Why Africa's manufacturing sector needs a turnaround

Editor, Refer to Junior Sabena Mutabazi’s article, Why don’t we give value to ‘Made in Africa? (The New Times, September 11). Mr Mutabazi touched on a topic that is dear to my heart. Why is this or that not happening or can’t be done in Africa? To answer the question, ‘why don’t we give value to ‘Made in Africa?”, I would have to seek the help of my economics days to argue my point. As an economist, I know that everything runs on confidence and, as an entrepreneur (or trying to be one), I’m aware that success depends on good marketing or publicity machine. The fact that I don’t know about these guys is that they have not grabbed my attention or made themselves known. Marketing and branding is very important for new and existing products because that is where relationship, trust and confidence come in. Also remember how good the product is. Second point is that, personally I don’t feel there are enough of these success stories. We need more of these inspiration stories to inspire others, and to me people believe in “Made in Africa” brand. This could be because of luck of functioning institutions to enhance innovation.To conclude, we need to improve the branding of our products and innovations and simply have more of these success stories. John Bosco Kabagambe *********************** Allow me to respond to Mr Kabagambe. As a university post-graduate and independent researcher in industrial design, I must state that for products to be given value, as opposed to mere market (economists’ and marketers’) monetary value, those products must indeed be “good”. In my understanding, a good product means a safe artifact, fit for intended use, and comfortable during use. On Mr. Mutabazi’s thoughtful question, my view is that, as long as Africa lacks own well trained industrial designers, we’ll keep toiling in enriching other people through both our imports and exports, and thus not at all fostering our innovations. And yet, as the author illustrates, the innovation potential is there in Africa like anywhere else. But here it’s more latent, as it has never been taped. Like any other of our capitals, African innovation capital has been systematically under or simply non-valued, “denigrated”…while we Africans, up to this day, are being methodically distracted... François-Xavier Nziyonsenga *********************** The writer makes a very good argument. But, there is still one problem with us in Africa. Whatever we make or produce in Africa has to be approved by certain international standards bodies where Africa is not represented. Take a simple example of Rwanda tea which loses its origin when it gets to Mombasa auction market, and the prices are not set by the farmers who do all the hard work. Gerald

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Why Africa's manufacturing sector needs a turnaround