Africa Begs for ‘homegrown’ Agricultural Entrepreneurs
By Chido Makunike (Agricultural Consultant, Dakar, Senegal)
“…..Much of Africa still holds that “education” is memorising facts to pass exams. Yet we are living in an age in which it has never been easier to access information, reducing the need to memorise data, which is still the orientation of a lot of schools and colleges. “Education” should primarily mean training in the ability to think, to question, to grasp concepts, to experiment, to objectively compare, to find information and apply it to solving problems….. But many of our educated graduates are schooled in narrow, pedantic ways that do not equip them to think broadly about how to apply their knowledge and identify opportunities. It also makes them ashamed to roll up their sleeves and work in realistically accessible but humble fields of endeavour that offer them opportunities for freedom and wealth-creation. We are mis-educating them in society and in schools by telling them they are only “educated” when they have a piece of paper from a college to hang on the wall. We tell them they are only “sophisticated and successful” when they find the elusive job in which they wear a shirt and tie every day….”
The Treasurer General for the Southwest Province of Cameroon, Mr Martin Ojong has described the University of Buea (UB) as a role model institution in budgetary management and control. According to Mr Ojong, during a presentation at the University campus, ‘UB has proven to have a proper mastery of the budgetary control management system over the past 3 years. This was during a one-day workshop on financial management organized by the University of Buea on Tuesday, May 13, 2008. The theme was “Developing a better Framework for Budgetary Execution and Control.” A quorum of the institution’s finance vote-holders convened at the Amphitheatre 150C and savoured the knowledge transmission exercise by renown finance experts..
Vous n’avez jamais entendu parler de la fête de la banane ? Et pour cause… Cette idée originale vient d’être pour la première fois, mise en place par les dirigeants des plantations industrielles de Djombe et Penja dans le département du Moungo. La fête de la banane est une manière de récompenser ceux qui abattent un dur labeur dans les plantations. Ce jour là des régimes de bananes sont offerts gracieusement aux travailleurs.
Farm-gate cocoa prices in Cameroon remained at record levels in May as poor roads and wet conditions hampered the supply of beans to the market despite the start of the mid-crop, farmers said on Friday, May 16, 2008. Joseph Nde, manager of Cameroon Marketing Commodity (CAMACO) in the main cocoa-growing province of South-West which produces half of Cameroon's crop, said prices per kg remained around 840-875 CFA francs. "The mid-crop harvest is now fully on, but it will take some time to dry the beans before marketing, a process which is further delayed by heavy rains in the region,"Nde told Reuters. Cameroon is the world's fourth biggest cocoa producer with 2006/2007 output totalling 179,239 tonnes, versus 164,301 in 2005/2006.
Coffee prices in Kenya and other international markets could dip following a larger than expected yield by Brazil — the world’s largest producer. In its latest estimate the Brazilian Government said it expected 45.5 million bags during the 2008/09 season — a 35 per cent increase from 2007/08. It had in January projected an output of 41 million bags but steady weather patterns in most growing areas, especially around the key Minas Gerias region, and increased fertiliser usage had boosted production.
Kenya Airways, is set to launch new routes in Africa and increase frequency on some routes this financial year as part of its expansion plans. But the move to Antananarivo in Madagascar or increased flights to Angola is not expected to change the market outlook for the airline, which has recently faced one of its most turbulent years. Market experts are not expecting much change in Kenya Airways results, which are expected to be announced on May 30.
NEPAD held its first tourism conference in Durban, South Africa, on 12 May 2008, and heard presentations from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Mali, Rwanda, Nigeria and South Africa on the status of tourism in their individual countries and on the continent. After welcoming Tanzania's Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism, Shamsa Selengia Mwangunga, the conference discussed ways in which tourism could be promoted at a national and continental level.
Un atelier de formation régional sur la pêche et l’aquaculture, la science et la technologie et les systèmes d’innovation sera tenu à Lilongwe au Malawi du 5 au 9 mai 2008. Celui-ci est organisé par le Centre Technique de Coopération Agricole et Rurale (CTA) en collaboration avec le NEPAD, le Forum régional universitaire pour le renforcement des capacités dans le domaine de l’agriculture (RUFORUM) et le Collège Bunda de l’Université du Malawi.
There’s a simple 2-word secret to generating bigger, faster gains on every trade you make. I’m writing today to show you exactly how to use this secret to potentially make 3-times more money than you’re currently making… while protecting your portfolio from catastrophic losses. Let me give you an example of what I mean…About 9 years ago, a man named Christopher West from Phoenix, Arizona, learned this secret from an investor friend. He ended up making more than $1 million in the markets… while most investors were losing their shirts in the high-tech crash. He thought this investment secret was so important, he actually went door-to-door spreading the word to his neighbors. Today, thousands of ordinary investors are using these 2 words – to earn bigger, faster profits with every trade they make. In fact, most of the world’s richest traders also use it to grow and protect their wealth…
For decades women have been relegated to the background and considered inapt for certain professions. How ever, some women took up the challenge and exhibited their worth and prowess especially in the media. Two of such women are Helen Thomas and Haifa Zangana. Helen Thomas has been a pioneer throughout her career in Journalism. She began her career as a copy girl on the old Washington Daily News joining the UPI in 1943 as a radio writer and filing the Washington city news wire designed as a tip service for news bureau and government offices in the nations capital. She later covered the Departments of Justice, Health, Education and welfare (now Health and Human Services) and a score of other agencies.
“…..Much of Africa still holds that “education” is memorising facts to pass exams. Yet we are living in an age in which it has never been easier to access information, reducing the need to memorise data, which is still the orientation of a lot of schools and colleges. “Education” should primarily mean training in the ability to think, to question, to grasp concepts, to experiment, to objectively compare, to find information and apply it to solving problems….. But many of our educated graduates are schooled in narrow, pedantic ways that do not equip them to think broadly about how to apply their knowledge and identify opportunities. It also makes them ashamed to roll up their sleeves and work in realistically accessible but humble fields of endeavour that offer them opportunities for freedom and wealth-creation. We are mis-educating them in society and in schools by telling them they are only “educated” when they have a piece of paper from a college to hang on the wall. We tell them they are only “sophisticated and successful” when they find the elusive job in which they wear a shirt and tie every day….”
Recent Comments