Alice: Hello, I'm Alice.
Yvonne: And I'm Yvonne.
Alice: And this is 6 Minute English! And in today’s programme we’re talking about
farming in Africa.
Yvonne: The study of farming is called agriculture.
Alice: This is a new look at agriculture in Africa – how one expert – a Harvard
Professor thinks Africa could change from being an importer of food to an
exporter in one generation.
Yvonne: In one generation – that’s usually a period of about 20 to 30 years. The time it
takes for someone to become an adult.
Alice: In his book ‘The New Harvest’, Professor Calestous Juma says Africa could
become self-sufficient in terms of growing food within one generation. But
before we find out more, can you explain what a staple crop is?
Yvonne: Sure. A staple crop is a plant that is grown for food and it’s considered to be
the most important part of a country’s diet.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Alice: So like rice or corn. And my question is about the country Professor Calestous
Juma comes from originally – Kenya. Which of these is a staple crop in Kenya?
a) rice
b) maize
c) wheat
Yvonne: I think I’m going for maize because I know that is something that’s used in
other countries in Africa.
Alice: Well, we’ll find out at the end of the programme. Now let’s see how Professor
Juma thinks Africa could become food secure.
Yvonne: Food secure – that’s self-sufficient in terms of food.
Alice: He believes that leaders in Africa need to make agriculture a top priority. And
he says that the modernisation of agriculture is the responsibility of African
Presidents. Let’s listen to what he says:
Insert 1: Professor Calestous Juma
I think the most important message is for them to recognise that agriculture and the
economy for Africa are one and the same. And that is the responsibility of an African
president to modernise the economy and that means essentially starting with the
modernisation of agriculture. And that they should stick with it and not hand it over to
departmental (government) ministries.
Alice: Agriculture and economy are one and the same.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: One and the same – a phrase which means they are identical. They are the
same – here that the economy in Africa is completely dependent on
agriculture.
Alice: The BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler says Professor Juma is
thinking big.
Yvonne: Thinking big – he has large ambitions.
Alice: He believes it’s a question of political will.
Yvonne: Political will – if politicians want to make something happen, they will.
Insert 2: BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler
Professor Juma can't be accused of not thinking big. He says that with land and labour
abundant, Africa shouldn't be a hungry importer of food, but a major exporter. He says
it's all a question of political will.
Alice: Juma can’t be accused of not thinking big.
Yvonne: That’s true. He says Africa has abundant land and labour.
Alice: Abundant – lots of, lots of land to grow crops on and lots of labour – lots of
people to work on farms.
Yvonne: But what about the detail of how this can happen? Large areas of Africa’s land
are desert or suffer from drought.
Alice: According to Neil Bowdler, Juma has a wish list.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Yvonne: A wish list – a list of things he would like to happen. What are they?
Alice: He wants to boost investment in roads – to carry crops and machines from
place to place.
Yvonne: Boost investment – increase the amount of money put into
agriculture. What else?
Alice: To boost investment in irrigation.
Yvonne: Irrigation – moving water from one place to another to make sure crops don’t
dry out.
Alice: And to mechanise farms – introduce big machines to help with the harvest and
process crops. He wants people to embrace what science can offer.
Yvonne: To embrace what science can offer – to take advantage of new technology.
Alice: In agriculture this might mean using genetically modified crops.
Yvonne: GM crops – crops that have been developed by scientists to be stronger or to
need less water to grow, so they may be less affected by climate change.
Alice: Let’s hear Neil Bowdler again.
Insert 3: BBC’s Science Reporter Neil Bowdler
The wish list - and some will call it that - is a long one. Boost investment in roads,
irrigation and energy schemes. Mechanise all farms, and build storage and processing
facilities. He's also asking the continent to embrace what science can offer, and that
includes using GM crops to combat climate change.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2010
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Alice: So before we go Yvonne. Have you thought about our question from earlier?
Which are staple crops in Kenya? Rice, maize, wheat?
Yvonne: I said maize because that’s a staple in other African countries.
Alice: Well, it was a trick question because all three are grown in staple crops
in Kenya. Apparently rice not as much as wheat and maize but it’s catching up.
And before we go today, Yvonne would you mind reading some of the words
and phrases we’ve heard?
Yvonne: Not at all.
agriculture
self-sufficient
staple crop
food-secure
modernisation
thinking big
political will
abundant
Alice: Thanks very much, Yvonne. Beautifully read. We hope you’ve had fun with us
today on 6 Minute English - and that you’ll join us again next time.
Both: Bye.
