Modern Farming in Africa

Abstract

The introduction of modern agricultural technology in Africa is an enormous challenge. It will only succeed in the long term. That was the case in all the “industrialized countries” around the planet. And it is specifically true when it comes to revolutionizing agriculture.Africa still appears to be lagging behind in this area. The volume of agricultural production is largely dependent on the number of producers and farms. The volume of the annual agricultural produce is extremely small in relation to the number of producers and the amount of cultivated land. Clearly the productivity and profit in this respect are very weak on this continent. Technological progress, translated into substantial gains in productivity, profit and economies of scale are of primary importance if one has the intention to revolutionize agriculture in Africa. To revolutionize agriculture means to integrate the agricultural society and economy in a dynamic process of increasingly higher numbers, mobilizing the physical effort of the producers, and increasing and diversifying the production to the benefit of the consumers. It is the objective of this article to consider on the one hand the cultural reflexes and habits characteristic of rural Africa and on the other hand the demands of the production and reproduction of farming techniques.