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group Publisher Omar Ben Yedder o.benyedder@africasia.com GENERAL MANAGER Leila Ben Hassen l.benhassen@africasia.com Development Director Patricia Bonnin p.bonnin@ icpublications.com Group Sales Director Tibor Fuchsel advertising@africasia.com SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER Darren Moore d.moore@africasia.com Advertising Sales Directors Medrine Chitty Elisée Marie Nick Rosefield SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVe Nadia Osho-Williams CLASIFIED ADS classified@africasia.com Distribution William Pearson Production Manager Sandra Segade-Hermida Ghana –DISTRIBUTION Nana Asiamah Bekoe Tel: +233 21 258058 kwabusek@gmail.com GHANA – SPECIAl PROJECTS AND advertising Silvia Salvetti Tel: +233 24 910 5995 top@topreports.org SENEGAL Nathalie Desanti-Tounkara n.desanti@africasia.com Mobile: +22176 51 51265 NORTH AFRICA Néjib Ben Yedder n.benyedder@africasia.com ICEVENTS icpubs@africasia.com Printers Headley Brothers Ltd The Invicta Press Queens Road, Ashford Kent, TN24 8HH All pictures AFP unless indicated. Registered with the British Library. ISSN 0142-9345 ©2012 IC Publications Ltd N° DE COMMISSION PARITAIRE 0213 K 89410 Mensuel: Mai 2012 Dépôt légal
ContentsMAY2012ISUEN°386WWW.AFRICASIA.COM
16 Special Report Agriculture Dawn of the age of machines
Editorial 13 Singapore – a modern miracle
Cover Story 14 World Economic Forum – transforming a continent 18 WEF – what it is and what it does 22 WEF – behind the scenes
Special Report: Agriculture 28 Dawn of the age of machines? 29 The rising cost of food 32 Commercialisation is the key 36 The mechanisation of agribusiness
Investigative Report: Piracy 42 Pirates’ deadly grip on Africa Benin reels under piracy assault 46 Mad money rules Mogadishu
Special Report: Namibia 48 Orchid in the sand
Commodities 54 China slowdown depresses prices
International 56 South Africa ponders cost of Iran sanctions
Countryfiles 60 Nigeria: Jonathan’s one-year report card 64 Ethiopia: Turning stones into jewels 66 Kenya: Oil strike sets off prospecting stampede
Reviews Book/Music 72 TheHedgeFundMirage 74 TheBaribaSound etters to the Editor YourviewsonAfricaandmattersaffectingAfricaareveryimportanttous.Weencourageyouto sharethemwiththethousandsofourreadersinAfricaandallovertheworld.Youcanwritetothe Editor,attheaddressonourmasthead,emaileditorial@africasia.com,orhaveyoursayonTwitter @AfricanBizMagoronourFacebookpage–AfricanBusinessMagazine.