African universities are yet to integrate the blockchain technology into their curriculum. While other countries are taking the initiative and moving forward with the technology. However, the African Development Bank has called on academic institutions to adapt their curriculum to fit in emerging technologies. Africa spends $35bn a year importing food which shouldn’t be if only technology-driven farming was employed.
Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank had acknowledged that agriculture can be transformed by utilising automated tractors, artificial intelligence, drones
robotics and the blockchain technology all of which are rapidly evolving. He also said that there was an immediate need for technology transfer and it was evident that with governmental support African countries can yield positive results and he used Nigeria as an example.
Last week, during the 2018 Agricultural and Applied Economics Association annual meeting which held in Washington, DC, Adesina explained that the technology needed to achieve the much needed green revolution in Africa exist. But he claims that they are “mostly just sitting on the shelves.” He argued that there is a lack of policies that support and ensure that these technologies get to the millions of farmers that need them.
He also added that all the government needs to do is to create a link between the available technologies and the right policies. This would in turn create a rise in the agricultural productivity and incomes for farmers as well as ensure that food prices for consumers becomes cheap.
Adesina also urged African universities to adapt their curriculum to include technology-driven agriculture as well as to include agribusiness entrepreneurship in their curriculum for young people. The blockchain technology holds a lot of potentials for the agricultural sector and farmers can be able to track their produce as well as provide veritable information using the technology. However, African academic institutions have to be prepared to handle technological courses that will strengthen the agricultural sector of the country.
What do you think about blockchain related courses in African institutions? Share your opinion with us in the comment section below.
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