After the countdown is
complete, the decorations are back in the closet, and we are all back
to...
work, the third decade of the 21st century has officially begun, I
would like to invite you all to join me for a brief exercise.
Concentrate carefully, and try to answer: Do you remember where you were
when 2010? Now, let’s change the directions: Can you imagine where you
will be welcoming the next decade?
While these questions are
particularly personal, Africa is also facing a new decade, which, by all
accounts, will be extremely meaningful, with various trends expected to
change hundreds of millions of lives.
Clean electricity access,
for everyone. Despite many efforts over the past decade, over 600
million people across the continent are still living without electricity
in their homes, and have no other option rather than relying on
combustible fuels to cook, heat, and light their house after dark.
The damage caused by using
these materials is tremendous: millions of deaths and respiratory
diseases caused by the smoke, a lack of proper education for children,
gender inequality, economy impeded, and more. The decade ahead will
establish energy inclusiveness: Continued declines in renewable energy
production costs (especially in the solar sector) and widespread use of
advanced economic models will allow a massive expansion of companies
operating in the sector, enabling the connection of the hundreds of
millions to power, for the first time ever.
My 2030 prediction: More
than 2/3 of the unconnected homes in Africa will be connected to power,
with the majority of connections made through independent, off-grid
solar energy. This will make Africa the leading global example of the
benefits of renewable energy, leapfrogging traditional, polluting
solutions.
Advanced Agriculture. Today,
the African is widely based on agriculture, which provides most of the
food across the continent, as well as most jobs in the local economy,
and a huge percentage of the GDP. Yet, the vast majority of African
farmers still operate in basic and outdated methods, with no advanced
technology or proper fertilizers. With the continent’s expected growth
in population, local governments will have no choice but to invest in
the agriculture sector. Over the next few years, advanced technologies
will be utilized throughout the continent, from large corporations to
household farmers. The use of advanced systems will enable more
efficient growth and a much higher yield.
My 2030 prediction: With
more resources invested in the sector, and the rise of advanced
technology solutions such as solar-based irrigation systems, Africa’s
percentage of irrigated lands, being only 6% today, will rise to at
least 50%.
Advanced affordable medical
technology, even in remote clinics. One of the most important fields for
development is the medical sector, as hundreds of millions of people
are treated with outdated methods and without basic technological
equipment. While in the field of agriculture, the lack of advanced
equipment results in less efficiency, in the medical sector, the lack of
equipment directly affects human life. The main problem is in the
remote medical centers and clinics, those located in villages a few
hours away from the nearest district hospital.
In the new decade, various
entities (governments, companies, and organizations) will have to invest
in creative and innovative models of operation and finance, that will
lead to the deployment of broad technological equipment - even in the
most remote clinics. In addition, medical equipment will adapt to market
needs (for example, medical machines connected to a solar panel).
My 2030 prediction: Medical
equipment will become accessible and available in clinics across the
continent, no matter how rural they are.
Banking: With over 60% of
Sub-Saharan Africa’s population living without bank accounts, the need
for new technology to lead to financial inclusiveness is unmistakable.
Lack of innovation in the sector has been hindering progress all over
the world, yet this reality has been changing quickly in the past few
years, with Fintech technologies (such as blockchain) adopted at a
tremendous pace, offering a wide range of solutions to various problems
including inclusiveness and transparency. The new decade is expected to
further establish the use of these new technologies in Africa, enabling
hundreds of millions of the unbanked to enjoy financial services for the
first time.
My 2030 prediction: Africa’s
economy will be the first in the world to transform to. 100% cash-free,
enabling various digital payments and financial services.
World leaders in innovation.
In most of the areas I have described, the African continent is facing a
real challenge, and in the next decade, it will finally be able to fill
in some long-discussed gaps. For the innovation sector, let me make a
more radical outlook: Over the next decade, Africa can not only catch
up, but bypass Western countries, and become a global leader in
innovation and entrepreneurship. With growing numbers of engineers and
developers, incredible levels of innovative and creative thinking, and
the uncompromising desire of the younger generation to initiate,
innovate, and utilize technology, Africa has a real opportunity to
become one of the world’s leading innovation centers.
My prediction to 2030: Africa, a world-leading hub of innovation.
Welcome to the future!
The writer is an entrepreneur and investor, leading sustainability-driven companies in Africa.
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