RICHARD BOADI | University Of Education, Winneba (original) (raw)
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Papers by RICHARD BOADI
Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, 2008
Recent developments in agricultural science and technology have the potential to transform the ag... more Recent developments in agricultural science and technology have the potential to transform the agricultural sector in the developing world. These technological advances constitute key drivers of economic growth and hold great promise for poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Agricultural research and development in Africa is undergoing a major paradigm shift. Until recently, public-sector institutions in Africa worked in isolation to create and disseminate agricultural technologies to smallholder farmers. However, they need access to improved proprietary technologies developed for the most part by the private sector in developed countries. These technologies are currently concentrated in the hands of a few large corporations and are protected by intellectual property rights.
Numerous previous attempts at technology development and transfer have not always sufficiently co... more Numerous previous attempts at technology development and transfer have not always sufficiently contributed to sustainable food security and rural poverty alleviation in SSA. It has become increasingly obvious that new approaches are needed to mobilize science and technology for innovative applications in Africa, a continent where 70% of farming is in the hands of resource-poor smallholder farmers. Such farmers, who on average own half an hectare of land, are inhibited to accessing agricultural innovations that could overcome challenges such as drought, soil fertility and elite crop cultivars. Thus delivery of appropriate technologies is critical in ensuring that farmers have the best planting materials and management practices for optimal productivity. Fortunately, sustained investment by the governments and the private sector in research and development, including biotechnology, has continued to generate technologies that address some of the monumental limitations to productivity. Such efforts are increasing developing technologies that come with Intellectual Property Protection regimes. As the paradigm shifts towards proprietary technologies, it is increasingly becoming difficult for smallholder farmers to access and use these technologies. This calls for an innovative platform for access and delivery of proprietary technologies that would otherwise not be available to address the problems of resource-poor smallholder farmers. While AATF is not the panacea or a "silver bullet" to achieving the goal of easing access to important technologies for humanitarian purposes, it has demonstrated during its relatively short history that it could be the catalyst for the transfer of technology to smallholder farmers. The paper elaborates on some of its experience in access and delivery of technologies to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Annals of The New York Academy of Sciences, 2008
Recent developments in agricultural science and technology have the potential to transform the ag... more Recent developments in agricultural science and technology have the potential to transform the agricultural sector in the developing world. These technological advances constitute key drivers of economic growth and hold great promise for poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Agricultural research and development in Africa is undergoing a major paradigm shift. Until recently, public-sector institutions in Africa worked in isolation to create and disseminate agricultural technologies to smallholder farmers. However, they need access to improved proprietary technologies developed for the most part by the private sector in developed countries. These technologies are currently concentrated in the hands of a few large corporations and are protected by intellectual property rights.
Numerous previous attempts at technology development and transfer have not always sufficiently co... more Numerous previous attempts at technology development and transfer have not always sufficiently contributed to sustainable food security and rural poverty alleviation in SSA. It has become increasingly obvious that new approaches are needed to mobilize science and technology for innovative applications in Africa, a continent where 70% of farming is in the hands of resource-poor smallholder farmers. Such farmers, who on average own half an hectare of land, are inhibited to accessing agricultural innovations that could overcome challenges such as drought, soil fertility and elite crop cultivars. Thus delivery of appropriate technologies is critical in ensuring that farmers have the best planting materials and management practices for optimal productivity. Fortunately, sustained investment by the governments and the private sector in research and development, including biotechnology, has continued to generate technologies that address some of the monumental limitations to productivity. Such efforts are increasing developing technologies that come with Intellectual Property Protection regimes. As the paradigm shifts towards proprietary technologies, it is increasingly becoming difficult for smallholder farmers to access and use these technologies. This calls for an innovative platform for access and delivery of proprietary technologies that would otherwise not be available to address the problems of resource-poor smallholder farmers. While AATF is not the panacea or a "silver bullet" to achieving the goal of easing access to important technologies for humanitarian purposes, it has demonstrated during its relatively short history that it could be the catalyst for the transfer of technology to smallholder farmers. The paper elaborates on some of its experience in access and delivery of technologies to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.