Farming in Africa

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 staple¹ 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.
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) maize²
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 modernise³ the economy and that means essentially⁴ starting with the
modernisation of agriculture. And that they should stick with it and not hand it over to
departmental (government) ministries⁵.
Alice: Agriculture and economy are one and the same.
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.
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 genetically⁶ 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 affected⁷ 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.
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. Apparently⁸ rice not as much as wheat and maize but it’s catching⁹ 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.
 

1 staple   

n.主要产物，常用品，主要要素，原料，订书钉，钩环；adj.主要的，重要的；vt.分类

参考例句：

• Tea is the staple crop here.本地产品以茶叶为大宗。
• Potatoes are the staple of their diet.土豆是他们的主要食品。

2 maize   

n.玉米

参考例句：

• There's a field planted with maize behind the house.房子后面有一块玉米地。
• We can grow sorghum or maize on this plot.这块地可以种高粱或玉米。

3 modernise   

vt.使现代化

参考例句：

• If it works,it would help to modernise the entire economy.这项（改革）一旦实施起效，将有助于整体经济的现代化进程。
• They attempted in vain to modernise these antiquated industries.他们企图使这些陈旧的工业现代化，结果劳而无功。

4 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

5 ministries   

（政府的）部( ministry的名词复数 )； 神职； 牧师职位； 神职任期

参考例句：

• Local authorities must refer everything to the central ministries. 地方管理机构应请示中央主管部门。
• The number of Ministries has been pared down by a third. 部委的数量已经减少了1/3。

6 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。