr. Jervis Zimba, ZNFU Board and Trustees; Minister of Agriculture Hon. Michael Katambo MP; and Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Hon. Kampamba Mulenga

In conclusion, to solemnly transform Africa’s status where industry is determined, Africa should prioritizes “Agriculture as a Business” which will empower its youths as they are the catalysts to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal for 2030 (SDGs) and other relevant activities . Africa’s countries need to create the circle of safety in order to create a wider way for economic independence and not political independence only. The author, Silomba Thompson is an Agents of Change Foundation Zambia (ACFZ) Volunteer Youth Reporter (VYR), Children’s Radio Foundation (CRF), a Volunteer Facilitator (VF) and Climate Change Ambassador (CCA) at UNICEF Zambia and Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia, and a Youth4Change member. Born on 5^th March 1998, Silomba competed in the Junior Mayor for Kabwe spearheaded by Restless Development Zambia, an assistant program coordinator under an agriculture project called Equip Youth Zambia EYZ).