Manufacturing is key to improved livelihoods in Africa

Targeted approaches to manufacturing can offset the negative impact of Africa’s rapid population growth.

Instead of industrialising, Africa’s labour is moving from subsistence agriculture to low-end services in the informal sector. This won’t deliver productive economies that can improve livelihoods for Africa’s large and fast-growing population. Governments need to focus on growing the manufacturing sector.

The seminar will explore the impact of moving labour into more productive sectors, and what the fourth industrial revolution will mean for Africa.

The recent ISS report by Jakkie Cilliers, Made in Africa: manufacturing and the fourth industrial revolution, will be available at the seminar.

Chair: Lori-Anne Théroux-Bénoni, Office Director, ISS Dakar

Speaker: Jakkie Cilliers, Head, African Futures and Innovation, ISS

Development partners
This event is funded by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The ISS is also grateful for support from the members of the ISS Partnership Forum: the Hanns Seidel Foundation, the European Union and the governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the USA.
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