According to Afrodigit.com, an Africa focused technology and innovation website, there is a gap amongst Africans to realize the significance of technology. Africans have yet to understand the importance of technology that is almost inevitable in sustainable growth and enhances the overall economic environment of the nation. With new technologies that are user friendly, Africans will understand how it can improve the existing role of traditional methods that are currently in use, decrease the costs of transactions for businesses especially small businesses and provide better cultural, social and economic exchange. Technology acts as an empowering tool and one of such example is in the sector of agriculture. It is Africa’s lack of interest in adopting latest technologies like biotechnology which has acted as one of the revolutionary elements in the world of farming and agriculture that has kept the continent in its poor agricultural state. External agents are trying their best to instil the much needed consciousness amongst the African locals to adapt to these technological improvisations. These technologies will help in increasing soil fertility, develop better irrigation practices and teach farmer management skills and will further equip the farmers with knowledge to get better access to financing and markets. Although, such an initiative is expected to transform the entire landscape of Africa’s farming lands yet it can only be realized when every kind of modern technology is explored.
Entrepreneurship and Africa's Future
Could the reasons for technological negligence be attributed to struggle for dominance? One can easily speculate that the reason behind Africa’s lack of interest towards technology is that these technologies and scientific improvisations are viewed as innovations from the West and hence they believe that adopting them will be like accepting their dominance. Africans will have to first get rid of such misleading beliefs that they possess within their minds and will have trust the essentialities of adopting the technologies for the larger good of their own locals.
It also lies in the hands of the government to take measures to ensure that the spirit of technology and entrepreneurship is born and raised in and among Africans. It should start at college level where students pursuing a course should be allowed to take up entrepreneurship as a study. It can also be made compulsory to attain maximum benefits in the initial years. Such technological adoption will equip the fresh graduates to take up entrepreneurship as its sole source of employment. This is essential because of the current economic condition and the increasing lay offs in almost every corporate base. Also, Africa generates employment from its oil and refinery. This over dependence is causing chaos and is falling short of providing jobs to all those seeking for employment. This can be reduced only when the business ecosystem is made welcoming to those seeking to open their businesses. All the challenges faced by these entrepreneurs need to be addressed so that they can base their foundation here. Entrepreneurship has now emerged as one of the key sources of generating economy in most states and Africa as continent should not fall back, going by the increasing number of unemployment.
Infrastructural development is in a bad shape hence this needs to be immediately addressed for any improvement to be perceived in Africa and lack of proper transport facilities, power generation, roads is of the basic technological needs that require immediate resolution.
More Resources:
Information Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa
Technology Companies Re-focus on Africa
It also lies in the hands of the government to take measures to ensure that the spirit of technology and entrepreneurship is born and raised in and among Africans. It should start at college level where students pursuing a course should be allowed to take up entrepreneurship as a study. It can also be made compulsory to attain maximum benefits in the initial years. Such technological adoption will equip the fresh graduates to take up entrepreneurship as its sole source of employment. This is essential because of the current economic condition and the increasing lay offs in almost every corporate base. Also, Africa generates employment from its oil and refinery. This over dependence is causing chaos and is falling short of providing jobs to all those seeking for employment. This can be reduced only when the business ecosystem is made welcoming to those seeking to open their businesses. All the challenges faced by these entrepreneurs need to be addressed so that they can base their foundation here. Entrepreneurship has now emerged as one of the key sources of generating economy in most states and Africa as continent should not fall back, going by the increasing number of unemployment.
Infrastructural development is in a bad shape hence this needs to be immediately addressed for any improvement to be perceived in Africa and lack of proper transport facilities, power generation, roads is of the basic technological needs that require immediate resolution.
More Resources:
Information Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa
Technology Companies Re-focus on Africa