On October 14, 2016 the world watched, as Rwanda became the first country to use drone technology at the service of saving lives. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are now set to deliver blood to patients in need in different hospitals across Rwanda, significantly cutting short the time between the hospital’s requisition for blood and when it is delivered. In his speech, at the launch of the delivery drones that are being operated by American tech firm Zipline, President Paul Kagame mentioned something that should make us all think broader. To quote him; “The cutting-edge technology will enable us to bypass the challenges of existing modes of transport. Technology becomes relevant, meaningful when it works for people and addresses the many challenges they face in many fields”. This quote makes me think of Rwanda and Africa’s challenges in the agriculture sector and how the aerospace industry could help overcome these hurdles. Africa is endowed with abundant resources. According to reports from Food and Agriculture Organisation, about 60 per cent of the world’s most arable land is in sub-Saharan Africa, but Africa remains the world’s poorest continent. The World Bank says much of this land is still virgin which explains why Africa’s agricultural productivity lags behind that of other continents. Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa, which largely depends on weather, still provides a relatively large share of the GDP. About 65 per cent of Africa’s labour force is employed in agriculture, yet the sector accounts for just 32 per cent of GDP, reflecting relatively low productivity. Soil high salinity, migration of youth to urban areas and climate change are just a few of the many factors that are negatively affecting agriculture production in many of our countries. The good news, however, is with the right amount of effort and capital, and, of course coupled with innovation, our land could become bountiful. What safer and more affordable way for Africa to deliver nutritious food to its ever growing population than specialised aircraft? Aerospace technology could ensure progress towards an equitable and sustainable food supply chain, it could help us achieve an African green revolution and greatly reduce global poverty. In places like Colorado, San Francisco (in the United States) and Germany the aerospace industry continues to support agriculture with new innovations, from development of aircraft to aid farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food, fiber and biofuel, in addition to protecting forestry and controlling healthy threatening pest. They employ aerial technology which involves spraying crops with crop protection products from an agricultural aircraft. Planting certain types of seeds is also included in aerial application. Specific spreading of fertiliser is also known as aerial topdressing. These sophisticated aircrafts help farmers in producing a safe, affordable and abundant supply of food. This is possible for Africa too, and it is particularly urgent for Rwanda which many parts of the country still relying on subsistence farming. UAVs can be used to gather topographical data of the land, plant certain types of seed, optimising the growth of crops while saving farmers both time and money. Rwanda has worked hard already in partnering with Zipline to improve its people’s wellbeing through healthcare system and if there is one thing we learned from President Kagame is that there is always more that can be done. Drones delivering blood is only the beginning. Aviation techniques would go a long way to help Rwanda and the African continent face some of these challenges in a modern and efficient way. Increasing agricultural output is what Africa needs to reach its development goals. The writer is a research engineer for airplanes and helicopters.
