Water Problem In The Capital Of Africa

These people say that it is a blessing and a curse; It appears that the explosion pressure and recently in Ethiopia, a large population approaching 100 million. Public services like water and electricity are leading in this population pressure narrative. Ethiopians are the most common, with power rationing, though, last week announced its commitment to Addis Ababa City Administration ration water, Jonah Capital wrote.




At dawn, on Wednesday morning, Amelework, 31 against, was busy collecting water from a small new condominium in one of the compounds in Addis Ababa coast. Ironically, the industry's only source of water in her hoof Amelework Abado is available off the cobblestone road is paved in a new condominium site. This, however, is not actually a coincidence. Divided into two Legetafo to the border town of despair Addis Ababa and Oromia region in the western horizon, the capital city of residence hall is built on the bank of a small river.




That gripped the city water currently does not have any other choice but to bring at least this water, cleaning her with a serious shortage of goals.




Amelework get water from daily life to the struggle for daily survival, and is one of thousands of women in Addis Ababa. For a long time, to cope with water shortages and lack of capital has been a common challenge. In fact, the city administration finally seems to have moved to declare that the rationing of water and given to the city in this challenges.

To establish the truth is, this is a city that has seen the worst water crisis in decades past. There is no area in the past couple of weeks in, not thirst for the city.




For example, Kara location, on the eastern border of the city, it is difficult to distinguish, without being filled with water when the yellow Jerry cans weighting of around 20kg 15 children and women.




On Tuesday and Wednesday, Reporter SR, Cara, and only a shortage in Addis Ababa even visited the city Legetafo, who fell out of the water to ensure the rules are. On that day, she wanted to buy communally or individuals scheduled to receive water, where the water around 4:30 before dawn, old, Hassenet, three empty yellow Jerry cans Legetafo took about ten minutes and went to her house on Cara -owned running water, bonos commonly called.




A opposite direction fetching, Firdawok in search of another young, Hassenet was nothing but bad news. Although the two never meet, Firdawok computing is rapidly Hassenet in the same mission. "There is no water, no," her as she strides over to the other side.




When she heard Amelework is also a place to be crushed when he learned that he saw no hope from the water source has dried up. Yifrashowa Tsegaye, a man who lives near the river bank, he's Taffo. According to him, a member of the community is made that the common tap water (bono) manages a committee. Yifrashowa is used bono to a nearby village, but due to shortage of more than 150 families? To serve 95 families in these days, he says, was built three years ago. Still, since the last three or four months, is under pressure to bono. Now, scarcely enough water pipes, says Yifrashowa.




"Despite the rising number of people coming to collect water from a well, not providing service on a daily basis. In some cases, no water," Yifrashowa Reporter six to ten days. In addition, community members and other well-managed by the residents of both villages in the Oromia Regional State in the camp showed that only serves those who like to come.




Tigst Abate, one-year-old mother, says that water lines had waited three years to extend to her. Even years after her hope that the knowledge acquired to supply water shortages in Addis Ababa to find, but it is still hot.




Last year, he was met with "I am a serious shortage of water to reach the child. Still, the problem is not resolved. In fact, he is getting worse," she says. Now, she relies on her husband brings home water supply. The problem is deep and its suburbs, and extended to. According to the city, preparing to ride off in the middle of her work at the newspaper, Hanamariam Alemneh, met with residents in coastal Legetafo. Suddenly, she goes around the back of her Toyota car and threw three yellow Jerry cans in the trunk.

She had her family to meet the water needs to transport water back in the day. "Since there is no way it will be sufficient water supply in the area around may be a problem with me, this car had been. In fact, she says, also helps out with the neighbors water supply.




Similarly, the city and the areas in the west of Addis Ababa, kolifē- Keranyo area around winner sweat in the Far East. Water supply interruption, although a relatively low frequency, seems to be the same as in the heartlands, even if the main internal problem.

The authority has since announced last week how to apply the firm's plan to ration water among different cities and on March 23, 2016, the authority will provide all the water in the same area of ​​the city, the other day a success. He was said to be dangerously low because of severe drought and water reservoirs fall of the effects of the rain.




At a press conference, next week, Addis Ababa Water and Sewerage Authority (AAWSA) Head of Public Relations, water, the cost of capital, the source reservoir, through its official rate of one meter Reserve, announced a month was lost near the water could have served as the capital of five million m Cube ,.




"The city residents to use water efficiently and reasonably available to the rest of the water distribution, power is applied to a rationing system;" He said next week.




In this regard, the northern and eastern areas of supplies into the city will be limited to four days a week with immediate effect. Normal operating level of reservoir dam is 38 million cubic meters; But the water levels are reason enough rain to much below normal levels. Similarly, when Smith delayed, water production, distribution and purity of the head, due to the shortage of water in the reservoir, the city already has access to 24-hour water supply in areas where there currently are limited to four days a week.




Causes dry conditions due to El Niño event in international air pattern to the dry climate is experiencing. The cost of container supplies a quarter of the city's water needs. 45 million cubic meters of container is designed with a storage capacity of 45 years ago. But, in the sedimentation tank capacity is now 38 million cubic meters has been low.




Addis Ababa and other major source of drinking water Gefersa dam is built and rehabilitated in 2009. In addition, during the Italian invasion, wells, dams and other systems complete.




Addis Ababa water supply, especially in 1895, the palace was started during the reign of Emperor Menelik II and Patriarch to the parliament; Two pipes through the water distribution service system.




With the water supply in the mud at the foot of Mount Entoto River (earth and gravel packs), a sub-construction of the dam was real.




Repeated water shortage is the worst of the outlying towns and rural areas because all the same, water shortages capital may not be an isolated case. The problem is even more important outside of Addis Ababa. Government narratives of potable water and sanitation coverage makes high growth, such is the lack of basic resources, society remains a challenge to be fatal.




Food security, low economic development, frequent droughts, flooding, poor health conditions, and low energy production, agriculture-based economy, as, in most of Ethiopia's development problems are water-related. According to available documents and research, has many water bodies, Ethiopia, the cause of these problems is the lack of sufficient water resources; But the most important resources in this country much more compact development.




"This is for professionals trained in water resource management is basically the lack of this precious resource and institutional capacity to manage," USAID documents authored by argue.




However, it was outdated and difficult test on the fact that the shortage of water, it seems hard to highlight the growing power of the current water crisis and chaos in the capital city.




Addis Ababa Water shortages in such a big city as a multi-billion dollar be associated with a magnitude of Light Rail praised the latest in a booming for the massive construction and infrastructure from the outside as a volatile, of course, is contrary to transit (LRT).




Thus, this issue is tarnishing the image of the city and takes it very clear that the death toll. This step is both sure continental political and economic organizations suffer following a serious water rationing measures to get an image that was the seat of years. Indeed, it is not the capital of-age as a way to return to the basic rations, a resident opined.




What city and how they came to such a dilemma, it is important above all else, ask any residents. Debate on this line, water and related fields, experts agree that it is associated with the Addis Ababa water crisis rather than poor management of resources, resource limitation.




I hope PhD on Alemseged, water management candidate, is one of conducting research on water and various experts have long experience working in international organizations. "The problem in the Addis Ababa Plan for Water Resources and is not under consideration at the disposal of the city, which is associated with the ongoing implementation of various development activities," he said.




According to expectation, most of the activities, including condominiums, industrial expansion and other projects are not properly planned; They should be managed in an accurate cross-sectoral considerations.




"There is no integrated system. Everything is performed as an emergency, and they always try to extinguish the fire. This plan with regard to time, but they are weak," he added.




He adds water resources and mismanagement of city residents indicates that the cost of other problems. Applying traditional practices leads to the wasting of water, such as a car wash and resell any option without watering plants. Each family has been given to the needs huge sum of money, no running water, Tesfaye said.




"There are gaps in communication between the various sectors. We have been able to manage to get on the water, this knowledge remains unutilized for many years. We are the boundaries of technology and methods of managing resources with our result on the line," I hope more argue.




According to the city administration report last year, with some 70,000 cubic meters of water per day production capacity of 19 deep water wells have been dug Akaka area. In addition, the expansion cost of treatment works and Dire Dam, respectively, 80,000 and 30,000 cubic meters was carried out to improve the daily production volumes.




In addition, about 260,000 cubic meters more than the administration has been able to increase total production to the city after the city's water supply and distribution has been improved in the last year claim.




In addition, part of the Federal Government of Ethiopia Water and Sanitation coverage in the first report on the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-I) during much says that Jews; According to the government's original plan, an overwhelming 98 percent to 68.5 percent (2010) it was planned to expand the coverage.




Ethiopia had recorded significant growth in the last two or three years, which is one of the few countries to "support the government reported Water.org international organizations on request. Similarly, on his part, World Bank senior" water stressed "zone states such as Ethiopia. In addition, the Bank GTP during WASH services focus on expanding the coverage of government recommendations.




Potable accordance with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target DNA obtained information in connection with the furtherance of water, Ethiopia 1990, but achieving a result, reduce the number of people without access to safe water supply from, is governed by some 57 percent to improved sanitation, only 28 percent of the country's stubbornly low lives; However, despite these advances to 3 percent in 1990, drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) will be sufficient to cover most of the reports indicate.




The negative impact of health and nutrition, access to safe drinking adequate water supply and sanitation services and hygiene practices; In turn, diarrhea, a disease that is one of the primary causes of mortality among those under five years of Ethiopia.

Agricultural activity is the greatest consumer of water in Ethiopia. In the country are used for all water withdrawals (surface water and groundwater), an estimated 93 percent to 70 percent of the global average much higher than agricultural use.




Members of the public who feel the daily fires and Amelework Hassanaet are calling on the government to resolve the issue immediately.




Ethiopia has relatively abundant water resources but is considered a guardian because of "the water of rapid population growth E over the past decade." 13.5 billion cubic meters, 28, is estimated to range from one-year renewable annual groundwater which only 2.6 billion cubic meters are currently exploitable.




Ethiopia 122 billion cubic meters of water, ground water potential of approximately 6.5 to 2.6 billion cubic meters, has 12 basins with annual runoff vote. This year, in comparison, a relatively large volume of water associated with a person available to an average of 1,575 cubic meters. However, rainfall and shortage of storage in a temporary difference to the ideals of the water is often not available where and when necessary. Only three percent of the water resources are used in Ethiopia.







In contrast, water supply service professionals in Ethiopia, far below the standard per person is 45 liters per day, the World Health Organization; They argue that they are among the lowest in the urban per capita consumption of only 15 liters on average, with Africa.







Some people do not like to serious water crisis. In fact, Jobbir, which he uses to transport donkeys, the owner of a local man, says that in recent times has been the shortage of water is good for him. Jobbir it's given him a trip donkeys to transport a total of some 16 160 Jerry cans at a time. "This is a day in revenue as high as 1,600 silver," he told The Reporter. This is based on the people in every income business, appears to be higher than those in the car rental business.

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Addis Wine Culture

Wine evolved as part of life, culture and diet since time immemorial. As an enduring cultural symbol of fine life, the role of wine has evolved over time, changing from an important source of nutrition to a cultural complement to food and conviviality compatible with a healthy lifestyle. The art of wine-making has also evolved. Nevertheless, in this long historical path, one thing remains unchanged and has never been neglected: the association of wine with gastronomy, history, tradition, origin, local quality products and dignified social settings, writes Tibebeselassie Tigabu.



Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is a well-known collector of wine with thousands of bottles making up his vast collection.



In 2014, some 5,000 bottles belonging to the 75-year-old Scotsman, including a vast amount of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, were sold off via three charity auctions organized by Christie’s. Highlights included six bottles of DRC 1999 sold with a signed Champions League shirt from 1999, a case of Pétrus 2000 and signed Imperials of Sassicaia 2005 and Ornellaia 2006.



French Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti Grand Cru from Côte de Nuits, France, costs between USD 13,021-58,720 depending on its age.



Wine has for so long been associated with class, luxury, etiquette and special occasions. It has its own culture and is associated with a particular lifestyle.



This lifestyle emerged from the heart of Europe—France. Bordeaux, in southwestern France, is the world's major wine industry capital and is home to the world's main wine fair, Vinexpo. According to Forbes magazine, which quoted the preliminary numbers from the International Organization of Vine and Wine, in 2014 France was the world’s biggest wine producer. That year France was able to produce 47 million hectoliters (4.5 billion liters) of wine.



According to the same source, Italy follows with 45 million hectoliters. These countries predominantly led the production of wine and set the standard of what wine is and should be.



The culture of wine—particularly in Europe—predates the Romans. In ancient Greece, wine was praised by poets, historians and artists, and was frequently referred to in the works of Aesop and Homer. In Greece, however, wine was considered the privilege of the upper classes. Eventually, wine evolved as part of European life, culture and diet. Barrels for storing and shipping emerged, bottles were used for the first time, and even a rudimentary appellation system developed as certain regions gained a reputation for fine wine. As wine production became progressively refined, its popularity increased, and wine taverns became a common feature in cities throughout the continent and, in due course, spread to other parts of the world.



True to form, the world of wine has been evolving for millennia and in the last few decades “new” wine countries emerged and are producing massively.



Now Ethiopia is vying to join the elite winemakers of the word. Well, that may be a bit too ambitious but for Amity Weiss, head of marketing and communication at Awash Winery, one of the company’s export strategies is to introduce Ethiopia as a new winemaker.



Celebrating more than six decades of wine production Awash is on the verge of identifying strategic partners in order to export wine to the US and other Western countries. Weiss says that there are a huge number of Ethiopians in the diaspora who drink Ethiopian wine products but what the people at Awash are looking for is a wider market.



“We want to place Ethiopian wine on the map. We love the fact that diasporas drink our products but that is a niche market so what we want is to be positioned on the shelf next to newcomers like Hungarian wines,” Weiss told The Reporter.



The competition is fierce and the market is dominated by world renowned wine brands. And that is not an easy market for Ethiopian wines to penetrate. For Weiss the opportunity is the variety of taste in customers and the growing trend of preference for sweet wine. “For instance, in the US demand for sweet wine is growing. Palates are changing and we are focusing on those new consumers and those who are keen in tasting what Ethiopian wine is,” Weiss says.



Ethiopia has a long and extensive history of wine making, which, according to some sources, goes back to the time of the Axumite Civilization. “Woin yastefesih libese”, a popular religious quote in Ge’ez language, which is literally translated as wine excites the human heart, is testimony to that. Wine has been strongly associated with Ethiopian royalty and is used by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as a sacrament for the Holy Communion. In addition to wine made from grapes, Ethiopia has its own distinctive local wine known as tej (honey wine flavored with gesho leaves).



The wine-making tradition—for more than half a century— has been gaining much traction and is now a gradually expanding industry that is meant to place Ethiopia firmly on the wine making countries list. Currently, there are two wineries in the country—Awash Wine and Castel Winery. And their combined production is almost 12 million bottles of wine per year.



The local market for wine is also growing and nowadays it is becoming part of the urban culture. Wine has now become a major gift item during various holidays, weddings, birthdays and christenings. This trend made wine the alternative drink in many households especially for those who prefer light concentration of alcohol.



Wine is also used in a unique cocktail here in Ethiopia. It is mixed with beer and Sprite or Coca Cola. The mixture, which is locally known as Turbo, is served with ice cubes and garnished lemon wedge. This cocktail is widely consumed in many butcheries in Addis Ababa.



Appreciating the cocktail, Weiss says that this mixture has become a very unique urban culture. “Ethiopia has a wonderful wine and mixing it with other beverages has become a very unique Ethiopian tradition. We have no desire to create a foreign wine culture here,” Weiss says.



Inspired by this unique cocktail, Awash is giving training for around 800 bartenders on service and mixology. They are also in the process of launching a guideline which has a variety of cocktails. Some of them include Classic Tekeshino(Awash Wine, beer, Sprite or sparkling water and ice cubes); Goudergria (Gouder Wine, gin or vodka, Sprite, ice cubes and slices of grapefruit); Keskisegn (Awash Wine, energy drink such as e-max, royal, XXL with ice cubes, and garnished lime wedge).



According to Weiss, they believe that with their products they were able to cater to a wider market at affordable prices. Awash make various products of wines including Awash and Kemila (white) and Gouder and Axumit (red). Apart from the old ones, they have recently launched a new complex type of wine named Gebeta. It comes in red, white, oaked red and oaked white varieties. Countries proudly present their wine brands as a representation of their country and that is what Ethiopian winemakers are trying to do.



The question is what makes it Ethiopian? According to Weiss, the distinction would not come from the grapes since they use imported seeds such as Sangiovese and Shamblin grapevine. However, according to Weiss, what make Ethiopian wine distinctively Ethiopian is the soil and climate. Another unique feature is that it is possible to harvest twice a year. “Ethiopia is the only country I know of that could do two harvests in a year, which gives Ethiopia an advantage. The weather is very conducive,” Weiss says.



Now with the flavors introduced there are more options for Nebiyou Moges who has been drinking wine for the past 15 years.

He started drinking wine with an older relative while feasting on raw meat. Though he has gastric complications the wine went smoothly. Nebiyou likes to taste various types of wine and thanks to his Italian friend, who also loves to drink wine, he has managed to taste wine from different parts of the world. So far, for Nebiyou, French ginger wine is quite good but his favorite is Awash’s Kamila white wine.



In urban Ethiopia wine is becoming a common drink and many restaurants dedicate a wine bar. Kuriftu Wine House, Michael Cork Wine Bar, Backyard Restaurant and Wine Bar and The Wine Circle are such places. Located around CMC area, Michael Cork Wine Bar has a collection of 150 types of wines including renowned French, Italian, and South African brands. There is also a brand from Chile called Sunrise Dry Wine. Decorated with barrels and various types of wine products the place caters to customers who want to discover tastes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay.



Firehiwot Bahta, founder and shareholder, says that since it is not affordable for many people they do not serve expensive wine brands. The most expensive one is 4,000 birr per bottle and a bottle of Ethiopian wine is sold for 180 birr. In most supermarkets in Addis Acacia Wine sells for 185 birr, Rift Valley for 210 birr and Gebeta sells for for 210 birr. In liquor stores the price of Acacia and Rift Valley is 175 birr with low-end joints selling it for 140 birr.



Having lived most of her life in England, Firehiwot says that the wine culture in London is vibrant. She says that starting from the ancient times wine has been used as a medicine to treat diseases including cancer.



Founded in 2011, her place is now gaining popularity. She says that there are challenges when customers ask for whiskey, vodka or beer. “People complained on the exclusivity of wine,” she told The Reporter. In order to create the wine culture they started having events such as painting exhibitions and music concerts. In addition to that, promotional works were done by Awash and Castle and that helped the demand to grow.



Most of her customers want sweet wine but she says that wine depends on the diet and situation. For digestion and meat red wine is recommended whereas if people are eating seafood or pasta sipping white wine has a relaxing mood. She also recommends that a glass of cold white wine after lunch is good and has a cooling effect if the weather is hot. Though most people refrain from drinking during daytime, for Firehiwot one glass after lunch is ok. “It does not have any danger; only benefits,” she says.



Looking at the demand she opened a new place named Premier Addis. The place is a wine and pizza joint around summit area.

With the growing local demand and favorable climate the wine industry is attracting investors. Castel Winery, which includes a string of Bordeaux Cru Bourgeois in its portfolio, is the latest entrant. The winery is located in the town of Ziway, some 164km south of Addis Ababa covering some 120 hectares. Castel Vineyards was established in 2007 as a partnership between the Ethiopian government and the Castel Group.



Weiss stresses that the demand is increasing and when they started they sold 6.1 million liters annually and now they are targeting nine million liters.



Awash’s vineyard is located in Merti Jeju of the Oromia Regional State. It is from there that the grapes are brought to their two wineries at Lideta and Mekanissa. After it was privatized the major change, according to Weiss, is investing in technological innovation and hiring expertise.



Henock Belay, a winemaker for the past 15 years, says that wine making is a blend of art and science which strongly needs an individual creativity and innovative technology. Henock says that the wine production starts with the selection of grapes which he stresses should be done cautiously.



According to Henock the wine passes through various processes including crushing and fermentation. Grape clusters are added to crusher/destemmer—a machine that squeezes the berries and breaks the skins, removing the grapes from rachis. Henock says that this process is crucial in deciding red and white wine making. He says that the color of the wine depends on the skins of the berries. Apart from the color this is the situation which determines the dryness or sweetness of the wine which is dependent on the seed. After that it passes a stage of pressing which separates the juice from grapes and grape skins.



Henock says that every stage has its own duration which might take a couple of weeks. The art or what make a good winemaker is in deciding the duration and also in choosing the processes it should pass through. After that the aging process starts. For Awash the maximum aging is one year for Gebeta Premium but the average aging for Awash’s products is eight months. Wine aging in many countries is longer but Henock says it is not economically viable for Ethiopia. “We want the containers to do the second cycle. If we age it more the expense we incur would increase and that will make the wine more expensive,” Henock says.



All over the world grapes are affected by disease and affected by change of weather. “Climate change all over the world is a major issue and that impacts our harvest. That is a challenge,” Weiss says.



Though there are challenges, she says the government is working in early warning system which would resolve the situation. The other challenge is accessing foreign currency.

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Turn your business into a technology company Part 3

Use mobile phones and the Internet to change your business.

Most of the fastest growing businesses in the world are businesses that have "re-imagined" well established business areas by introducing innovations based on the Internet and mobile phone technologies. You don’t have to change the business you’re in to make it a "technology company." You just have to "re-imagine" it using the Internet and the mobile phone.

Let's look at some examples:

# From 'flea markets' to eCommerce: Africa is full of what we commonly call "flea markets" (informal markets). These are small little businesses selling almost anything that we find in every African city. Some are huge -- Mbare Market in Harare, Ikeja Market in Lagos, Kibera in Kenya, to name some of the best known. There you can buy almost anything!

In China some smart young entrepreneurs looked at these informal markets, and re-imagined them on the Internet.

__Out of this came some of the most valuable businesses in the world today… companies like Alibaba and Tencent!

# We all know about companies like Uber and Lyft, and their Chinese counterparts. All these guys did was use mobile technology, and the emergence of smartphones, to bring efficiency to something as old as cars -- hailing down a taxi!

# A young entrepreneur in America, who loved reading books, wanted to find a way to get a book. Instead of spending his time going to bookshops and libraries, he thought: “Why not sell books using the Internet?” The company he created is one of the most formidable businesses in the world today. It’s called Amazon.

# A group of entrepreneurs used to sell videos, something we see on the streets of Africa every day. These guys thought to themselves: “Why can't we do this Online?” First, they started selling on a website, then they thought why sell videos? We can just stream the videos direct! That is Netflix, folks!

# Years ago if you wanted to sell something like your car, you went to the newspaper and bought a column in a "classifieds" column. It was time-consuming and costly. Today there are thousands of businesses that do this Online.

Some of the greatest opportunities today lie in simply taking things we have always done, and applying innovations based on the Internet and mobile phones.

Today I want you to think about the business you're in, or work for, and ask yourself:

__What have we done to make this a technology business? How much of our income comes from our use of the Internet and mobile phones?

If it’s less than 25%, you’re headed for extinction… and you probably deserve it! If you don't get your business Online and using mobile technology, someone will "re-imagine" what you do, and take it away from you.

# You have to drive your business through the Internet and Mobile phone technology. There’s no business which is exempt. You saw the article I published recently called "Digital Farmer." Yes, even smallholder farmers in villages must use mobile phones and the Internet to grow their businesses.

Here’s an interesting prediction: within 10 years there should be no markets found anywhere in Africa, like Siyo So, Mbare, Ikeja, and Kibera. You shouldn’t find anywhere in Africa someone selling wares at a street corner, even vegetables. It will all have gone Online, and ordered using a mobile phone. Now let's get to work!

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Turn Your Business Into A Technology Company Part 2

In a recent interview, a former CEO of Apple Computer, John Sculley, talked about entrepreneurship, innovation and new “disruptive” technologies. He said his Apple business card back then didn’t call him Chief Executive Officer. It said: “Chief Listener” …

As you transform your business into a technology company, you’ll have important decisions to make. You, too, will need to become a “chief listener.” Not every exciting new technology will be right for every business.

Not long ago I met a young farmer from Zambia who told me of innovations he was introducing on his smallholding of only a few acres:

He knew he had to introduce hybrid seeds to increase his yield… seed technology.

He was using fertilizers and testing out different application methods… soil management technology.

He was introducing storage bags to protect his harvest from losses… technology.

He was interested in buying a dryer to ensure that he could extend the life of his crops… technology.

He was using his cell phone to find buyers for his produce, and had set up a website… technology.

He regularly talked to other farmers and exchanged information on Facebook and Instagram… technology.

He was using solar power to light up his home and power up some of his equipment… technology.

He was part of a cooperative planning to buy a tractor and other equipment to improve productivity and output… again, technology.

He was aware of what other young progressive farmers were doing all over Africa, using social media to keep abreast of news from Ghana to Brazil and beyond… Technology, technology, technology.

This young man had done his homework and was in the process of making careful technology choices on his path to prosperity.

So, how might you get started? If you’re already in business, you must first take the time to listen -- to your customers, your business team, and a few trusted experts, whether many or few. I’ve already discussed the importance of reading…

# What do people in your market or industry say they want? Is it available? Why or why not?
How can technology help?
# How can you and your team do your work better -- more productively, efficiently and quickly?
How can technology help?
# Do you know what your competitors are doing?
How can technology help you do it better?

The business magazine publisher Malcolm Forbes once said: “The art of conversation lies in listening.”

__Listening is a critical form of market research that doesn't have to cost you a lot of money.

“If we were supposed to talk more than listen, we would have two tongues and one ear,” said the great American writer, Mark Twain in the 1880s.

Twain was reportedly offered the opportunity to invest in the first telephone by its inventor, Alexander Graham Bell, but he decided… no. I guess he didn’t like the sounds of that new technology! I wonder who he listened to? Back then, a telephone was no doubt a very disruptive idea.

Basic listening homework includes deciding the right questions, then:

# listening to customers, suppliers, competitors and experiences of trusted others;
# consulting with experts (not just the ones trying to sell you new technology).

__Please don’t just wake up one morning and decide on “impulse” to spend or invest lots of money just because a salesman or so-called expert tells you that new technology alone will make you rich and successful. You must do your homework first!

In today’s high-tech world, people still talk much more than they listen. Did you know the words “silent" and “listen" have the exact same letters in them? There are so many more ways to do your business research now than ever before.

Everyone can learn and benefit from being a “Chief Listener.”

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THE PERPLEXING NIGHTLIFE DURING LENT

On many occasions, finding a number of people guzzling juice and devouring vegetables after 7:00 in the evening is a somewhat uncommon trend to observe in Addis Ababa since it is usually a time when people go to bars to spend a couple of hours sipping beer. Likewise, one can feel a bit strange when looking at the increased number of pedestrians strolling on the streets of Addis at this time of the evening. So what is the main reason for this change in style of living? Well, many from the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church have already started the Lent season.



At this time of the year lifestyle is enormously subjected to paradigm shift. It is a time where people stop listening to music and get connected to the spiritual world, intertwining oneself within the liturgical hymn murmured by the elders. Similarly, it is a time when the vast majority becoming vegans and avoiding alcoholic drinks. Fasting becomes more intense over the 56-day period of Lent, when no meat or animal products of any kind, including milk and butter, are eaten. As a result, Ethiopian juice marts and vegetable stores are somewhat busy and profitable due to this change in eating habit. It will also inevitably result in low consumption of dairy and meat products. Similarly, this is a time when nightclubs are stripped of their patrons and nightlife becomes desiccated. But that is not the case across the board.



Usually, the lights and the high-tempo music at most of the city’s lavish night clubs are exhilarating with club goers dancing and having fun with friends. However, it was the exact opposite of this common scene that was observed last Saturday. Some four guests sat down in a scattered manner trying to cope with the humdrum night. Even the DJ was not fully engaged as he repeatedly went out and came back inside after a few minutes to change the rhythm of the music played for only a handful of guests inside. “It went on like that up until midnight,” Samuel Tessema, one of the customers, says. After an hour, Samuel and his friends left the nightclub, which is located around Haya Hulet. They decided to change venues and went Barel at Bole Medhanialem–a famous spot in Addis Ababa. “It looked less crowded than usual but it was a better place to spend some hours,” Samuel says.



What has been labeled as a perplexing scenario by many Addis Ababans is that these days Lent is seeing a steady flock of club goers in many of the night spots of the city. While some totally abstain themselves from drinking and partying for the whole two months, some stay indoors for at least a couple of weeks in to the Lent season and gradually start going out to clubs. As a result of the slowdown, some nightclubs, lounges and bars suspend services and under go renovations until the non-fasting days arrive while others welcome the non-fasting patrons.



One of the city’s most jubilant reggae spots have already closed doors but, according to the manager, the decision has nothing to do with Lent. “We are not operating well in the market anymore for a number of reasons. Higher rent price and small number of guests are the major factors,” Abraham Shiferaw, manager of Jams Addis Reggae Nightclub, says.



In fact, the nightlife is not part of most people's lifestyle. The once who are active in that regard go out once a week to relieve their fatigue. Some people have other ways of relaxation which includes going to the movies. All the same, going out to nightclubs–especially on weekends–nowadays seem to be urbanites’ way of life regardless of their religious and other social backgrounds. These days, many Addis Ababans are very eager to experience what other resident of cities in developed countries are accustomed to. According to Getahun Dana, a lecturer of philosophy at the Addis Ababa University, the capital city is eager to signal a kind of metropolitan status through its physical infrastructure and is also spurring its residents towards the sophisticated way of life of a metropolis. As a result, the young generation hardly harness the traditional and religious principles, he says.

In spite of this assumption, others believe that there are youngsters who are serious about their religious and traditional values. And for them, the best moment to witness this is the Lent season for the Orthodox Christians and the Ramadan for Muslims.



This year’s Lent is advancing and has almost reached half way. And so far this has forced the nightlife in Addis Ababa to stagnate to some extent. “We are not experiencing any significant impact on our business because of the fasting season but it is obviously not as reverberant as other times of the year,” Zekarias Engidaw, a night-shift manager at Jubilee Lounge, located off Mickey Leland Street, says.



Zekarias, who himself belongs to the Orthodox Tewahdo Church, feels that Lent is something that should be solemnly observed by the faithful but does not mind if there are some who do not want to be part of that. “I don’t mind it at all and it is a matter of personal preference,” he says.



For many people, who consider themselves faithful, watching others consume alcohol during Lent is something unpleasant. In fact, they would never go to bars even for a couple of beers; but for others it is not an issue. “I’m a modest follower so I think it is fine to have a couple of beers. There is a small bar across my apartment that I go to. I just want to relax and have a few beers after a weary day,” Andualem Mengiste says. For him, not observing Lent is disadvantageous not just spiritually but also economically. “You can cut spending by a significant amount,” he says.



The nightlife in Addis offers a taste for everyone, from hookah bars, low-key lounges, and high-paced nightclubs to a small place to call refuge till the early morning hours. Frequent nightclub goers make friends with the bouncers and managers and themes of certain nights become more popular at particular venues. However, during Lent-season there is relative serenity. Women sporting mile-high pumps, miniskirts, and accessories and the men wearing blazers and dress shoes are some of the signature nightlife outfits, which at the first two weeks of Lent become rare but later on gain pace. Still, this is not an everyday activity for many residents of the city as religious holidays and culture norms still have the power to interrupt it at any given time. Yes, the weekends can be crowded, even on these days of Lent but nightlife appears to be a little bit tranquil.



Nonetheless, the nightspots and exotic hookah bars in the capital still cater to expatriates and members of the diplomatic corps and according to a waitress, who requested not to be named, the nightlife in Addis Ababa is vibrant and whether it is Lent-season or not the impact minimal. Working at Jolly Bar and Lounge for a year and a half season she says that nightlife is little affected by fasting seasons. “Some times, during Ramadan business might be a bit slow since some of our customers are from gulf countries,” she says.



All in all, testing the Addis nightlife during the Lent might give a perplexing view to some, forcing them to stay indoors until the colorful Ethiopian Easter arrives. Nevertheless, it will not be long since things will return to their usual ways after a few weeks. But Lent is also somewhat considered by some to be an interesting break for those who fast only for the first two weeks and then get back to their normal routine.

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Anomaly In The Cement Industry

With the ongoing construction boom in the country, various high-rise corporate headquarters and condominiums are step by step popping up in the city. The industry and the construction boom has attracted the likes of Nigerian business tycoon, Aliko Dangote, and Ethiopian-born Saudi billionaire, Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi. The years 2012 and 2015 brought the giants Derba Cement Factory and Dangote Cement PLC to the sector, respectively. The demand end of the sector’s chain welcomed the coming of these huge plants with high hopes, while the supply side expressed anxiety about their entry to the market. Whether the existing cement factories in Ethiopia, and the ones in the pipeline, could solve the demand-supply disarray or not is yet to be determined, writes Kaleyesus Bekele.



Fikere Derbew, 47, has been trading in cement for the past twenty years. Fikere, who runs a small store at the heart of Addis Ababa around Laghar area, cheerfully remembers the “good old days” when there was high demand for cement between 2006-2010. “I used to sell 200-300 quintals of cement daily. It was a time when we sold a quintal of cement for 500 birr,” Fikere told The Reporter.



In recent years things have changed. Following the establishment of a dozen new cement factories the price of cement has fallen. The once cash cow business is not attractive anymore for many traders like Fikre, a father of three. “Now I do not sell more than 150 quintals a day.” A quintal of cement is now sold at as low as 200 birr and the profit margin of the producers, wholesalers and retailers is slim.



The history of the Ethiopian cement industry is long and fascinating. The first cement factory was built by Italians during the occupation of 1938 in Dire Dawa town with a yearly production capacity of 30,000 tons. Prior to that, probably the first bulk cement import was made during the construction of the Ethio-Djibouti railway between 1904 and 1917. In the 1960s the Ethiopian government built two cement plants at Massawa (Eritrea) and Addis Ababa, with a combined annual output of 150,000 tons. Two production lines with an installed capacity of 600,000 tons were built at Mugher between 1984 and 1991. All state-owned factories were managed by Mugher Cement Enterprise from the mid- 1980s.



In his acclaimed book dubbed “Made in Africa”, Arkebe Oqubay (PhD), special adviser to the prime minister, wrote that after a long, sluggish development prior to the 1990s the Ethiopian cement industry recorded impressive growth between 2000 and 2012. According to Arkebe, installed capacity in the industry rose from 800,000 tons in 1999 to 10 million tons in 2012. The average annual growth rate for cement production was more than twice when compared to the rest of Africa or the globe during this period. By the end of 2012, the number of firms had increased from a single state-owned enterprise to 16.



“The cement industry has undergone major changes throughout this period and it appears that Ethiopia is likely to become one of the top three cement producers in Africa,” Arkebe says.



A major milestone for the Ethiopian cement industry occurred during 2004-2012 when the construction industry registered an abrupt boom. Giant public infrastructure development projects, housing projects and private investments propelled the demand for cement. The government launched the construction of major hydro power dams, low cost housing projects and private real estate firms mushroomed. The local cement factories (Mugher and Messebo) were unable to satisfy the rising demand. The price of cement skyrocketed.



“There was not enough cement supply that can accommodate the sudden construction boom,” Gemechu Waktola (PhD), managing director of i-Capital (Africa) Institute and associate professor at Addis Ababa University, says. “The capacity built before this was not adequate to accommodate the abrupt construction boom. So because of that the cement industry suddenly changed. Things in the industry changed the construction economy, policy direction, and many other things.”



Arkebe says that the government did not make timely interventions in the face of new challenges and lacked a realistic long-term strategy for the industry. He says that the government failed to prevent and contain cyclical crises in the industry. Consequently, the country faced critical cement shortage and was compelled to import cement between 2006 and 2011.



Cement is a bulk product made from limestone and volcanic ash (pumice) and importing it from long distances with foreign currency was costly to the fragile Ethiopian economy. To satisfy the cement starving economy the Ethiopian government took various measures. The government allowed the import of cement with Franco Valuta [Franco Valutaimports are goods imported without foreign exchange expenditure from the domestic banking system] and tried to impose price controls. But these measures created an opportune time for rent-seekers to use the loopholes in the government policy and make fortunes.



Bribes were rampant and investors who are given high quotas of cement for their investment projects sold the cement for exorbitant prices in the local market amassing millions of birr. Many young millionaires were created overnight.



The Ethiopian government did not expect such a critical cement shortage and it was ill-prepared to handle the challenges. “Both the government and the market was caught by surprise when critical shortages of cement occurred in 2005 and lasted till 2010,” Arkebe says.



To address the erratic cement market the government offered attractive investment incentives to local and foreign investors who were interested in investing in the cement sector. Long-term subsidized loans, duty-free privileges and income tax exemption. The Development Bank of Ethiopia (DBE) finances 70 percent of cement industry investment projects.



As a result, the existing cement factories undertook aggressive expansion projects and foreign firms–mostly Chinese–built new cement factories. The number of cement factories grew to 20 and annual cement production increased from 2.7 million tons to 15 million tons. Per capita cement consumption increased from 39 kg to 62 kg, which is still minimal compared to Sub-Saharan average of 165 kilograms.



Gemechu says that though the cement production capacity of the nation was generally growing, the consumption of cement was not increasing proportionally. Though the annual cement production capacity grew five-fold to 15 million tons the annual cement consumption stood at only six million tons.



In 2011 the cement industry developed excess production capacity. Arkebe says that both the market and the government again appeared ill- prepared when the industry suddenly experienced excess supply and productive capacity in 2011.



According to Gemechu, the cement market has saturated. He says the Ethiopian government made an erroneous projection at the beginning of the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP). “It was projected that the annual cement consumption would be 27 million tons by the end of GTP-I (2015) and the per capita consumption was supposed to be 300 kilograms. By end of the GTP-I the consumption was only 5.47 million tons while per capita consumption was 62 kilograms,” Gemechu says. “Both the government and the industry should share the responsibility for what happened,” he says.



The local cement manufacturers tried to export cement to South Sudan, Djibouti and Kenya. However, the market is limited and could not solve the market saturation problem. “Transporting cement by truck more than 300 kilometers will not make you competitive,” Gemechu says.



Haile Assegide, CEO of Derba MIDROC Cement and president of the Ethiopian Cement Producers Association, says that the demand for cement which was growing by 24-25 percent dropped to 15-16 percent. According to Haile, the current annual cement demand is 8-9 million tons.



Cement manufacturers are now complaining about the saturating market. “There are now more complaints and fears among manufacturers than the previous years. The situation is getting tougher and tougher,” Gemechu says.



In an exclusive interview with The Reporter, Haile says production has surpassed demand and factories are scrambling for the limited market. “The industry transformed from shortage to abundance. The competition is getting fierce,” he says. Cement factories are utilizing 50 percent of their production capacity. The government has banned cement imports and suspended granting investment licenses.



The frequent power interruption has also contributed to the low capacity utilization, according to industry players. “We do not produce for six hours on the average due to power cuts,” Haile says. “But we hope this would improve as the Gilgel Gibe III has commenced generation.”



Gemechu argues that the government’s erroneous and ambitious projection of 27 million tons of cement consumption by 2015 contributes to the market problem. Arkebe shares Gemechu’s view. “The GTP projection which targeted ten-fold growth in five years proved to be grossly unrealistic and was not founded on a careful market study by the government,” he admits.



However, there are some government officials who try to defend the government. Samuel Alala, director-general of the Ethiopian Chemical and Construction Inputs Development Institute, says that the market saturation is a temporary problem.



“The growth of the cement industry should be viewed as part of the overall economic development of the country. The country targets to become a middle-income country by 2025. As the middle-income base expands so does the cement market,” Samuel told The Reporter.



According to Samuel, the cement market is seasonal. “The demand for cement at some point increases and reaches a peak and declines at another phase. When the government launches major infrastructure development projects the demand escalates and drops when they are finalized. Now the government is finalizing preparations to commence work on major construction projects. After a few months it will introduce these projects and the cement demand will peak up.”



However, Samuel says this is not a sustainable market position. “A sustainable cement demand will be created as the economy grows and the middle-income group expands. We hope that the whole scenario will be changed in the course of economic development.”



Gemechu calls the Ethiopian cement industry a captive where the government is the single major cement consumer. “When something goes wrong with the government the cement industry players will jitter and pray that things will be okay.”



Industry players are advocating market stimulation. One of the recommended practices for market stimulation is replacing asphalt concrete roads with cement concrete roads. The Ethiopian government is investing heavily on the road sector development. Experts believe that if the government builds some of the roads with cement it can create a huge cement demand.



Haile told The Reporter that the cement concrete road is much better than the asphalt road. “Asphalt is imported product while cement is locally produced. We can save a hefty amount of foreign currency if we build cement concrete roads.”



According to Haile, maintenance cost is minimal when it comes to cement concrete road. “It has a longer life than asphalt road. Maintaining an asphalt road is costly. Asphalt road easily deteriorates in the rainy seasons. But if you see the cement concrete road it gets stronger when it gets water. So rain water does not damage cement concrete road. But the initial investment on a cement concrete road is higher than on an asphalt road. But considering the low operational cost and longer life span it is still beneficial or much better than the asphalt road.”



The other major project that can be a main demand driver is rural development. “If the government realizes the rural housing development it could boost cement demand. We can produce low grade cement for the rural community. If farmers could buy cement at an affordable price and use cement to build their houses and other house hold utilities that means a lot to the cement industry because 80 percent of the Ethiopian population lives in the rural areas,” Haile says.



Haile is optimistic that the market situation will improve as the government starts implementing the projects set in the GTPII.



Despite the dwindling price of cement the price of cement in the local market is still considered as expensive. Many in the cement industry agree that the price could reduce if manufacturers can bring down their production cost. Energy is the single biggest cost to cement factories. The factories use heavy fuel oil and coal to burn lime stone and other raw materials. Both energy sources are imported products. Energy accounts for 50-60 percent of the overall operational cost of cement factories. The global industry average is 30-40 percent. Hence, for the energy intense cement industry, energy is a strategic issue.



Samuel says that previously factories used heavy fuel oil which was costly to import from the Middle East. Now companies are switching to coal mostly imported from South Africa. “We have managed to bring down the energy cost to 40 percent but our plan is to further reduce it to 20-30 percent by using biomass. If we can do that the price of cement would go down radically,” Samuel says.



Samuel advises local cement factories to further explore the cement markets in neighboring countries. With regard to the cumbersome transport cost Samuel says the factories would be competitive once they start using rail transport.



However, the railway lines route are determining factor. Experts say the railway lines should be integrated with the location of the cement factories.



Experts strongly recommend the establishment of ready mix and concrete industry in Ethiopia. Prefabricated houses and concrete producers are the major cement buyers in other parts of the world. “In the developed world the concrete industry consumes the majority of the cement. We do not have that industry here. We should be able to establish the sector and concrete production has to be regulated. Standards have to be set for concrete production,” Gemechu says.



According to Gemechu, despite all the odds, the country cement industry has an immense potential. The mega public infrastructure and housing projects are strong demand drivers. There are significant opportunities in the cement sector. There is a national vision that we love and want to share becoming a middle income country. What does that mean in terms of construction, in terms of road construction, infrastructure development? You need to build infrastructure and you need to consume cement. However, Gemechu says the government and industry players should do their homework first to exploit these opportunities. “It requires a coordinated effort to resolve the problems and change the gloomy picture.”



Industry players from the giant manufacturers to small retailers like Fikere pray that these dark days for the cement industry are over soon. “I hear that the government has diverted budget from the construction projects to the relief work to rescue the populace affected by the current drought. And that is why the demand for cement falls. We hope that things will get better next year,” Fikere says.

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Flower power in Kenya and Ethiopia: a sign of things to come

On Valentine’s Day last month, I came across an article in a top British newspaper: "My love is like a red rose shipped all the way from Africa." It told how fresh cut roses grown in Kenya and Ethiopia are now exported in huge numbers to Europe, a market dominated for over 300 years by flower growers in the Netherlands (also known as Holland).

"Where once most cut flowers, including red roses, came from Holland. . .today they more likely come from Africa. New figures reveal a huge drop in Dutch production, in favour of imports from Kenya -- where roses are called "waridi" in Swahili -- and Ethiopia. Half a million people depend on the floriculture industry in Kenya alone,” according to the Daily Telegraph (14/02/16).

Holland still holds onto about half the cut flower market worldwide, but now Kenya and Ethiopia are the #4 and #5 cut-flower producers in the world! Together they earned more $1.3 billion in export sales in 2014. That’s 13.5% of global market share in a $9.1+ billion global market! Wow!

Proper growing of even one rose bush in your own garden requires knowledge of water, light, soil, pest management, fertilizers, and pruning. The best rose growers chalk up their success to a lifetime of experience and a lot of “TLC” (tender loving care).

How did Kenya and Ethiopia master all these processes to become world-class growers and exporters of cut flowers in this highly-sophisticated global market? They partnered and recruited experts from all over the world. They invested billions in the latest technologies, including climate-controlled transport terminals specially designed to ensure fresh flowers arrive quickly across the world looking as beautiful and smelling as nice as when they were first cut!

They listened to customers who say they really want to buy cut flowers that last a long time! They learned from the transfer of technology skills and best practices. Result: Kenyan and Ethiopian flower exports have expanded exponentially, making billions in forex earnings for their countries, and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Research and development will continue as in any major industry. For example, flowers require a lot of fresh water to grow. That’s a scarce resource. Cultivation requires a huge number of workers. That means ensuring labour management that respects and protects workers and their families. They require a lot of sun (very plentiful in Kenya and Ethiopia on the Equator, so year-round growing is possible). But sometimes weather is unpredictable and supply must not be affected so that means investment in glass houses (also known as green houses).

This is floriculture, but why stop there?

__Who says we can’t go on to challenge traditional global market leaders in other industries over the next few decades? I believe we can!

Someday we’ll read stories like this on a regular basis about Africans rising up to dominate industries like textiles, electronic manufacturing, motor vehicle production, food processing, health care, and many others.

It won’t happen simply because we want to see it. We have to take practical steps to ensure it happens. I remember 20 years ago serving on the board of an investment fund set up by then President Bill Clinton, and chaired by Ambassador Andrew Young.

We identified horticulture as one of many potential industries where Africa could excel. We did extensive research to see what conditions and policies would be required for this to happen.

Although Kenya was behind several other countries at the time (and Ethiopia was nowhere to be seen, but if you ever met the Ethiopian PM Meles Zenawi and his colleagues nothing would surprise you today)… We all agreed that Kenya would take off, even though we had no idea how far they would go!

Now if you go to church on Easter Sunday, or a wedding any time of the year, and you see roses, you now know there's a very good chance they were grown in African soil under African skies. Don’t just see them as beauty… celebrate them as another way Africa is rising! Happy Easter.

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Turn Your Business Into A “Technology Company”

The other day I was talking to a friend who runs a fast-moving consumer goods company, or what the experts call an "FMCG" company. He was surprised when I said to him, "I also consider myself to be in the FMCG sector; I discourage my people from seeing our business as a ‘technology’ business.”

"I don't understand what you mean?" my friend said. "I thought you were in the telecoms business; isn't that technology?"

"We sell fast-moving consumer goods. Our products and services (things like ‘airtime’) are for the mass market consumer. We’re no different from Coca-Cola. We’re chasing the same consumer dollars."

Then I added, "Now if you’re a consumer goods company selling bread, you must begin to see yourself as technology company if you want to succeed in today's digital world."

A technology company that sees itself only as a "technology" company will end up losing sight of the customer. And yet almost all businesses must so embrace technology in everything they do that, for all practical purposes, they’re "technology" companies:

__The most successful businesses today (big or small) are those that see themselves as "technology" companies, irrespective of what business they are in!

Confused?

Imagine an entrepreneur who’s running a small supermarket at a busy business center. Her business seems simple enough: she buys fast-moving goods like bread and meat, and sells them to her community, and perhaps to people who travel through it, like tourists or visitors.

How can we turn her business into a "technology business”? How could she use technology to make herself more efficient, attract more customers, be more profitable, and grow -- perhaps into a franchise? What advice would you give her?

# She needs to have a smartphone for starters. Through her smartphone she can buy applications (Apps) readily available on the Internet to help her with things like inventory management, payroll management, record keeping and accounts.

All this is technology.

# She can use the Internet to link up with wholesalers and other suppliers to order goods and compare input prices.
# She can research the retail price her competitors are charging for the same items.
# She can bank using her cell phone. She can be part of a savings scheme.
# She can invest in a credit card terminal to attract new business and larger orders.
# She can advertise her goods on the Internet using everything from Facebook, to Instagram, etc.
# She can even set up her own website. There are so many young people who can develop a website for her at very little cost. Whatever business you’re in, even the informal sector, you must begin to have a presence on the Internet!

Technology matters in your business. Take the time to look for creative ways to leverage it to make your business more visible, efficient and profitable!

__Don't think you must wait until you’re “big” before you learn to harness technology. You’ll become big by harnessing technology! Even if you’re running a rural trading post or sell goods at an informal market, technology can give you information, efficiency and competitive edge to help you succeed and prosper.

In this series I’ll talk about how technology can transform even the smallest business, in any sector. As the great inventor Thomas Edison said, “There’s a better way to do it - find it!”







__What are you waiting for?

I was inspired this week to hear stories from so many of you who are using technology to connect buyers and markets, and, in the process, create income for yourselves. This kind of thinking will really set Africa alight!

One post really caught my attention: “It's through OLX that I’m able to place food on the table for my family. What I just need is to get a wind of it that you want to sell something. I take photos using my phone and post it on OLX. Within a few days your product is gone and I pocket a few coins out of it. So my 'little business' is technology oriented.”

“Wow, wow, wow!!!” was my reply to Ken in Kenya.

When we later contacted him, Ken said he works as a police dog trainer (he’s a civil servant) and discovered he could use his phone to take pictures of things for sale which he posts on OLX. After posting the items (which have included even animals like goats and dogs), Ken waits for customers to call him on his phone. Like Econet’s Ownai online classifieds in Zimbabwe, OLX is a free mobile marketplace for all sorts of goods and services. You’ll find many such free platforms online.

To make extra money for his family, Ken even does commission sales for his friends, and arranges delivery. He also trains privately-owned dogs after-hours Sometimes he even sells puppies online (not police pups) thus expanding his potential client base.

I told Ken that there are people sitting at home who should be doing exactly what he’s doing… using a unique mix of skills, technology, fresh ideas and local knowledge to create their own little (or big) “technology businesses.”

In the palm of your hand today, you have at least one exceptional tool to open doors and close deals. What are you waiting for?

# Imagine what would happen if every smallholder farmer, informal and cross border trader across Africa discovered what Ken has discovered!
# Imagine what would happen if every single person who runs any kind of business in Africa set up a website (Africa has the lowest penetration of business presence on the Internet in the world)!

__These are things you shall begin to see. What we need is young people to go out and show others how this can happen so easily. This is all technology -- changing the lives of people.

Techno-entrepreneurs like Ken give me so much hope for the next generation on our continent. (I highlighted Ken today, but you’ll hear about others later on). With the power of technology, everyone can be a winner: What do people want and need? Maybe it’s not invented yet. Maybe it’s available somewhere, but not in your country. Maybe it’s a service in short supply and you can bridge that gap. Maybe it’s old technology but you have the imagination to do something new with it, like Ken did.

No one really knew how much they “needed" a mobile phone till very recently in historical terms. Now most people can’t imagine life without one, or more. Technology makes it possible to build new bridges of all kinds. Do you know where you want to go?








_Harness the future!

The other day I was watching a program about a young Chinese entrepreneur who created a restaurant that has no waiters. Everyone orders food using an "App" and simply arrives, collects and sits down to eat!

Ten years ago, I remember visiting a farmer’s market in rural Kenya where they exchanged prices on their cell phones, from village to village, to ensure that middlemen don't cheat them. It has since developed into a highly sophisticated commodity exchange system. This is technology.

In the past few weeks, some of you have shared exciting ways you already use technology in your own businesses. Others of you are just beginning to launch your ideas. You are harnessing the future!

__Whatever line of work you’re in, you must master technology. It must be your silent partner!

Many of you have asked advice about how to get started. Why not use the internet to do research and bring yourself up to speed with best business practices and technology innovations around the world?

Whatever you do, don't think you can be blissfully ignorant, or worse… resistant to the changes happening because of technology.

When I was getting started in business, it wasn’t possible to go to my phone or the “world wide web” to search for information about nearly everything. Today, almost all of you can do this. The world can be at your fingertips!

__ If you’re really serious about learning online, consider looking for a “MOOC,” which means a Massive Online Open Course. At www.mooc-list.com, you can find technology education and training courses (and a wide range of other subjects) taught by top universities and colleges around the world. Many are free of charge.

Coursera.org is one MOOC with courses on all topics under the sun, including “How to create a website in a weekend” and “Web design for everybody.” You alone must decide what you need to make your business more successful and profitable using technology, but below are a few websites that offer IT courses that may be of interest:

www.udacity.com/courses
www.teamtreehouse.com
www.codeacademy.com
www.code.org
www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming

__Remember: information is power! But one word of warning: While the internet has some amazing research information, be sure your sources are trusted and credible. Some of what you read could be worthless and even destructive.

When I'm done with this series, I want you to be conscious of the impact of technology on the business you’re in now, and imagine its role in the future… not in a negative sense, but in a positive way. You’re not going to get away from the impact of technology. You must either learn to harness its huge potential and use it to your advantage, or it will destroy you.

Looking at your own businesses today, you should already be working on these five questions:

# How can technology help me design, produce, market and/or deliver first-class goods and services to my customers?
# How can technology make my business more productive and efficient?
# How can technology make my business bigger?
# How can technology make my business more profitable?
# How can technology help me leapfrog my competitors?

That should be enough homework for this week!

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