The African economy - background to the examination of the issues of technology transfer, adaptation and development in Africa : A note by the ECA secretariat

' "

Distr.

LIMITED

E/C:-r. V/l'CTT/2/Add.l 20 September 1977 Oric;in"-l, ':",ElIlLISH

", UNITED NATIONS

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

,

^'

Intercovernment"l lIeetine; of llfrie,o,n Experts on Aspects of Technolocy Development in ~fric"

Arushc, (T~aniaJ, 3-8 October 1977

THE AFRICAli E;CONOHY - ,BACKnROUND TO THE EXAMINATIon OF THE ISSUES OF TECm;Or;mY-

TRoi.JJSF'ER,u]};.PT.dro]; -jJm

DEVELOPmlT

nr'AFRlcA" ,"

(A n-ote by the ECA secretariat)

Introductfori. -'

, -

,

Technolocy ·tro.nsfer, .idc.pt at Lon and deve

..

^- Lojmorrt c..:mnot be discussed in ","vacuum since the ro'l~ of technolocy is to solve social and ecenomic problems. Hence- the 'need to

pr~vide

an ovcr-vt es of tho economic and social

ch2.r~cteristics

of the ilfrican" economy 2.S b2.cl;:.-round to the examanc't Lon of the issues involved in the tr,:uisfer, adapt at Lon and

_ • • .r

dcvo Lojmerrt of technolocy in the Afric"-n reGion. Such "-11 over-vi.esr :'1ill not only provide an insicht into the main problem _iJ.reu~, but "ill "leo assist in the epecification of'the priorities.

2. D1 this context, this peper is addressed to the followi~-points:

(i) A brief description of the _1~1d "lld popul",tion resources of A~ric",;

(ii)

A revie;'1 of the n"turc\l resources of Africa; and

(iii) An eXC1ffiination of the socio-economic chi\racteristics of the African-economy in the eu.rly ycccrs of the 1970s.

3. ,In performinG the c.bove-ll-:.med t"sks, u.ttention \'Iill be drcc'll1 to the relevant_

technolocic2.1 problems involved if the objectives of " self-reli"nt, need-oriented and_.

.

-,.

participatory development are to be 2.chieved in :ifric~ in the foresee",ble future.

LJ.nd o.nd population resourceE.

4., .The Africu.n reGio,>.,2.CCOu11ts for bet'-Ieen one-fourth and one-fifth of the world's lo.nd sur("ce, and its climate is cl1'-'racterized by the mediterra.nean type in the extreme north and north-west, the temperate type in the extreme south and on the plateaux, and the

1f77-1631

E/CN.14/ACTT/2/Add.1

PJ.-~:e 2 .

tropie"l type cover-mg some of the hottest and most humid reGions of the ;·Iorld. If for no other redson, tbese _s~trp differences in the _clim~tic conditions of _Afric~ on the

..

• one hand .::.nd be tucen AfricJ. 2-nd the other par-ts of the wcr-Ld, p:~rticula.rly the advanced •

"

countries of Europe, Horth amer-i.ca and the USSR 0;0 the other, i;oevito.1Jly c",ll· for the ~d~ptdtion of the technolo~ies imported.from such ,,-reas and for the development of tcchnoloc;ies appr-opr-Lat o to the prevailinc conddtione in 1,frie""

5. Out of the tote.l land ar-o.; of j,frio_, of 30,310,000 squar-e l:ilooei;res, arable Iand , LncLudang land under- permanent crops conct itutes about 7 per cerrt , permanent rneadous ";;d

~sture~ 26.

Per,

9'~rit, 'fordst~.OJ1d·i.ioodl.:mdS.

:21 - per cent and other land

.c . _ . , ..n. .. • . . . . • . • :

46 per cent. Thus, a.Irnos^t Lccc.. th,.:.n. 50 per cent .of the Land J.-reJ.- of Africa_., has been clJ.-ssified e.s arable, perrn'~lent meJ.-d~Js alld pa.stur~s, and forest o.nd 1I00dland.

6. From 270 million in 1960, the date of independence of mal1Y ~fricall countr~:s,

the popqlation of the continent incre"sed to J.bout 410 million in 1975,. i.e. ::.n averace c.nnu"l r.rt e .of ~TO\'lth.. a.pproc.chin:;. 3 pcr cent, the hi~:hest in the ·'Iorle'.! The re2:ion 's

popul~tion is expected to inyrq:lse to 470 million iil 1980 and 550 million in 1985.

Itor-eover , more than t;'/o-fifths of the popu.Lat i.on arc under 15 yccr c of c.:;e compared ;'lith J..;·lorld "ver",:;e of 35 per. ccnt. This represents a cerious burden on the popuLa'ti.on of

\Iorbn;:;' _\~:e (E:stim~ted at about 50% of the total), but also presents an opportunity for rapid ~nd dyn"mic socio-economic tr,,-nsformatio;o, with ,,11 the implicstions for human resources developmont and the r-oquisit c tcchnoloC:icdl n eeds ,

7. "fricaJ1 population is a.Leo char.rcter-i zod by rel-,tivel~'101'1 density cend I-,ide da sper-ccl of conccnt.rationc, Th1.~s, of tl10 forty--ninc independent ii.fric:..tJ1 countr-ies , thirty have an e s'tirn.vted popuIcti.cn of 5 million or loss, nine J.- population of' bey,-Ieen 5 million end 10 million ': eic;ht .; popuLo.ti.on of 10 Qillion and 30 million, and only

two ~ popul~tion of more th~n 30 million! The popul~tion density r~U1Ges from one person per sr.uar-e ki.Lomet re to about ~·70 persons per square l:ilornetre for tot2-1 1.1l1d sur-face and be tucen 25 persons per 8(,U:J.re kilometre and c.bout 1,200 persons per s,:uare kilometre for arablo land.

.'.

8. Ilor-eovcr , of the 29 Lrrtcrn.rtionaL'Ly reco::;nized least developed countries, 18 arc in Afric,,; of the 45 countries identified us the most seriously o.ffected 0y the economic crises of the ear-Ly 19708, 2J ar-c in .tf'r Lca, Both the Least developed courrtr-t es ' list and that of the most ser-LoucLy ",-ffectod cont a i.n .vl.L the Suduno-Bahe Li.an countries affected by the ccour-jo of droue;ht in the e.~rly 1970s. SirJil..:.rly, of the 20 Lnt.crna'trone.Ll.y .

E/CN.14/iCTT/2/~dd.l P.::.::;e 3

recoc:nized deve Lopi.n-, Land-d oclced courrtr-Les , It,.••r-o to be found ill .J.fric". This list

• does notihcltide thc;:eocraphic.tlly

disad~~taced iel~d

economies of irhich Africa has "- siz-eable shar-e; 10 is ^thuc c Lcar- tru!.t economic cc-oper.rt i.on in its "ider sense ,is an, .. imperative for iU'rieWl countries. :md "/ithout ,1.del{u.::.te tr.:>.nsport and communi cc't aons ,

such co-opero.tIon "Iill be ver~~ difficult if not i,.lpossible. Thus, "Ie .hcve :moth(lr area,'

. .'. ..".

.

^{. ..}

for the unef'ukne ss of technoiocy not only in tho i!ldividual ar-e.rs of tr.'llsportation and comraurucc'ti ons but also in' the cr-uc i.aL

.lre:.~

of intec;rated tr.:.:.nsport ...and

cOP.lmllni~~tions

development. The r~oblems of tr~eport' ~d commwlic.:l.tions arc discussed below.

9.

Another problem "re2. is ur-bcni zat ion , ::ith only 20 percent to 25 per cent of ite population livin.:' in ^ur-ban arccs , the recion is one of -the Lcast urbanized in the 'Iorid. But, in

6ont~ast,

its rate of urbanization, about, 5 per cent pCI' annum,'is onc of the highest"

in the world. Horeover, ,:lfnc::.n urbaniz.::.tion ie of c perverse !1"ture beine prineiP:":lly the result of the phenomen"l illcreaee in populC\tion ~d the he.:l.V'J rurC\l-urb.::.n miGTation:

of youthe and others to a fe" ur-ban ar-eas , 1001:inC; for jobs thClt do not e;:ist and constitutin;:;' a char'gc on socic L services Li lco ur-ban trQ.l1sport"tion, hous inc;', he",lth, educc't.ioncl and r-ecr-eati onaL f'aci L'itics \'Ihich "18re never est.::.blished to cater, for such

. . . .

unpr-eccdont od immigration from the rural az-eas ;

10. The real co-uses of t hi.c de pl.or'cbLe soc i.e.L sitU:'.tion ar-e of course the ';push" of the unf.ivour-abLe soc La.I conditions in the rural ::.re"s and the, "pull;; of the briGht, .:.ttrJ.ctive c;,ties. Therefore, the solution lies in the improvcment of thc r-ura.L ar-eas throu.:;h the provision of potab Lo \'later, electricity, he.iLt h , housinc;, education"

mass tr,'.nsport2.tion and r-ecr-e.vtioncI facilities as "lell as tl:!'O creation of new 'relay' townr- between the cities and the rure.I areas, ec;uippeduith 2.11 the f'aci Li. tics merrt i.oned above.

Such approach coupled with the development of a::;riculture .lnd rur.;ll industry and other services ~Till sic.,nificJ.ntly ~;'CSi8t in stemmi~c the rur.::.l-urban rnicr;,.~tion.

11. L~ this C0l1110Xi.Oll, it is impol'"t..in:t tr.. note th..1t the de ve Lojmerrt of ~riculture

and rur:'.l industry, end.the provioion of H"ter, electricity, heu.Lt h , oducation, 'mass

tr~ncportation, housinc ~nd recre~tion.;ll facilities in the rural ..l.reus posc'serious'

chi.tllen~;es for the trcmsfer, "d~pt"tionand de ve Lojmerrt of'technoloGY in ,such sectors as m.:muf,,-cturi11(;, ruz-cL e Lectz-Lf'Lc.rti on, buiLdan., .md construction, ,'-.:;-ricul ture,. tr;msport, 3J1d conmimicat i.ona , hexLt h and educ.vti onaI technoloC:Y. They .rl.so pose problems: in' the ar-ea o.f reG'ion..:l (aubnat ron.rl ) pl~imin2" -:- sp.rti,..1 ':'l.spects of pl2.l1lIinC -. sinceva meu.nincful r-ura.L. development str",tcGY raust inevit,J.bly t",,::e :L;ltO :J.CC01ll1t the·iclpl1c=.tions for' urban

E/CH.14/ACTr/2/Add.l P::.:..:;e

l:.

development; Nore is said beloiT ~bout the devclop@ont problems of ~~riculture, food and rintrition, m2-"luf..::..cturi:ilC,:, rur.'.l c Le ctz-Lf Lcc.tion , _buildi~lC and conctruct i.on , tr:JJlspor~

and communio.rti ons , educati ori "nd hC21th, c.nd thcir technoloc' cal ampl.i.ca'tions ,

12. "fric2-, 38 a .rhoLe posco sce s vc.st rni.neruL r-ocoucco s even thou.:;h the distribution iG W1Cvei1. In r-eLct ion to other recions of the ~1orld,.!ifric.:l occupies ·JcX'J~ ii::port.::mt positions in the followin~ mincr~l resources: iron ore (~bout 10 per cent); chromium (o.bout90 per cent); cobalt (cbout 50 per cent); E1''''10'2.nese (about 55 per cent);

bau:,'ite (over 40 per cent); copper (about 20 per cent); phoaphc.t o r-eel; (over 50 per cent);

dio.monds (about 96 per cent); thorium and urcnaum (2.bolit 30 per cent); and cold (over 50 per' cent), to name only" fC:I. In terms of uor-Ld output, the sit\ution Ho.S as f'o.lLows in the e::lrly years of the 1970s cob&lt ore, 26 per cent; Cold, about al,per cent;

diamonds 74 "per cent; phosph.vto r-eel: 26 per cont : copper ore, 19 per cent; and iron ore, 7 per cent. Hence, it c~~ easily be cl2.imed th2t for m~lY ye2.rG to come, the deveLo'pnerrt of OJ.l1y lIfric"n countries -Jill corrtinue to depend on the resources of their SOil, :1 c Iaim tlut uill remain unf'ul.fi Lled '"Tithout the' c.pp'l i.ca'tion of tcchno Logy on a larGe scale."

13. ilfrica is aLso rich in the ar-e.; of ener::;y resources "lthoUCh c.s in the case of miner-c.I resources, t hey c.r e yet to be developed. :,i; present,' only .xbout

io

Africun courrtr t.oe arc crude oil pr-oducor-c ~',nd the cont mutn.; sear-ch for hydr-ocar-bons Hill

,

definitely Lead to the di sco ver-y of morc crude, I t is also ;'IGII known that Afric:J.n coun't r i.e s ar-e rich in such ei1crC.~ rcsources e.s c02..1 , so l ar- ener-=.;y, Geothermal enerGY, hydz-opouer- and the resources for nuo l ear- power' ener::;y. In the three 'Lre"s of coaj , so Lar- and hydr-opower- ener.:;y, :tfric..::. is considered to be in a ver'J' str-on/; position.

Thus, current o st amc.tes pl cco af'r-i.con reserves c:t 1-3 per cent of thc tG't,cl ,/0:'ld reserve of coal,i 'ev.en thoUCh the bull: is to be fOW1d only in three courrt r-Les , In the' Ci1Se of hydroelectric pouer' potcnt io.I end capaoi ty , "frie2 is jucL:.:ed to possess about betHeen 27 and _~,O per cent of ucr Id 'G tot3-1 even thou:.::h cbout 22 per cent of this is ::'.lone;

the line of the rift val l ey .md Cerrtr-al, ':'frice. i1CCOlUlt3 for as 'much L'.O !f6 per, cent

;'Iith Z,cire .rLone probo.bly possessillC ::IS much ,'.8 10 per, cent of the uor-Ld tot:11 HEP potential! In the CLise of soLar- e'lerc;y - 'the poor 0";1's at omi o rec'.ctorI - the desert .crec,s of ;"fric;J. have the cre,'lteot hope. If thc problems of stor,'.::;e and enerc;y trJJ1sfer 0..;'11 be overcome, the f.:;.ct th.:.t thocc i'.redG .ir-o of IOH popul.atn on density l"lill make it pos c i.b Ie to cr-sat o l:l.I'~;c so Lcr- f ..1.rr.;s.

•

•

E/CI'.1L!./lCTT/2/flddol' P,,"C':e

5

Forest'

r.esource~

14_ Forent resources _·~hou.:h ampLe , "represcllt c:;'.:amplcfJ of J. destructive cppr-oach to naturc.L resource endoirmorrts uhi ch ·conce:.;.l cruve consequences. In

vie;,'o~

the d.:o.m:l..:;:i.'1C effect:::;

ot

--extensive destructi~l1^of

forest, :

there in.'

en urcent

need

for firm'

poLi ci e s

rehtinc.; to the technOlo,;y' and methods of e:.:ptoi t,"ttion' to' forest protcction and replacement, l~~derpiih,ed by improved ie':;islo.tion ~~ld'machinery for effective pl~1ine ~ld reculation.

15. In this· connexion, 2.ttention needs to be dz-cirn to the ,s-iCantic role vrhi ch forest resources havs to plJ.y both e.s source for fuel end enerey in m<l.l1j: .ilfric.\'!l countries for.

r:L·.~1Y,year-s ~o come and 2.S ri.l~T r:J~).t0ri,J.l inputs Llto the manuf'ac tur-e of buildinc and educati.one.L;materL.ls, the derncnd for I-Ihich \/ill Lncr-oo.se enormously..in theconte::t. of.

a. b,,-sic needs-oriented str:.tec:y of developnent uhi ch :,frie3J1 countries h;J."~,.;S-pprovcd.

16~ ··But cmy ilttempt to expend not only mduct.ry but "Iso a,:;ricUlture _:,~iil'pl':';ce .creat stress on nation"l and mul ti-l1,,-tion::.l capabfLi.ti·es·· in the e::ploriltibn 'for, and

evuIuat Lon of nat ur-a.I resources (minerals, fuel end onere.:!. ~'lL".ter. soil,' forest, and.

anama.L}, HiGh 011ti tude imO-,:;ery or remote eensine by satellites nO;T placo s in the hands 'of' man 01 tool of enormous dimension but it .rou.Id be .'. mistJloc. to reC:lrd tIns tool .:lS "-

substitute for rut her- t han " ..comp.Iomerrt to .other f..1JIlili"£,..t0o~s:1;,ich have been in process of rapid thoueh less .dr.:un2.tic tec:hnolo::;ic::.l Lmpr-overacrrt relOlted to 10\1 011ti tude ~".criOll

surveyinc ~~d to interpretation or the photo~Tilphic ,~,d ceophysic~l dO-t~ it yields;

to photoCT2.mmetry, in po:trticulo:tr, increuses in the nGtion"l denbity of d.ccur.:ltely loco-ted ...and parmanerrt Ly marked aecond2.ry ~i<.l terti2.ry poant c to trhi ch photo-control poi.rrtn ar-e tied; 'to the steOldy '-'l1d \lidespre~d assimilation of improved methode of field surveys; to the ~doption of ~vOlllced methods of rapid ~nd ~ccuratc map compil~tion "nd reproduction;

to field samplin.:; f::cili ties; to the deve Io paerrt of mcbi.Le

.:md

^cerrtr-a.I lOlborOltOI'".f tostinc :t.ild evaIuat ron aer-vi oo n methods ,J.J1d (.;.u.J.lific.:ttionc at .iII Leve Lc .J..nd br-anche s of c~rto~r~phy; ~d to problems of the calibr~tion ~~1d m~intcn~lcC of ~n incre~Binc

ra.nee of do Li.cc'tc , comple:: and cxpensi,ve ~GtrUIJentn.

17. At. this juncture, i t i.s r-eLevarrt to stress the. ampor-tance of mar-i.ne science and

teclmoloc;y. In vie"1 of the incre;lsinc conce rn "bout the soar-ci t acs of non-renewabte resour-cec ,

ener,~'y ehortJ{:es and Lnsuf'f'Lci ency of protem f'rou Land-sbaaed ')'l1im2.1 and pf.irrt sources, the pct eriti i l ibes 'of theoeeOln and coasfJ.l ~reJ r-eaour-ce s in meetinc OJl important part of the crm'lil1C enercy and food rec.,:uircments h,...:.ve nou been re.:..lized.· In J.llY case , .;.ny

serious Olnd me,ulincful consider2.tion of the problems of the resource bG3e and of its projections as b~sis for lOll~~~-term plannin~ ~d docision-m~{incmuzt inteerate marine resources Hi th ^Land-ocsed supplies.

E/CH.1/,/ACTr/2/ildd.1 P,-'.:::e 6

13. In this conriexi on , it needs to be m;..dc c Lcr.r- th~:.t ":-l..fric.;.w.l conrrtr i.c c C~10t afford to be e::lucdcd in such rn.vr-i.no c'.ctivitie~ "'.S the e::;:>lor:lt ion and o:-:ploitc.tion of

fisheries (c.C_'. fish 2J1d livill:~ or~_·:,.i1isms of the aedcrrtr'y spocaec ) 2.11d ple.;1t.s;

,;.c~u....:culture (o,..::_ oysters, ~e.::. ^.reed.s , Shri8PS, 8,],1;11011, etc.); c:~r,J,ction of drues;

deposits 'Iithin bed rocl: (c.~

..·

oil, (;ac, sulphur, c02.1)j sur'f'Lci.c I "nd plc.cer deposits (e_c_ s~ld 0nd cr~vcl, phosphor~tc, iron ores, manC~llcsC nodules, ti~, Gold, etc.);

e:~r~ction of dissolved chemic~ls (c.~. s~it, Ll~~neGil~ compounds); ~1d desalin~tion, pcr-ti cuIcr-Ly in 'vieH"o{ the acut o 'l2.ter pr-ob'l.om ill the recion. Sinilci'ly, they cannot

~fford to be exoluded from the uses of the oce~~ spe,ce in such :lctivities :lS the

construction of offchore structurec like pipelines, ctora~e t,~:s, moor

inC

,~d lo~i~'

buoys, tcrmin...^{a L s,} artifici.::.l isl.J.llcl0 r ^{flo;.tin~· u i}r - p o r - tc , floo.tinC" ( n u cL e c r) p o v r er

stc.t i.onn , under-sca thabi t.a't , bridces, pipelines, cc.b'I e s , ·tunriels, etc.j the construction and use of ports, t.:.:.n}"\:crs, bul.l: car-ri.er-e , conventi.onaI and cont.arncr shi ps for transport purposes; the c-cneration of ancreJ' through the uce of tides, '.:Taves, ocean currents and thorm.:'..l :::r.:J.dients; and other ucco such ;).G ,for r-e cr-cc.ti on , Land r-ec Lamc'ti on , \'1.J.ste

dispoo~l

^w1d

m~rine rece~rch.!I

19. Ilouever , .rhethcr- the developinc countries i" ceneral and the I>.friccm ones in par-ti.cujar- ,,-re coin:; to p''-I'ticipate effectively in these exploration end e::ploitation

",ctivities and thereby derive much benefit from them Hill depend very much on their

c~pability to identify ",nd ",c~!ire, "'dapt ~,d develop the relev",nt marine sciellce and tochno Iogy; Yet these .ir-e costly c.re",s in terms of the body of J:;10',;ledce and the h.J.r&;are needed.

20. In terms of J.:J10\'lled[;e, ;cfric::m countries 'I ill nave to pJ.y atterrt aon to the need

to undcr-nt and fluid mechcm.cc in ^{v i.cu} of its Lmpo r-t aricc for desicninc onshore structures

subject to irave and current forces and for the hydr.mlic liftinc' of surficial deposits;

and unde rvr~~ter ccoust i cs , ::; incc it is import:;.nt in the. location and idcntific.J.tion of mi.nor-a.L deposits and in fishil1C. The ]:llouled~e of mechanical, electronic and civil encinoorill£' is ~lso esscnti~l for tcchnoiocic~l desiCl1, construction, opcr~tion ~d

mairrtonancc of plat rorms end other clements in r-ccour ces expl.or rt ron, So :\lso is the

}j

See "i.J;:rine Re sour-cen and Ocean Space: lin Inductive Appr-oach to 'I'echno Lor.y Transfer"

by Occun Economics and Techl1010

c

^{;Y Office, 1JjT} in Technolo(;y and Dcvo Lopnerrt , UHITi,R ;'ElIS Vol. 5, No.t" 191~·.

r::/C:;.lL:jAC-n/2/:'dd.l '

, ' " " h.::e ^'7

c:'l.piJ.bil;itjt to'

"hurvcy

urid r.i'::~lJ

c"ff'c"ctively

'th~" ~;6'2\3t':;;1' ^{J.re:.l and} tho ocean floor. The implidMiol1G' for expertise^"c·..!d'third. and: h('her' Levo l c of educct ionLr-e quite olear, not only beccuse of the"need for t'he"cloveior;mellt" of:il1CliC~':8il0US c ...:p.J.bility GO as to be able to

est<~;'lish

nj.tional· iil'stihi'ions hut'

.~iso hoc"ons~

of "imphi1btioil" of'trCUlsferred

,.:.

21. The problem of lurd1'1:.re io in the short-rna reLtcd to the "-hUity to nec;oti,,-te for

pUrcllio~fjc':,\t

reisonilble terme ,COld. Ln the' 101'iC-runto' the ccpabi Li.

t~,

to' c2Eieicn,

m",nufaci~e,

repeir'.'·d.f1d m&.:tnt~~in ·the r-equi ai te structures und equi!J8eht. Thin

1.0

~ilOthe~ 2.S~ct· ~f iridustr:i:§.:liz.J.fioll dLscurised in .:. cect i on be Lotr i:1 thin'

:~pe;.

:£EElC

port:.nd communi_9E2:9~E,

22;, 'Of its 42 Lnter-nat i.onc.L riverc and l.;.ke;, feu c:rc'e::ploited for the lo~ ,!'istonce' movement'of':~'oods'.znd people .uid oven here tho c::tt:m"t of use is s."'J~i.ll~· Its ··ro..fhlay·

systecl" evolved lo.r:;ely'in' r-eeponco to the need' tODOVC 2.:~riculturo.l '""cl min'er:.l coods' from .'the' 'interior to the se.v, This h.'c left the re:~'ior: \Ii th a h~ghly fr.'~1!!el1tcd r-ai Iiray

infr~'..structure"ith m·..._i~r Lndcpendcnt uaits differiI1-' from others ill uidth of Cc~uCc'­

br~'''J:L1~''nechcni smo I rl..:.."'12,·c ~i0~....r~".j.1C8, rri:~~:iIilwn ::'.:~ilc ^{Locd d.}nd so on. The outucr-d

or-Larrt.rtion of economrc poLi.cy ill thc p.:st h.;e led. to cerious ncc;lect of the deve Iojmerrt of nati.ona.Lvtrunl;,ne'bor':s ^:2.G .roLl, c'-s of rural, f<'.rm-to-m=!:et r-ouds , If we, exclude, the,:6:

island states and Lesotho , and assume that each of the remaining, 42 independent ,developing African 'states had one road' lillie with each of its neighbours, there would be

a.

total of 84iliier,-stateroc:d Li nke in Africao'fwhi'ch oniy 78 exist a't present. 'IWenty-::,-!ightbf' these are of all-weathQ~ standard, w<lile

,50

are dTy-weather trac~s or partially improved earth roads. If the probloms of standardization in the field of railways and

·

^,

rOMS arc linkcd to those' of air se:r:vicos and"of telocommUnications,network generally" ^>18, can also easily sce another vast ar-ea for technology transfer,' adaptation and development.

23. There'exists therefore an over-riding necessity to overcomo the technological

",",d economic chc.LLenge s of dcvelo;)inC :J."recioi1~-;il1e'intermod::.l tram:,Port' netuorr; liilldnc;

r-eeds^I r:.'..ilt12.ys^J inL:.nd ~-;r~"tcr-;[:',YG "'..nd ::~ir services.' It, is"not .unrecsoncbfe to. arcue th.J.t an enormous pot crrtixL El,,-r::et is lE:ely to be .w:',il.::.ble for decudo s to come for' ec,uipncnt for construction, uce .uid Til.J.intenc'-'1ce. The technolocic.',l chc.Ll.enyes are

tl,ofold: first, solvin:,: such b.',cic technolo::;ic"-l problems as di.f'f'er-cncca in thc technic.'.l

E/Cl'.1~/:'CTT/2/ildd.l PC1:::e 3

spccific~ti_ons..of r.:..ihT"'....~rs,. devo Iopi.n-; tc~hntquQs,or moder-n r-ocd construction and m;;.inten:,.rice ,:,t sust,:.in~~ble co ct c , improvements 0:2 tho lli.1viC.;a.bility of inl....nd l·I~Lter.i..;.ys

and t'10r~;::ii1~ ^{c u t} t^{o c h n oI o . j ic c} for the ^{n o n t} c f ' fi . ci . e r r t h c n dL i . n . ; of c.::r.::o ~1.t ^{m o da L} interf2.ces . • socondly, Gec.uri~ ouner-ship or user ri~::ht8 Ln the r.l~\::.luf.:.'..cttU'e of tr:.:\l1oport ec.:uipruent

both for conc't ruc'tion .znd for cccrri".:·e. In respect of the 12.tter obsta.cles, . multiplicity of deci.yn stcnd.ar-d s tri.L'l. hcvc to 1JC r enoved or considcr-ab Iy modified.

24. The uor-k on the Pan i~fric_~.l1 'I'eIo comoum cc't Lon ~~ctforl: is too .rol L lmown to r~quire

fresh descr-Lption, It ic onLy nocccs.vr-y to rec_,ll thc.t :-lithout C1d.herence to a oerta.in mc....'.suro of st~.11dardiz<.J.tioilthe benefits of ii1tri..l.-l~fric,:.r..m.muf.io'tuz-o of p..:...r-t a , components ....nd cccccocr-i ea r:L:y be constricted.

25. The lu.rccr concept or conraum.cc.ti on in the GC:'lGC of brincin:; to l.:.rCe masaec- of the po pul.c..tion neir iue2.s, new '.12.;/3 of,doinG t~in'='8 or Golviil.':.: .pr-cbLems subc~ed 'under the title of non-cf'or-maL educct ion - cl,:.::.:estc th.t Africc: .cannot ;.;coi t for convorrti.ona.L materi"'l and eoci.r.L teclmolocies to effect ooci o-cooonorai.c ck.nce on the SC"-le '''ld 2.t the pace

re~uired if the objectives of reducinc ~~ss ~lemplo~~cllt ~n~ m~ss poverty, of achievinc the su'ti af'acti.cn of an abso Iut o level of bac i.c needs, of promotinc; self-sust.::..ining 'and

aeLf'-c-o Li.crrt creuth .ind d i.vor-uif i c.vti.on of the 80ci-'1.product c.r-c to be even partially achieved,

26. 'For. these purposes to be cer-vcd , iH~ must 1J1:.:.co incrc_'..sinC r-e l i.ancc on novel and effective net hods of comnuni cr.t.in.; new ide:'.r;, nov or improved c"-l'd'ilitics, ne.r c11211ence£ and oppertuni ties. .ind thi s dem.:.llds th:Lt '!e consider the pL,ce of satellite commurri cc.t i.on technoiocy in thir.; clc:fiaition of oduc.vti on,

27. In thic conncxa on , there er-e tolO poirrts to 'Ihich att errtton need bo drOo,·m. One ic trot He ar-e not concerned ::itl1 raer-eIy ueL1:; .: different tech.nolo.::;", for de Li ve r iny the acme menu. :,p2.rt fro," the fc,ct th:ct the n.vt ur-c of the teclmoloc;y itself p.Laoo s limit"tions on this appr-o.ich , tllCre is the creHin.::; doubt 'clhether convorrtion.iI f'orma.L educ.rtion is. not i tcelf overdue for clr2.stic reforme over ".11d beyond the fact that the ability.·of the formal educationcl systom to moet· the demands of a developing economy

in both qualitative and quantitative terms is not oulyconstrained by increasing costs but also by shortage of teachers.

2u.^'0

E.;jCE; 14/lCTT/2/Add.l b::;e

9

,j. ee cond point is tlL".t this it: .:. te c hno Lojy .rhcr-o the "f:;oft:l...r-e" pr-o aerrto c:!.e;J.t.ep chaLl engc s th:...n the 11hdrd.:J.::rc~J .znd .rhoro -te C...'..21:lOt, in terrac o.f coci a.L.~:'!ld economic coc tc , neclect the need for rcpc.:.:.tc::CJ.. expe~~~C:l1t::.'..tiol1 .:.l!U. eva.Iuc.tion , for r-e sear-ch end

feedb,'.c~: i:1ccl.1_~isri18 even t110l'.:~:~1 .i,.t can be .:..r:.:uecl "til.:....t educa'tLon.iL instruction by the

broc.d.c~-.~tin:-~·med i.a is nOH 8Gt ...b linhod ::.s effective.

Over-all econornicgrowth

29. :mile the distri1.Jutiol1 of nat urc.L .md hunan reeources in AfriC-'. in uneven, the pr-ecedin: sections have indic::::.tcd unequi.voca.Ll.y the r i.chne sc of the corrti.norrt in both.

human.cind i1;,;,-ttU'~;..l resources. Yet their c}~ploit.)..t~on"':'0 reflected ill the output of Coods end "services Le,...ve a no doubt about the lOH level ...nd ::;10l'1 rc:'.tc of CrO!Tth. Thus ill "v

recent study

Y

by the UE Ceirtr-c for fuvcloprnent Phnnin.:;, Frojections and Policies (CDPPP),

l~e:J Yor~:, ^a r:ln!:inc of

J.4-9..

^{c o u n t}r-i^{o c,} £;.oon::" r h i c h u c r - o ¢A~':1fric2nc o u r r tr - L es , accor-dan-. to four indic..."'..tors uhi ch can be uaod ~::.::; pr-oxy for "coononno d.evo Lo pmerrt

1,

ncmeLy , ~_cc..pii,c;.-

;;ross dom2';;;_~.tc product ::.:LL~:!,l:ct.-E:.~E.9~j .P~£_.RA~j,J.~j;~¥...c5?E-s~j2!}-2L~~L:n .E.~p_eEt2-;';~ of

~..~.l1Uf2cturil\-: in total :...·:;'g.q_cA.Ad.-oDc~~tic product at f~ct0..F~.t) und J2.9.Fccnt:"1.!":e sha.re ot:

~11~f":',cj;RF.cdcxpor-..t...§...il1-_~p:t.;;:J_Ae';~;J..?<?l'¥t~, on^Ly four independent developinc Afric':''J.l countries 'tlere in p~s~t i.ons between tho let ::'~.ld the 70th .ic f ..'..r as ~.l2.._~i

t:.:. :'.

^{:rOS3 dornerrti c product}

'>12.8 concerned, and 26 .rer-c botroen lOlst end _~tl·Oth positions; I;. countries _b~tueen the

let ...:'.ild.70th positions for _~.c!

__

~;-':.P...~Jf... oner~7 concumption , i"lhile 2G .rcr-e be tween the 101st "'.110. 140th posi t ionz ; _~. courrtr-ios bo t-reon the let and 70th posiitions for

percent..!..:;e char-e of m.inuf'a..ct1..1..ri~1:.)· in tot~;.l :roGs donesti o product

?'t

f'ac tor- cost, l'/hile

2~. countrie s '.'1ore oetucen tllC lOlc:t ..~i1d l40th positions, .ind ~s fo~ pcr-cerrtcgo shar-e of manuf'actur-cd exports i:1 tot~1l OZPOl"ts, 10 courrtr-i.es .ror-o botu ecn the let end the 70th poai.taonc ,-~11d. 21 countr-teo.re r-c , bct.rccn the 101st .:.nd the l/~Oth poo Ltionc, In f.J.ct,. of t:1C 4~· 'ifric",-n courrtri e s , 12 h.vd GDP per c-J.j)it", of Lecu t.han

sus

100 and 13 betweon

Sus

100 ,,,,,d t;US·W.; .rhi Le per c,"pit-J. ener::;y conaumpti on for 23 ^',I....s less them 113 kilo::;r=es of,..coc.l efJ.liVc"\lent, one-hundredth of the consumption by the United states of Ame:rioa.

?:/

^Sce

~:v:clopin(; Countri~F

__::,tlft_J.ev..!?}s

oL.D.e:v.eloI~"].clrt.,

E/liC: 5L!!L.Gl - Pxper- prepar-ed by the Centre fer Develov-"ent Pl~mlin.:;, Projcctions ::,nd Policies for the UN Co~~ittee for,

Devo Lopaent Pl.anni.n, .:o.t i tn 'I\/Clfth Session, Ee,f Yor~:, 29 L\rch - 9 il.pril 1976.

E/CE.1l:/:'CTT/2/Add.1 P"c;e 10

I~..:nuf<:1cturil1£.

30. n s 'for percent,,::e ch..r-c of manuf'act ur-Ln-; in tot,cl ::ross domerrti c product, the' wor-d Itt<Y.lft~·· ^"i.e''''~leG~ ^th::'11 "7.5 per cent··~12.G^.recorded for 16 .hfric·':'.i.1 count ries , includinc the one ,ii1;h theliic;hest

E9!.i:i0:k

erosc domcrrt i,c pr-oduct , Indeed, the distribution of manuf..--.cturinc output 2.s sh...--.re of GDPcJ.moac: .if'ri cc...n subrc::iono ':12.8 12 per cent for the north Gubrc,:ion,

9

per CC11t for ':!est oz-n Gubrccim1,

8

per cent for the cerrtr-c.L 8ubrecion

~d. 12 per cent for the cas't er-n :::u~rccion. l"Iorccver, share of m~\.nt~f...:,cturinC/uutput of developine "fric,e: in thoc,t of the de ve Lopi.n.; uor-Ld c s "' .rhol,e ,i!1cre~cced'fr.Dt'

6.7 per cent in, 1970 to: [).1 per cent in 1972 .rhi Le it represented onlyO. 6 per cent of the 'uhol<3 uor Id in 1972. IiUrthcr, thin m...~.nuf.:.cturi.~.: output i c ch:.r;..:.cterizcd as follo'le:' consumer non-clur"-,,lee,,~,bout70 per cerrt ; interoedi:1te coode 15 to 16 per cent and capi.t.:l Goods, illcludin:: concumcr- dur.o.blec' "bout 14 to )5 per cent, even thoUCh the r-at o of erOl'/th' of output of both Int crmedaat e and cc.pata I coods 'LCC T;icnificantly

hi:;herth..'.n th"t of consumer ncn-durcblc s durin:; the 1960s and ear-Ly 1970e., As for the per-ccrrtagc sh.ir-e . of rnanuf'cc tur-cd expor-ts in tot.z.L experts, the 'lord "101'1",

L,e. Lc cs th.J.n 1 per cent l1o.o recorded.. for 11 Afric~:.n· cO:~.t.-r.i.qs., Q{-,·;J.in includinc the country 'lith the hi:;hest per c,-,pitJ. GDP.

31. Thic is

an

Tms",tisf.::.ctory c i.t uc.t Lon uhen it iero,;lized,thd arrt ormediat.e and c"pit"l Goods industries constituto tho he2.rt of industri~liz.:tion ~ld hence econooic croHth ·::,.:iilce

thei

shape c sccrrt i.c.Lfy the 'productive c ...·.p..1cities such a s skill and .

tcchnoiocic~l dcvelopoen~ ~nd s~pplJ tlia me~nD'of production not only to'other sectors of the eeonomy but :"lso to tnemsc lvc c, lIoreover, 'Iithin the "',ctivit'i.oc of intermedi"te and c..:.pito-I coods production, c~1cinccr"inccoods in tcrrris of P.9.rt::::,. components "..md

acce aaor-i en t3-ke pride of pl.:.cc. Indeed, the siGl1if{c:.-:.l1ce of production .znd trade -in encineerin,:; :;oods is shoun ~)y tr-onds in Horld 'trc:.dc uhi ch aho.r th.J.t for the period 1965-1972, ~ver:::'Ge ~1,nllU2.1 r-at.e of C':routh of expor-t c of cncinecrin:; industrial coods Nas 15.5 per cent, tr"de an other mcnurcct ures 13.7 per cent, uhi.Le tr,'.de in ;::,11 other conmodit ioo vras 12.0 per cent.l! Yet the :,fr'ic,',ll re:;ion hcs the 10'dest r"tc of

en:;ince~ill:;

pr-oduct i.on to elleinecri:J::; imports. 'Ill f'act , the slure'of the recion in "/orld output of net2.1 and ol,;ineerin:; products rem~ined unchcmced in the fifteen years between 1955 ~ld 1970 clt 0.02 per cent.

2/

UiITDO, The ImplicQ,t:'.Ol{S' of J.bicin); ',frici' s Skre' in \lorld IndustriJ.l Production to 2 per cent b~r ^{the Ye_'.r} 200~,

cur.

3/Hm/TP/3, p.6.

::/Cl1.14j;,CTr!2/Adcl.l

" , ' P " C e l l

32•. , ::TJlC'~heavy: dependence' of·:.ift'ic::~l1 ·m2.nuf-...~ct·u:rii.1C'~-:'lld henco "indu:::trL:.:liz.:tion

,oillic;ht·manufclCturcc and it::" iRplic"tions for dcveLcpmerrt in tIle. mc't.::.l and. cnGlneerinC subcc'ctona;:are' .cLe.vr-, .' J!ir~'t,:i:i!::;\.~tl1c Dr-abramA -of.·'oectilY.;" b-r'. ... ' . _.rl.frfcj.~'i. cOwltric"s···, the·

. \." .

.. Lim" t ..i',jcf' ,of ;2 ',pCI' ceni .'oi',;totc.l; vror-Ld output' of uc,nuf"ctilrcs,,]YJ' t'lie ye,';r '2000;',~llnathe

second .. chc.l,lellce is hou to',' "met 'th,)'bc.sic' ncedc of the poorniO\jori ty"bt :t'he 'Afrioal'i

"peo,p,:cacin;',tih'c'""rca, of"food:.end 'nutrition, clothinj, housinG-,:' erluc.rt i.on 'and El"S'S .:

tr"-l18Po:r:t2-t ion,"-s: 1',eI1 "'a i;IVol ve: them ill par-ti c iIX,tory deve Iojment through' employment' CCl1cr2.tion and the usc of oonaundo.rtion s t·ecnni,_u0c, '·:In :::"11" these ~,.re.:':'nt:·,"the role

:dr

33." ;,

'Thercfbre,technoIo:'ic_'J.. 'effortc' :,'i11, hzvo to bedire'cted,tO'.'iJ.rda'~u6h':'ii:'E:i,J.s'^'ct"

'thc"sei"ncc' and' technolb(S of';Dc,t'eI'ic1Is(pY-mt,,,,d mineral} in ,iric-,I"o'f, the 'climatic:

,".11<4

environmcntof 'condi tibris' of i,fhcc" s'irt'Cc ^C', seIf'-'rc1i;,ll1t, nced-'brimlt'ed dove l'opment

strMecy'i!1u'st inaximiz!e' the' use of, domestic, 'human 'arid'materialros'o\if.cOSj' pr-oduct dee-icnboth":-in 'the are;ls,b't 'COllsulJpt',ionillld ,prbdtictio'nG'oods, t"kinc'i'nto acooun'tvthe eo oi.a L,':

~ultural"

^end-

en\rir'onmen~i:tcond:it'ions~

of' .,fiic"; " and 'pro'duct:torr: tee:ilno:I;egy

and : pr-oceases in'the frdnie\.orl:,'of"appro'priiitc,'techilo'lOGY not only il{the' ,coDtext' 'of, f'act.or- proportions, but also in the br-o.idor- fr amewor-k of meetinG' ctde(j'lliltely' the' ne'edsor: the', people

of the

:.. ;r .:.::.J;'"( ,;.;.

tc.ldn::: into account the enpkoymerrt .and envir-onmerrtal problem of quo.Lity control and economi~ efficiency.

':.-

.

^:

lU1~th'u:.lr,ecl I-Ihichneeds:_,. '. ,'t~ention,. . ~" ,',

..

is" th",t of rep.'1i. .. . .

r

,and m!inte,n:.:J'!ce. . , . . ' 9f . ..e(i1!j,pmen~. " . ".:,

l1;~t.i"qpl;}'.:brq~use .abiLi ty.:' to

.rq1?2.i:r,

und ·mai.n~_:.~~;·,:c:':iGt,i~1C eCi~i~.en~ can save ~lr:r~cA!1. ...^!

co~tries enormous amount()f ioreiG~ exchan::;e,' but .a.Lao bcccuse D.!'12,reness

or

^{,thE1~need to}

repair ..1nd,maintain ,e'-,uipment i,s,li!~ely,to, Lead tq t,qe domestic manufuctur-e vof" spar-e "

parts and components, uhdch is 0.\1 interrdl par-t of the capacity to est"-blishmeanincf';l, encinec,:inc

i~dUs:t'~ies

^{since c:ll} e(;uipments ar-e

necessaril;/~oElpOs:od

of spare parts arid

.

^'

components.

',.t.

".-.

,':

35.,..

rio:

mi s'tuke.ahouLd_.. i " , " be",rnad~",abou~. . . ~.' _... .-' .the Impor-tance. ' of repair,d.l1d,mainton.ll1pe,.\ 'For:"

instJ.nce,,~;t lusbe;~n qps,erved,}hati!,; Za.mbic., tho, pumbero{ t,x:actor,$ ~~Gist,-"red..Ioubled betwe en 1964 J..'1d 19:57,;1ndee~" it \I~~,difficult to ,f0~

'"

vill'kS'~ in thernor.e developed areas of the cOillltry without some tractors ~hich h~d been made usolesa by lack of so~o.

Qp.1r?.. R"-r.ts and mdintenance servicoc. 1I_{.- " - ,!.j ' . ' ,.• _I} Similarly, thc 1LO study on, employment in_{; :. . '~; " . . :. ,. "}

Keny~

' , ' "

reveals th",t ina:~r,icU:lture, ^cbout. hUlf of.'th,e tra'c;j;ors,,and,othel; <lCriY';lltiUI-;llnip,.'chi'riery

' . - _ . . --,. • • . . • • . •'~-., f~" ~-,~ - , . ' •• ,, ,

1ICharles Elliot, Constrc.ints on the Economic Development of

Z~mbia, ~Afofd"tiriivcirsity

Press, Nairobi and Lusak2-, 1971, pp. 284-286.

":j '" 1~1

"=/21

^{dd- '1}

l!, lJ"l • ..~ .~~vil.., ^{.LI. ' . "}

P,,:;e 12

"ere out of order "t -'ny"one.time primarily duo to Leek. of slcilled operators, repair and rn.virrt en.moe skills, and spare parts. ,One estirru.to is thJ.t if only 10 per 'cerrt ' of, the

ey';':i~~;~·{

ue r-e put beck into full cper ati on .ibout 2 million do l l.ars D. year could be saved)!' und the experience of z..'Jnbia and

Keny~'.

^{is not ,\11} isolated case in :;fricJ..

• . • w

Hence when deS~L~int·.~d p~o4u~in~ equipmc~t, th~ problem of rep2ir ~nd m~intendnce so ~s

. .

to make the equipment sor-vi.cecbj,e and ,lJ.st :loncer:.... ^{- . :} ~'G ':Iell.1.s e qui p the particular court'try to be in .; po sitLon to produce the necessary parts "rhen such e'luipment m.:.? no. mor.e

be in mass production has ,to ~e borne in ~ind.

36. FinJ.lly, the discussion' on mJ.nUfactUfil10 end' tho attendant problems of material test inc, ~6duct

..

. -^, at the, ?affie time

de sijn , ,pr,oduption and di str-dbu'ti on , et c; , ,·rill not, be compl.et e wi thout

. . '. .

stress inc the need for devel0pnlents in such ar-eu.s .~:s metilllur,:;y, foundry technolocy,. ;'leldin;:; technoloc:y,. etp", and for the tr",ininc of, there(lUisite ,mo,npo"ler"

,,' . .'~" .- ^{" ;}

.

^{~. . .}

at the prof5'ssion,~~.,...i;.eqlmic.".l J.!1d interm",diate levels, particuLrly the IJ.st.- c,,-tec;ory.

'=.';; ' . . . . .'. " . " .. '.' . . ' . " ..

coverinc such croups as sheet _met~..l ;·",rkers, machrne. tool setters, instrument, makor-s ,

. . "':" . , ..

;,relders,: et~. ^The ,!,~;;:le"t 'of tminin.:; in the iptcFmediat.e and Lo.rcr- levels in the past has mClde prpcresG, extr erneIy co stLy for, such an error of commtaaion ~:nd,:omission to be

'.' ',' -. . :f-~·:·:"Y._-'.. ,'.· ",: . :.:,' ',' . '-' , ...

perpetrated in thc future.. . " . . ;

: BuHdinr:, c.nd Oonstruction" ','

37. One of the most costly de ve Lopnerrt act'i vi ties in "fricd. is bui Ldi.ng and construction

~·lhe.ther·it

^is hous rng ,'..

·f.J.ctory~

^{of'f'Lce ,}

rO::1d,.

bridie, r-aiIway

tr~b!Ss,

^;J.irport

:~'r

^·se;:.;.

Po·~ts.

. ... .. .r~."l :

But this'. need "not be so if only scient ific and techno Iogi.ccL Hbrk' could be' concentr,1.tcd on thc testins of 10C2,1 m-cteri"ls "".th, ,,"viGl'rto''impro,vili::; .ind reinforCin'c;themj

·m;d:

the desicn and'm.inuL,cturc of the richt tyre' of 'equ.i jmerrt frorJ Loce.I mitter·ials.

38;

f;uchh",s been said abo;'ec:bout' the nced to

rriJ.nufact~e ~;:1rc ~=~.s, co~;on".nt.9,

.ind a.ccessories in a.fric3.n countries. The

'build'inC' :l.I!.d c~nst~~ii~'i~ ~'ub'~~ctor ~,'~

.'2., " .

lucrative arc~ for the use of such parts, components and accessories. Indeed; from iron sheet'st,.asbestos,'

w

indou and door frame's, _~'lat'er'pipes .and pumps, H2.ter 'b,..'.sins

aIlcf

bo.ths to' bitumen,' steel 'frames for bridgea.vand rolline: stocks for·raih-rc.ys, there seems to be no limit to ·"ill-t canbc producedTof ,buil:d:inc,md construction •

. .,~..

51

ILO Study on mployment in Kenya, p,'219, 'c{uoted from L. IlaLco Irm Est..:blishment' of acric,ulturJ.l' En[,'ineerinC' Section in' the' Land and, F;irm' ll3.nilcemenf Division of thc Einistry of B.[;'riculture and "- K'.rm j'ech.miz"tion Rese arch Centre, :1t Nakuru" .i{e!1Y.":"

mimeocri:.phad.

..:' . '...

•

E/CN.14/ACTT/2/Add.l Page 13

4-gricu'l ture .and .f_ood{'i.nclutlin,;;meat and fish)

,39. The underlying .f'act of the 'Gi'~uation lescribed above is,that' African economies, except in the fe1'T oil and. mineral proclucinC areas, a r e dominated by agriculture. Thus in the first' five years of the 1970s, agriculture accounted. for about 35 per cent of the t~tal gross

",domestic product of Afl~ican countries a's against 25 per cent for inclustry, including manuf'ac tur-i ng, and 40 per cent for services.

40. Food production is by far the most important activity of Africa's agrictii bura). sector in terms of labour, Lan d use and value. According

to: FAO'; s weigh'ted producti on indices, the share of food produc tion in total agricultural production _,~s 90 per cent in 1960, 89 per cent in 1970 and 88 per cent in 1973. Yet for the ,hole of Africa, the production of the important food crops of cereals, oil crops and livestock products had consistently fallen from 1969/71' to 1975. In fact, per ca~~ agri- cultural net production for developing Africa consisten tly fell from 1971 to 1975 as comloared to 1970. And in 1975, food production ,per African inhabitant declined in 29 out of 47 African countries, as com- pared

,n

th the period 1961-1965. The fact was that the average annual rate of' increase in agricultural production in the period 1971-1975 "as less than:' 3 per cent for 31 African countries out of 43 for wh i.ch infor- mation' 'liaS available. The, resul t vas a phenomenal increase in food imports' and/or in <mrld food aid. to African countries. Dldeed, food imports have been increasing by 5 per cent per annum since 1960, and were about 15 per cent, of domestic ,production in 1970.

41. 'While natural factors and g6vemmentfiscal' and. other policies

have been and couId be blamed for the poor performance of the, agricul tural sector, the greater part of the poor productivity in agriculture in the

African countries can be attributed to the 10N laval af'tecbnal~giciU.application.

42. Unfortunately, no 'com~lete information is available on the cultivable land area of Afri9a., ITo1'Tever,

.

^{. .. . '.} the information available ,on 24 countries. . " , , . :- . . ind.ica tes tho. t onLy "bout, 6:: per .cent of .the cultivable .a rea of these

E/CN.14/ACTT/2/Add.l .~,ag~ 14

countries is at present being cultivated, that only 6 per cent of the area being cultivated is actually irrigated and that about a quarter of

the land area at present cultivated is potentio.lly irrigable. Horeover, there is scope for increasing the area.now being irrigated at least fourfold.

·In fact, ono other source claims that only about ~no-tenth of the cultivable area of Afrioa is aotually being utilized. Honoe, the importance of water resources for irrigation.

43. However, due to uneven l1istriLution of rainfall, the 10'"1 ooeffi- cient of run-off, and the high coefficient of evaporation of surface

water, the availability of ,~ter in Afrioa for all uses - human consumption, Haste disposals, agriculture, industry, transport, etc , , is the lowest in the world.

44. The problems to uhi ch technology g.as to address itself in the field of food and agricul ture can be broadly divided in to the f'o Ll.owi.n g crucial areas: farming systems in relation to the environment; the preparation of

the soil, including its protection and conservation; inputs like fertili- zers and agricul tural implemen ts; planting, weeding and harvesting; crop selection and development in relation to climatic conditions; the preser- vation and conservation of harvested crops; and the distribution sys tems , inclucling p'ro per .fQ.cl..:aging. 'I'he s e are prob Lems connected. Hith soil

science; irrigation; erosion control; desertification; afforestation; the manufacture and use of ~ertilizers, pesticides and herbicides Hith a ,rieH .~

to con trolling their harmful effects; the manufacture of agricultural LmpLement s , the development of crops bhat will be <'.ble to cope Hi th the extremes of climatic condition::: found in Africa, including the menace of insects, rodents and other pests; s to rc.ge , and pro~e6~sing including canning; transportation and distribution business.

I)

45.

of cn e of report of

. 6/ .

To illustrate':!./the loss that can occur from the neglect.

these problems, namely storage, it is important to refer te the the FAO on the handling and storage of food grains in tropical and sub-tropical .count r-i e a, According to this report, "loss~s after har-ve ct , .during stora.ge , processing and ma ricetm g, mail be as high as 50 per cant and in some ca se c hiG'ber^ll• Moreover, ^IIThroughout the trho l e of the sub-Saharan Afriea, an esti mated

25-40

per eent of the grain crop is

.. .

'I'!1is section ca s largely d ra sn on Africa I~"-gazine^Is recent special study on agr-i cu Ltur-o. in Africa - See Africa (An Int::rrnticlIllJ... Business, Economie and Political Magazine), July and September 1977 i~s' ^9S.

...

E/CN.14/AC'IT/2/Add.1 P3{i"e 15 lost each year :~.ue to m uects, mouLd., rodents, etc. The Loasec

occur at the level of the Ln d'i.v.i dua L fe.rmer or the illfliviQual village,.

nhf.cb explains

t6 a:

certui';extent Le neglect of the problem

...

^II

Uhen~'rf^{is r-eaLiaed: tha}t fclrmersnormaii

y

_k~~p around.· 80 per cent or their crop in their villages for seed or· ccnsumptio~ it· can then be understood that the effect of a 25-40 per cent loss in food ·",l1p1'l;:es has been a major cause of the recu~rent food Ghortaces in Africa, in . addi tion to the ^10H"LeveL of producti Vi'tj,'·due to nature and poor farming

techniques.

46. WitlJ..regard to production teclmiques,· i t should be understood that

unless the physicaL drudgery of a(;ricul tural vor'k can be eased by appro- priate mechanization, people (and especially ^YOtU1g people) .Hill not be

induced to stay on the land. Eoreovei', 'rith the riGht type of mechanization, there is scope for easinG tromen 's ^.ror-k in such activities as 'va t.er ca r'ryang, fuel coll~·ction ^{and STain pound}i.n g b;' relatively simple t.echno l ogd csL

improvements and. j,...ural electrification. The crucial areas of meclv,niza~io:l,

the manufacture of other "cricul t.ur-aL inputs an d the distribution system

aptly put into charp focus the intert"i";ing of a,Jicul ture e.";:1 rur-aL develop- ment and In dustry and their c":..irect implication:: for tr":':J.1f:portation and other services.

47. Animal resources Ln c Lude reme..rLable cattle genetic sto cks on .vrhi ch Ln suf'fLc.i ent r e aear-ch and .impr-ovement trork is aj; present being dorie , Yet the need for r,lee-cinL, the an i.maL protein nee(1.8 o.f i ...f r i can population is becoming more and more ur gen t not only because of the 10w LeveI of arrima'l

protein intal~e of ~he~;cisting popu.La t Lon , but also because of the

phenomenal increase in the r-a te of gro,,;-!tl1 of the po puLati.on and the conS8- quen t need to provide ade qua.te yrotein for ·the ·chil(l~en-2..nd the you its loTho consti tute the future 0'eneration of Afri~a.

48. . The problem of prova d in g adequate animal protein is technical, economic and social. In the technid~.l ^{area, a ctenti ori} n~eCi.s ^{tabe con-}

c~htered

^{on the e radacat to n of euch} p r o b L e m causing :insect" as

the t~·~tse·

fly and for the development of ·'he right breed of ccnimaltl1at

c'i~bo·th'

1·rj.thstand the scour-ge of such insects and the i l l effects of shortage-·of··-

fodder .due .to Lack of .'''' tel' and .the recurrent occur-rence of droughts In ':'~

the economic area, there is the need not only to ensure the regular arid

E/CN.14/ACTT/2/Add.1 Page 16

adequa te [;UI'l,ly 01 the dni:,,,:.ls but also to develop ,the technolo/!,'Y for preserving the quality of boch live ani maLs awl the rneat of the pro.

cessed ones. Thus, apart f~~om the question of follcler and the feeding sys tem, there is the problem of tre·.:1sl=)Qrtation and refrigeration; The

s o

ca

^{a. .}l aspect is ^{L n}t r-i^{c at . e}Ly lin:::ed to t^{h a}t of production since ^{a n}i . r n a L

production is still larGely 'che occupa ta on of nomads. Hence, the question of su pp.Lyi.n g meat at reasonable prices is directly Li nked to the social cz-gan Lznti on of the n o.aad s , trh i.ch is also Li.nlte d to the )roblems of ecode- velopment as fa.r as the settlement of the nomads and the consequent

assurance of equilibrium betueen their activities and their environment are concerned.

49. Fishery resources, subject to clepi~tion'^{in coastal,} a r-ea s are ample en ough to attract deep s ea fishinG fleets from several a.d'van ce d dount r-i ea

"hile the ma jor-i ty of :,frican countries remain extr-eme Iy deficient in protein from fish and other edible cei', resources source. An d the aoLutLon of the problem involved cannot be achieved '-ithout the <:.pplico.tion of: science and technology- •

50. In this connexion, attention needs to be ~Lirectecl at the acquisition and development of the t.echni qu e s of deep sea fishing, the te chni que s of breeding and preserving inland 1,:ateI'Ha~r fishery resources and the development of

fishpond culture. l!o:reove:c', vhi Le att ent.i.on is b ei ng directed to the production Side, ef'f'ort s ah ouLd simul tan eousIy be ffiu:de in the direction of the preservation ~d distribution of vmat ts ~roduced. Transportation and refrigeration 'technicclles again constitute targets of attontion..

Education, health, housin,;: "nrl other social factors

51.

The pover-ty of economic d.eve Lopuieht is tre L]. reflected in the social Hell-being of the 'people. Um'or tuna toIy, data on the social conditions of African countries a re hard to co me by , Houeve r , the recent s tudy

11

^{by the}

Centre for Development Plalu1ing , Projections and Policies :of the United, Nations, NeH York, c'.lreacly r-ef'e rr ed to, iildicdtes clearly the very poor

JJ

See "Developing Countries and Levels of Development" op,cit ,

..

, . E!CN.14!ACTT!2!Add.l

'Page 17

conditions of the liell-being of

Afi':i.

can people. Apart from the four e conomf,c indicators ·alreadjf:.m€mtim.1ed,. the ;3tud;y~ used aii;oth'er f6u~

• indicators as proxy for soc:i.ai condatf on a namely, percentage ~h<ire ^of economically active po puLati on outside agricul ture; numb~.!'::.of.tel,ep,ll.o.neiL per 1,000 persons; percentage of literate popuIa tc.on in the age group o~:;,,:c"'-'

15 years and over; and life expectancy at birth. TI,e conclusion to be 'drawn, from these indicators only reinforces the poor picture of develop-

ment depicted'by the four economic 'indicators. ThUS, the percentage of

, "

economically, active population 'out c.ide agriculture around'-1970 ranged from 8 percent to about 70 per, cent for African count-r-i e s "'ith 2:3 out of the 44 having beLovr 20 per cent. 'In the}ase of telephones per

1,odb

persons" the number ranged be tareen l.'and 25 ^tri,th

215

cOIfutries having' .beLorr 10 per 1,000 persons. As for

1i

ierac;y: rates, thk mimbe±-" r'Mged" '

betHeen 5 per cent and 61 per cent ]'Jith 23 ~ountries havi,rig belo]'; 20 per' , '

:.'

cent. And "i,th'respect to life expectancy,,' tb.e number iallged betlieen' 38 .year s arid65-D' years ]Iith 35' courrtz-a es h<iving bo l o» 45 years.

52. 1c!hen the tiro sets of indicntors (economic and social)' were 'p()oled,

to ar~ive at a sing'le developm,mt Lndacator- foJ;' the ranking" ollly tJ.ro African, countries trer-e in posi ti()nc b e l ov the 70th and 30 oithem Here f:t:0m the

100th posit~on to th e 140th posi tion.

53. This picture of dep.Lor-ab Le social conditions is alsoreUiforced by ,the.: .information available"IrQm the' ILOsv.

~

Thus, of a total labour force

I

of,

)49,

million in 1972,the urban areas counted lei million' unemployed

and underemployed, ",hile the".l'ural a rea s counted more than 50 million. Life expe.o tancy a't birth in Africa' (excluding South 'Africa)'l,ras estimated at 40.6 years in 1970, less than in any other developing region of the -,orld.

In 1970" the average per head calorie supply tras estimated: at 92.7 per cent of basic re'iuirements., lOHer'than in ' ot.her develop:lnis'regionsof the ,",orld. In 1972, only 44.2 per cent of the 6 to 11 age group attended school; 58.6 per cent of children ,aged

6

in 1968 ,,'ill be illi terate at

,See lOA Basdc..Needs Strategy for Africa .; Report I, Part I" of the ILO, Director-General to the Pifth African Regional Conference, Abidjan, 27 September to 6 October 1977.

;.. :"

E/CiT.l~,ji'CTT/2/itdd.l Pa..,::;·e 10

the ..:.::;e of

15

in

1977.

'Ihile anf'or-m.rt

Lon

On hous in.; is very ra.re, it ^\T:::'S likely that more them 80 per cent of the urb.,n po puLa'ti.on of "fricEln countr-ie s lived in s Iums or uncontrolled settlements in

1970.

Thus, in

1972, 69

per cent of the totJ.l population of

!,fric" :rere seriously poor -1.nd

39

per cent Here destitute.

Technolo::icJ.l implic-1tions.

Employment

54.

^{i:uch has} ~lrea.dy been s..:.id J.bout the employment problems in the developinc countries both by internJ.tion<J.l orC;.:.mizations and p r - L v at^e researchers ^{a n d} tech"ylic.J.l ^{a a s}i . s t a n c e

:;:;encies th.:1t it is not neC88SD.rjT to duel! much on it here. .md in .:.:lmost every study or conference, the conclusion seems to be tl1J.t thc solution of the employment problem lies L::.r:·:ely in the development of cppr-o pr-Lrtc techno Io-jy that "rill be Lbour-2.U[;1!lentin:;

rvt her- th"m Labour-e-eavi.ng, However , whi Le other prescriptions as popuLvtion control,

refor", of the educat iona.L system .md the ado pt i.on of monet.ary and fisc:::.l policies .tnat Hill not fJ.vour the use of cJ.pitccl to the detriment of l~bour appeJ.r to be e:::.sier since they J.rc uithin the control of individu~l families and Governments, the development of

labour-intensive technolOGies continues to pose the CTe..:.test c~llence to scientists ill1d technolocists.

55.

Therefore, this .::.re,' constitutes one of the vircin ar-eas for thc t.r

ans

fcr ,

J.daptJ.tion 2nd development of teclli,oloCY, ~rticula.rlyin the develoiJDent aspect of it.

In this connexi on , it is Lmpor-t •.:.nt to note th.·.t if the stratecy of bc.cic needs approach to development is sincerely J.dhered to, the problem of emplo~"ent is likely to be more

clmen~ble to solution. Thin is bec,:use the cre~ter ~~rt of the b~sic no ods of the

creJ..test m.:.:jority is lil:ely to be met either by simple t.ecnru que s th~t ar-e labour-intensive or by mc.s s production methods uhi cl, may displace iror-ker-s in oer-t a i.n lines of production but vri.Ll. cr-e.rt e more jobs p.sr-ti cul.ar-Ly in such ar-e.zs as p;J.ck.;:.:'in.:..:, distribution ';'ild

servicinG' Therefore, the problem of employment is intimately liru~ed to the question of reform of the cduc.rtion.vI zystem to conform to the ch"ncin::; needs of economic development, po puLrti.on control and the adopti on of appr-opr-r.rte monetary and f i.sca.L policies th:~t .cr e non-dascrirmn.rtor-y a;~;,J.inst the use of Labour ,

Educ;J.tion

56.

The problem posed by tha 10'.1 level or .

Li

teracy for tachnolo;;y lies .mainly in how to develop the ans t.ructLono.L mat er i.a Ls , the teclmiques and the e qui jmerrt th::.t ;-,ill make it possible to make function",l _liter~cy reach the _m~ss of the peoplc. iU1d this problem

•

•

•

..

E/CN.14!:.CTr/2/ildd.1 Pace 19

lies c.t the hear-t of comrnunic.vti.on s t.e chnoLo-jy "bout .rh'ich \Ie have spoken in one of the precedinc sections. Howevcr-, m<11:in.:; educct ion re.ioh the mzrs a of the people is a costly':

enterprise that _c~ yield .:;ooddividend if cheap 2nd effective _e~uipment and means of communication can be developed. I:lcideilt,clly, this .;uestion is ·},lso linked to hOH soon productivity in c.:::riculture·c~ilbe r2ised. For unless farmers cen produce more "ith fetler h.inds , they,:iill not r-el euso their youn.:;er ones to pursue educati on, Even then, the problem wi.L], still remain enormous since to cornba't illiteracy effoctively, both the youn::; ~d the old ;;ill h~ve to be "ddressed, an enterprise that demands more and better equipment. of instruction and cheup \lri tine muterL:ls. Here acain, industrializaticn in hfric2: is f'aced ,rith 2 seemin:.;ly daunt in::; ch.rLl on.je , the meet in,:; of '..rhi ch depends on stril:inc procress in the "-d~,pt"'tion, development and transfer of technolo,;y.

Health

57.

The importance of he.rLth not only for the "ell-beinG of the mdivi.duaI but aLso for cener<11 soci<11 and cconomic development is nad "ell l~o~n 2:l1d accepted. Therefore, the priority "reelS for he.rLt h research and services in llfricel '.-fill include the folloHin:;:

;,.:,

provision of cle<1n w2ter for human. consumption and the control of dise,,-sos transmitted by '-l2.ter and food such "S choler." amocb'i c ,:;,nd bacillary dysentery; control of,transoissiole diseases such ^dS maldri~, trypanosomiasis, sm~llpox ~d virus diseases, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, onchocerci~sis, leprosy _~nd vector control; and the improvement of nutritional status, materncl '41d child Celre.

58. In order to be ubLe to "tt",c]: these problems successfully, more .rtt orrt ion wi Ll, have to be paid to the diCl-~:nosis and tr-e.vtmont, of the d'i seasc s , .Such efforts have enormous a m p f r c . r ti^{o n s} for hic.:h level m . v n p o u e r , e q u i . p r n e n t dcsic.,"ll ^{a n d} m c n u f ' a c t u r - e,

arid the rnanuf'actur-e of phc.rrnaceuti ca^{L c,} And in vr eu of the costs that ^{v ri . L l ,} be involved it is ampor-t znt to stress the need for exper-ameat ation vri th the usc of Local. m.:ltel'Llls and the involvement at all levels of the personnel involved in the health industry.

This is "-'1 ar-e.; wher-e the hoc.Lt h industry cover inc' the m.inufacture of drncs, the desicn and manuf'actur-e of ho spi,_t~l and Libor-at ory equipmentI buildin:; .ind other infrastructures and the tr2.inin~: of research and hcc.Lth delivery services personnel LncIud i.ng

indicenous (native) doctors 0~~ he~lers should be intecr2.ted into development planninG in cencr:.11 ....ind industrialization end manpower- tr:J.inin.::~ in par-t i.cuLar-,