Trends
Science skills for Africa's food security
Agriculture is central to African economies and livelihoods. Science and technology can make it more productive, resilient and profitable.
Where science helps
- Soil and chemistry: understanding nutrients and fertilisers.
- Water: efficient irrigation using sensors and data.
- Storage: drying and storing crops at the right humidity to reduce losses.
- Processing: turning raw produce into higher-value products.
- Drones: mapping fields and monitoring crops.
Agro-processing
Processing mangoes, tea, coffee, cassava and other crops locally, rather than exporting raw produce, creates jobs and keeps value in Africa. It needs chemistry, food science and engineering skills.
Learning in school
- Chemistry labs for reactions and food chemistry.
- Kinetic theory of gases for humidity and drying.
- UAV Piloting for aerial mapping.
- IoT for sensors and irrigation, at our Nairobi lab.
Careers
- agricultural engineer;
- food scientist and technologist;
- agritech entrepreneur;
- drone and sensor specialist.
Changing perceptions
Many young people see farming as old-fashioned. Showing them the science and technology in modern agriculture can change that.