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The blog of the Science, Technology and Public Policy program of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Editor
Zachary Tumin
Category Archives: Agriculture
Africa’s New Science and Innovation Agenda
by Calestous Juma I am on my way back from the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. This was a remarkable meeting with an overwhelming intellectual energy. The event was unique in many respects. But … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Development, Emerging Tech, Engineering, Health, Innovation, Manufacturing, Telcomm
Tagged africa, Agriculture, Biotechnology, infrastructure, Technology, wef; grow africa; akinola; financial times; innovation; carlsson; gatete; van houten; lanre; ericsson; ibm; samsung; mobile; fibre; rwanda; south africa; nobel;
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Africa and Brazil at the Dawn of New Economic Diplomacy
by Calestous Juma In recent years the major focus of China’s engagement in Africa has been on economic diplomacy. Much of this debate has been influenced by concerns over China’s rise as an economic superpower and the preoccupation with viewing … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Development, Education, Health and Safety, Emerging Tech, Energy, Innovation, Jobs
Tagged africa, agricultural transformation agency, annual lagos black heritage festival, aviation, brazil, brazilian cooperation agency, brics, cecat, china, diplomacy, embraer, embrapa, energy, henry bellingham, india, nigeria, petroleum, power, rousseff, russia, south africa, standard bank, trade rousseff
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Developing Country Farmers Bridge the “Biotechnology Divide”
by Calestous Juma Critics of agricultural biotechnology have long contended that it would not benefit farmers in developing countries. Their concerns were not unjustified. A large number of technologies continue to be restricted to industrialized countries despite their global … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Development, Education, Health and Safety
Tagged biotech, Biotechnology, clive james, cuba, gm crops, isaaa, sudan
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Persecuting Biotechnology
by Calestous Juma In a widely circulated speech, UK environmental activist Mark Lynas has apologized for his past history of demonizing transgenic crops and masterminding the anti-biotechnology campaign. Explaining at the Oxford Farming Conference in January 2013 why he … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Development, Health, Innovation
Tagged Biotechnology, lynas, transgenic
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Biotechnology and Africa’s Strategic Interests
by Calestous Juma (Cross-posted from Global Food for Thought) Global food politics are riddled with paradoxes. While threats to global food security are becoming increasingly evident, efforts to stall the adoption of new technologies appear to intensify. There is … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Development
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Evidence Stacking Up Against Biotechnology Critics
By Calestous Juma Critics of agricultural biotechnology have long maintained that the technology is unsuitable for small-scale farmers and harmful to the environment. But according to newly-released adoption rates, evidence is pointing in the opposite direction.
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Development, Uncategorized
Tagged Agriculture, Biotechnology, environment
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Infrastructure First? Water Policy, Wealth, and Well-Being
By John Briscoe [1] In my reading of history, every country which has successfully lifted its people out of poverty has done so primarily by building its basic productive capacity. Central to this process has been giving priority to improving the … Continue reading
Seeding Agricultural Innovation in Africa: Eight Imperatives for Leaders
By Calestous Juma The on-going famine in the Horn of Africa has put in sharp focus the urgency to raise the continent’s food production through improved agricultural innovation. This cannot be done without reforming the continent’s research system by creating … Continue reading
Posted in Africa, Agriculture, Education, Health and Safety, Innovation
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