Popularization and application of available and suitable technologies to increase food production in Africa

Abstract

The population of African countries is likely to double over the next twenty years. How will these nations be able to feed themselves if a substantial part of their food has to be imported, especially as most of these countries also have to import their energy? This is the real of challenge facing African countries at the close of this century. Increasing productions entails a more rational use of available resources including appropriate technology in a way that is environmentally sound technology within the agriculture context may be viewed as the systematic knowledge to practical tasks through combination of assailable and proven scientific skills, processes and practices applied within the context of a viable and acceptable arts, crafts and culture of a society which when managed in an organized, coordinated and consistent manner leads to increased and improved physical productivity of food and services. This paper will consider and examine two distinct aspects of technology which are the hardware and the software technologies. The hardware technology refers to the agricultural machinery, tools, equipment, seeds, fertilizer and new products, while software concerns some skills, know-how and managerial factors which are essential for the application and adoption of hardware technology.