"Harnessing the opportunity sets around us to build Initiatives that

can effectively face the triple Challenge of Poverty, Environmental

Degradation and difficult Demographic transition in Africa"

TEDxIKOYI24th MAY 2012

! ADDRESSING OUR LOGIC OF POVERTY

I think that the socio-economic situation today in Africa that we call poverty, is largely due to our incapacity to efficiently harness the opportunity sets around us.

The drama of our time is that the potentials and opportunity sets (the Environmental and Human capitals) that we have on the continent could drastically reverse the situation and change the socio-economic conditions of millions of people in this region, but we are yet to develop the capacity to recognize and harness them.

We in Africa have entered into the logic of Poverty because we are no longer capable of internally generating the capacities to procure goods and services that correspond to our needs and desires

The other side of the drama is that passive consumerism and the quick adoption of other peoples’ experiences, solutions, systems of production and values have become cheap substitutes for doing the hard work of growing up and developing native competences and processes that would guarantee sustainable, broad based and inclusive growth on the continent.

A time bomb

SOME OF THE CONSEQUENCES Registering about 3.6% Rural Exodus in the region “ever increasing urban

decay.’’ “Slumization” instead of Urbanization

WE MUST REVERSE THIS LOGIC OF POVERTY!! The challenge therefore before all of us is how to harness these opportunity

sets and in the first step turn the rural sector around to become productive, efficient and remunerative with the view to seriously tackling the employment problem, triggering off the other sectors and considerably slowing down the massive rural exodus in the region. In other words, it is imperative to make our Agriculture sustainable and competitive. This is an inescapable pathway to a viable, broad-based and inclusive economy in the region.

An  Integrated  model  of  rural  growth  is  key  to    a  broad  based  and  inclusive  development:

 AGRICULTURE  IS  A  PART  OF  A  CLUSTER  INDUSTRY! For Agricultural growth to become a motor to socio-economic development and the

eradication of poverty it requires the concomitant development of the secondary and tertiary sectors. There must be dynamic forward and backward linkages between Agriculture and the other sectors.

! Agriculture does not develop by itself, but requires a complex integrated system to support it – market its products, and provide inputs, credits and technology and management.

! An integrated development model that includes these services and linkages should be embraced. Rural growth will be difficult to take off without these enabling and complimentary services.

TECHNOLOGY

TRAINING

DYNAMIC  FORWARD  AND  BACKWARD  LINKAGES  BETWEEN  SECTORS  OF  THE  ECONOMY  

THE  MAIN  DRIVERS  IN  THIS  PROCESSFirst Driver: A multifunctional Agriculture that is sustainable, viable and

competitiveThis Agriculture must be up to the following challenges to constitute a trigger

element.

1) Provide food in sufficient quantity to a population that is increasingly demanding in term of quality and diversity - Production that delivers sufficient quantities of safe whole-some food items that assist in disease prevention, healthy living and healthy ageing.

2) Provide competitive inputs/raw materials for the Agro-Industry

3) Provide feed stock for renewable energy supply - This Agriculture must be designed to become an energy source instead of an energy sink

4) Provide new environmental products and services- carbon sequestration, Agro-

Second  Driver:  Sustainable  and  leapfrogging  Technologies

• Given  the  high  level  of  produc2vity  required  to  kick  start  the  process,  technologies  that   only   guarantee   incremental   growth   will   not   be   enough.   Leapfrogging   and  sustainable  technologies  must  be  deployed.

• Technological  development  therefore  has  a  major  role  to  play  in  the  African  Agro-­‐business  and  socio-­‐economic.

• The   concept   of   sustainable   development   implies   that   we   can   increase   our  produc2vity  while  protec2ng  and  enhancing  our  environment.

• We   must   develop   technologies   that   would   enable   our   Agriculture   to   produce  more  with   less.  This   is   only   possible  within   an   integrated   system   of  produc2on  where   the   principles   of   synergy,   complimentarity,   supplimentarity   and   nega2ve  entropy  are  in  play.

• It   must   be   noted   that   this   agriculture   will   no   longer   be   primarily   a   chemical  process  like  the  conven2onal  Agriculture,  but   largely  a  biological  process  -­‐  where  our   incredible  environmental   and  biological   capitals  would   be   fully   engaged   and  harnessed.

• We  have  therefore  to  relearn   the  way  we  prac2ce  agriculture.    From  the  way  we  view   the  soil   and   its   fer2lity,   through   the  way  we  maintain,   nourish  and   protect  our  plants  and  animals  to  the  way  we  condi2on  and  market  them.

Third Driver: Appropriate Human Resource! Implementing structures and personnel must be aligned with the dynamics

of integrated development and rural growth.

Integrated Development is a “cross function” or cross cutting dynamics. It is far from being sectoral. Projects or programs like this would therefore depend mainly on the quality, character and set up of the organization/group responsible for its implementation.

! This is one of the major challenges in integrated rural development. The absence of this “core” competence could adversely impact, not just the implementation but the outcomes of development programs.

! Multi-skilled Human resource base is therefore imperative: It is only when the core competence has the authority, capacity and the ability to implement “cross-cutting and integrated” activities that rural integrated development programs become realistic.

Forth Driver: Social/ cultural/ organizational capital development• ! Since agriculture is presently carried out by a multitude of subsistent,

largely unorganized small holders and various actors, their willingness and ability to participate in any program of change is a crucial factor.

• Rural Development is, in effect, a complete transformation of the whole institutional structure of the rural society.

• Programs must therefore be designed to mobilize, upgrade and empower the medium and small holders and other indigenous actors for attaining the goals of Broad-based and Inclusive Rural Growth.

Other Drivers: 5th : Development of innovative sources of Financing6th:Infrastructural development (Roads and communication) and access to Energy

- especially modular decentralized and renewable sources.

Agriculture: A weapon of mass construction! This model is already demonstrating that despite a myriad of constraints, it is

possible for agriculture in Africa to develop, prosper and become attractive. ! If these drivers are effectively set into motion in our development programs, our

Agriculture would become a weapon of mass construction and the development of a broad based and inclusive socio-economic growth that will effectively fight poverty and bring prosperity to our people.

An Innovative Institution is required to implement this visionThe   Songhai   Integrated   system   of  development   is  quite   a  unique   one.  It   is   not   just   your  

usual   training,   technology   transfer   or   produc2on   model.   It   is   designed   to   radically  tackle   the   triple   challenge   (Agriculture/Food   Security,   Poverty   and   the   difficult  demographic  transi2on)  facing  African  countries  today  in  their  struggle  for  an  inclusive  and  broad  based  Socio-­‐economic  development.  

This  innova2ve  ins2tu2on  has  four  components:1)   It   is   a   technology   park   where   new   ideas   and   techniques   are   developed   and  

contextualized.

2)   It   is  an  Industrial   park/producNon  center  where  the   techniques  and   ideas  are   turned  into  enterprises  and  many  different  types  of  produc2on  ac2vi2es.

3)   It   is   an   incubaNon/training/human   resource   development   center.   Here   no   1  (Technology  park)   and   no  2   (Industrial  park)   become  an   effec2ve  "space"   to  incubate  new  competences.  We  call  them  the  components  of  the  incuba2on  "space".  Songhai  is  a  mother  firm/farm,  an  extension  space  that  produces  func2onal  individuals.  

The   Songhai   graduates   are   brought   into   a   logic   of   produc2on   because   Songhai   is   a  producNon,  a  research  and  service  center.  The  teacher/animators/managers  are  first  of   all   producers   and   not   talkers.   The   teachers   are   bare   foot   researchers   who   are  con2nually   searching   for   new   ideas  and   techniques   to  improve   their  produc2vity  and  efficiency.  The  teachers  are  entrepreneurs.  

4)   Songhai   is   a   service   center.   The   game   is   not   over   aUer   the   ini2al   forma2on   period.  Services   like   marke2ng,   input   procurement,   networking,   financial/loan   and   advisory  services  are  provided  to  enable  the  young  entrepreneurs  to  stand  on  their  own.

Songhai  core  values  are  not  nego8able

• The  founda2on  of  Songhai  is  its  core  value-­‐  Knowledge-­‐  Skill  -­‐  Value  system  (culture  of  discipline,  solidarity,  integrity  and  strong  work  ethics.)

• This  core  value  has  to  be  appropriated  by  its  leaders/managers  and  a  majority  of  its  work  force  for  it  to  work.

• The   inescapable   pathway   in   this   process   therefore   will   be   the   development   of   a  cri2cal   mass   of   individuals   that   have   the   capacity   (knowledge,   skills   and   values  systems)   to  not  only   be  at  home  with   elements  of  this   challenge  (fully   understand  and   comprehend   the   real   needs  and   desires-­‐   from   rural   to  urban   areas),   but   also  have  the  capacity  to  imagine,  innovate  and  develop  appropriate  solu2ons)

• The   Songhai   Ini2a2ve   is   an   expression   of   a  “regenera2ve   social   economy”-­‐   (“Une  Economie  de  communion”-­‐in  French).  This   ini2a2ve,  while  strongly  reaffirming  and  reac2va2ng   the   central   posi2on   of   solidarity   in   social   construc2ons,   goes   steps  further  to  ensure  the  sustainability  of  this  human  value,  giving   it  a  “self-­‐sustaining”  base.  A  central  principle  of  the  Songhai  ini2a2ve  is  that  the  only  way  to  fight  poverty  effec2vely   is  by  making   the  poor  produc2ve.  This   is  another  way  of  re-­‐edi2ng   the  famous  Chinese  saying   that   “it   is  be[er   to  teach  someone  to  fish   than  to  give  him  fish

•All  stakeholders   in   the  Songhai   ini2a2ve  are  perpetual  militants  of  the  development  of  a  func2onal  and  responsive  African  human  capital.  

•The  Songhai   ini2a2ve   is  a  commitment   to  an  ac2ve   and  genera2ve  use   of  resources.  All  resources  must  be  made  to  circulate  within  the  social  fabric  of  communi2es  to  make  them  reproduce  themselves.  This  ini2a2ve   is  therefore  designed   to  have  a  snowball  and  not  a  trickledown   effect.   It   revitalizes   work   as   the   basic   structure   of   modern   economy   –   the  enterprise.  Here  the  enterprise  becomes  the  focal  point  where  resources  are  oriented  for  the  crea2on  of  wealth.  

•There   is  an   inbuilt   vitality,   thanks   to  the  fact  that   it  will   always  be  cons2tuted,  animated  and  facilitated  by  competent  people  –  the  “na2ve  competences”  or  “core  socio-­‐economic  leaders”  described   above  –   that   are  capable  crea2vity   and   solidarity,   especially   towards  the  most  marginalized.  

•It   must   be   noted   however,   that   solidarity   in   this   ini2a2ve   is   detached   from   the   usual  prac2ce  of   social   welfare   that   is   characterized   by   perpetual-­‐handouts,   as   seen   in   many  development  programs  in  Africa  and  many  developing  economies.  

Zero Emission Research Initiative

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“Produce  more  with  less”

Z E R I

Labor

Infrastructures

Feed

Water

Energy

Day Old Chicks

Water

Energy

Accessories

HU

SB

AN

DR

Y

PR

OC

ES

SIN

G

WaterLabor

Equipment

Infrastructure

Waste Water

By-products

Dead animals

SewageManure

Blood

Feather

Bones

Fat

Waste Water

Packaging

Water

Equipment

Labor

Ingredients

MA

RK

ET

Infrastructure

Refrigeration

Money

STORAGE LEVEL LOSSES

MARKET LEVEL LOSSES

Ducks

Quails

Turkeys

Broilers

AB

ATTOIR

CO

LD S

TOR

AG

E

CONSUMER LEVEL LOSSES

CO

NS

UM

ER

SProcessed and packaged meat products

Dressed meat

Frozen meat

CONVENTIONAL POULTRY PRODUCTION CHAIN

THE ALTERNATIVE THAT SONGHAI PROPOSES

aquaculture

AGRICULTURE

Bio-gas

PRODUCT

STORAGE

MEAT SHOP

Smoked Chicken

ribs

Hams

Sausages

POULTRY CHAIN

INDUSTRY

Brewery

Wastes

by-products of Food processing

PRODUCTION - Cake (soya, peanuts,

palm kernel, cotton, coco, sunflowers…)

- Cassava peelings

FISH

Live Poultry

AGRICULTURE

BIO-GAS

AQUACULTUREANIMAL PRODUCTION

Meat PROCESSING

ANIMAL NUTRITION

AGRICULTURE

ANIMAL NUTRITION

P

ROCE

S

S

I

NG

MARKETING

Maize, Rice, Sorghum, Soya,Moringa, etc

Dressed Poultry

WaterLabor

Equipment

Infrastructure

EnergyLabor

Equipment

Infrastructure

Bio-gas

Energy

Packaging

Infrastructure (refrigeration)

Bio-gas Energy

Packaging

Infrastructure (refrigeration)

Bones

Waste Water

ABATTOIR

Fertilization of Waterwaste water

Compostfeather

Blood meal

Blood

Maggots

intestine

Fertilization

Pond Fertilization

Manure

Small-MedEnterprise

Marketing& Services

• Retail• Restaurants• Export

• “Value Added”• Food Processing• Manufacturing• Construction

§ Crops§ Livestock§ Fish§ Specialty Items

Technology

PrimaryProduction

Integrated Production System

CropProduction

Aquaculture Livestock

Bioenergy

Integrated Production System

RECYCLING PIG SLURRY FOR RICE PRODUCTION

USE OF WATER HYACINTH/AQUATIC PLANTS FOR WATER PURIFICATION – RECYCLED WATER USED FOR FISH FARMING

SONGHAI GREEN WATER RECYCLING / PURIFICATION SET UP

PIGS FEEDING ON AQUATIC PLANTS/ WATER GREENS

BIOGAS PRODUCTION

ELECTRICITY GENERATION WITH BIOGAS

RURAL ELECTRIFICATION

CropProduction

Aquaculture Livestock

Bioenergy

Songhai Integrated system

COMPOST

RAMIAL CHIPPED WOOD - CHIPPING MACHINE

RAMIAL CHIPPED WOOD - CHIPPING MACHINE

PRODUCTION OF TOMATO IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

CROP PRODUCTION IN GREEN HOUSE

PRODUCTION OF TOMATOES IN GREEN HOUSE

TOMATO  

MARKET  GARDEN  IRRIGATION

CARROTS

CONSERVATION  AND  STORAGE  OF  VEGETABLES  

CONDITIONNING  AND  PREPARATION  OF  VEGETABLES  FOR  THE  MARKET  

GROWING SWEET PEPPER IN GREENHOUSE

BELL PEPPER

GREENHOUSE IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

GREENHOUSE IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

HOT PEPPER PRODUCTION (SONGHAI ENUGU)

GREEN BEANS

COMMERCIAL AND INTENSIVE WATER MELON PRODUCTION IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

INTENSIVE PRODUCTION OF CABBAGES

COMMERCIAL AND INTENSIVE PAWPAW PRODUCTION IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

ENUGU STATE SONGHAI GRADUATES IN THEIR RICE FIELD

NEW RICE ALL YEAR  IRRIGATED  PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

NEW  RICE  ALL  YEAR  IRRIGATED  PRODUCTION  TECHNIQUE  IN  ADANI  (ENUGU  STATE  SONGHAI  INITIATIVE)

NEW RICE ALL YEAR IRRIGATED PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

INTENSIVE  PRODUCTION  OF  SORGHUM  IS  POSSIBLE  IN  THE  SOUTH  EAST

STRAWBERRY

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

MUSHROOM

BEE KEEPING/HONEY PRODUCTION COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

BEE KEEPING/HONEY PRODUCTION COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

BEE KEEPING/HONEY PRODUCTION COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

MECHANIZED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

SOME OF THE TWENTY FIVE NEW TRACTORS ACQUIRED BY ENUGU GOV. FOR THE GREEN RURAL CITIES IN THE

STATE

CropProduction

Aquaculture Livestock

Biogas

Songhai Integrated system

LIVESTOCK COMPLEX AT ADANI (SONGHAI ENUGU)

BROILERS CAGES

QUAIL EGGS

QUAILS

INTENSIVE EGG PRODUCTION

INTENSIVE EGG PRODUCTION

INTENSIVE PULLETS PRODUCTION

POLYVALENT POULTRY - EGG / MEAT PRODUCTION

EXTENSIVE / FREE RANGE GEESE PRODUCTION

EXTENSIVE / FREE RANGE GUINEA FOWLS PRODUCTION

EXTENSIVE / FREE RANGE TURKEY PRODUCTION

GRASSCUTTERS PRODUCTION

PIGS

CATTLE

LIVESTOCK COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

CropProduction

Aquaculture Livestock

Biogas

Songhai Integrated system

AQUACULTURE COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

AQUACULTURE COMPLEX IN ADANI (ENUGU STATE SONGHAI INITIATIVE)

HATCHERY

FINGERLINGS

FLOATING CAGES FOR FISH FARMING

INTENSIVE FISH PRODUCTION

INTENSIVE FISH PRODUCTION

CATFISH

CATFISH

CATFISH

CARP: 1.5 KG in 12 months

CARP: 1.5 KG in 12 months

Small-MedEnterprise

Marketing& Services

• Retail• Restaurants• Export

• “Value Added”• Food Processing• Manufacturing• Construction

§ Crops§ Livestock§ Fish§ Specialty Items

Technology

PrimaryProduction

INDUSTRIAL  ZONE

FOUNDRY

FOUNDRY PRODUCTS

MACHINES FABRICATION

AGRIC MACHINES

PALM OIL PRODUCTION

PALM OIL

SONGHAI  EXPORTING  AGRIC  MACHINES

MAIZE SHELLING

MAIZE SHELLING

RICE MILL ON PORTO-NOVO SITE

RICE MILL IN SONGHAI ENUGU

HIGH QUALITY PARBOILED RICE READY FOR MARKET

SOY CAKE AND SOY OIL PRODUCTION

WOMEN FISH PROCESSING COOPERATIVE

WOMEN PROCESSING CASHEW NUTS

CASHEW NUTS READY FOR MARKET

Songhai new agro industry – Prefilling line for juice, tomato, water, jam, syrup, soy milk production

FOOD PROCESSING MACHINES

Songhai new agro industry – Prefilling & filling lines for tomato, juice, water, jam, syrup, soy milk production

WOMEN FISH PROCESSING COOPERATIVE

Songhai new agro industry – Plastic recycling for the production of bottle, flower pots, buckets etc

Songhai new agro industry – Plastic recycling for the production of bottle, flower pots, buckets etc

Songhai juice bottle – new design

Songhai Buckets

SOY MILK

PINEAPPLE JUICE

DRIED MANGO

MANGO CONCENTRATES

SYRUP  FOR  EXPORT

FRUIT  JUICE  BEING    EXPORTED

FRUIT  JUICE  BEING    EXPORTED

GARI  -­‐LABEL  SONGHAI

SMOKED CHICKEN

ANIMAL PRODUCT PROCESSING

SOAP

Small-MedEnterprise

Marketing& Services

• Retail• Restaurants• Export

• “Value Added”• Food Processing• Manufacturing• Construction

§ Crops§ Livestock§ Fish§ Specialty Items

Technology

PrimaryProduction

Songhai Model

SALE POINT

RESTAURANT

ECO TOURISM

SONGHAI RIVERS

HALL DE CONFERENCE HALL DANS LES VILLES RURALES VERTES

CONFERENCE HALL IN GREEN RURAL CITIES (SONGHAI ENUGU)

CONFERENCE HALL IN GREEN RURAL CITIES (SONGHAI ENUGU)

BRINGING COMMUNICATION TO GREEN RURAL CITIES

IT is a must in Africa

WORLD LEADERS VISITING SONGHAI

THE  UN  SECRETARY  GENERAL  VISITING  SONGHAI

FORMER  UN  SECRETARY  GENERAL  VISITING  SONGHAI

FORMER  UN  SECRETARY  GENERAL  VISITING  SONGHAI