"Mechanisation of African agriculture – job creator or job killer?"

"Reduced drudgery, timely handling, higher productivity – there are many reasons that speak in favour of mechanising African agriculture. But some aspects point to the contrary. In Berlin, participants discussed opportunities and risks at the ‘Innovation Dialogue on the Future of Rural Areas in Africa’. [...] Joachim von Braun, Director of the Center for Development Research (ZEF) at Bonn University/Germany and Co-Chair of the Malabo Montpellier Panel, recommended taking a macroeconomic view. If mechanisation helps farmers create more income, this will be spent on consumer goods and services, mainly at local level, which in turn creates jobs in local businesses. Employment is also generated in vocational training, e.g. through the training of vocational education teachers, as well as through setting up small rental services for machinery in rural areas."