One of the common themes in many Afro-development circles is the importance of technology and innovation to Africa’s development challenges. Let it be noted that technology in Africa is often discussed in the aspect of the internet, the software component of technology. Rarely is technology discussed in the aspect of Agricultural mechanization, in the aspect of backyard workshops, cottage industries and road infrastructure technology.
But someone ought to sound a warning, that Africa can’t escape the hard work it ought to do. This hard work involves the mechanization process of its life. That starts from making sure the road infrastructure comes to full life. African states and nations must take this important, without the hard-core connection, the soft connection finds no foundation to multiply. The internet and other soft technologies should be seen as multipliers of the hard technology.
African youths should be thinking serious about industrialization in relation to agriculture, to transportation, to energy and to the things that affect their daily life. An attempt to make Africa leapfrog this hard-core necessity will result in the biggest collapse and will be the worst trap Africa gets into.
The gospel of African industrialization must emphasize that ‘fundi’ spirit. That hard products must be built in Africa. Currently, there’s a heavy skew in Africa where the soft products outpace the hard products. The skills that come out of building the hard products are what transforms nations. Africa shouldn’t attempt to dodge this crucial phase. That’s to say, the African youths in as much as they should be taught to code and programme, they should be reminded that skills such as welding, soldering, joinery, plumbing and all those skills that play into the hard core are just as necessary if not critical.
For every one coder, there should be multiples of 10 welders in Africa. For every one programmer, another 10 solders. Currently, it is skewed in the opposite direction. We have more computers than lathe machines. We have more programmers than people that can operate lathe machines. Africa needs to build competence in the hard technical. A growing emphasis should be placed on technical and vocational schools. That’s what transforms nations, not more Universities.
Whereas Africa’s race for digitization should be lauded, the message should be clear that it must rest on something. There should be core elements to digitize. Otherwise, Africa will end up digitizing those things that don’t transform it. Artificial intelligence too must rest on the backdrop of the hard technologies. Africa can’t escape this phase.
Africa Cannot and Shouldn’t Attempt To Bypass Hardcore Infrastructure
One of the common themes in many Afro-development circles is the importance of technology and innovation to Africa’s development challenges. Let it be noted that technology in Africa is often discussed in the aspect of the internet, the software component of technology. Rarely is technology discussed in the aspect of Agricultural mechanization, in the aspect of backyard workshops, cottage industries and road infrastructure technology.
But someone ought to sound a warning, that Africa can’t escape the hard work it ought to do. This hard work involves the mechanization process of its life. That starts from making sure the road infrastructure comes to full life. African states and nations must take this important, without the hard-core connection, the soft connection finds no foundation to multiply. The internet and other soft technologies should be seen as multipliers of the hard technology.
African youths should be thinking serious about industrialization in relation to agriculture, to transportation, to energy and to the things that affect their daily life. An attempt to make Africa leapfrog this hard-core necessity will result in the biggest collapse and will be the worst trap Africa gets into.
The gospel of African industrialization must emphasize that ‘fundi’ spirit. That hard products must be built in Africa. Currently, there’s a heavy skew in Africa where the soft products outpace the hard products. The skills that come out of building the hard products are what transforms nations. Africa shouldn’t attempt to dodge this crucial phase. That’s to say, the African youths in as much as they should be taught to code and programme, they should be reminded that skills such as welding, soldering, joinery, plumbing and all those skills that play into the hard core are just as necessary if not critical.
For every one coder, there should be multiples of 10 welders in Africa. For every one programmer, another 10 solders. Currently, it is skewed in the opposite direction. We have more computers than lathe machines. We have more programmers than people that can operate lathe machines. Africa needs to build competence in the hard technical. A growing emphasis should be placed on technical and vocational schools. That’s what transforms nations, not more Universities.
Whereas Africa’s race for digitization should be lauded, the message should be clear that it must rest on something. There should be core elements to digitize. Otherwise, Africa will end up digitizing those things that don’t transform it. Artificial intelligence too must rest on the backdrop of the hard technologies. Africa can’t escape this phase.
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