Fertile grain : agricultural research and educational facility

Abstract

In 2007, incentives for farmers to grow nonfood bio fuel crops, increasing transportation costs, climate change, growing consumer demand and population growth caused major food shortages in the world, especially within the high famine-risk sub-Saharan Africa. The inconsistent food cultivated products in Zanzibar combined with high consumer prices suppresses the economic growth of the agricultural sector on the island. The large decrease in what once was the primary economical driver (Agriculture) left the Island only to rely on the tourism sector to enhance the economics of Zanzibar. If a successful strategy is implemented within the agricultural sector of Zanzibar, the country could revert toward becoming, once again, a place of agricultural richness. This dissertation proposes an Agricultural research and educational facility to act as a catalyst for agricultural reintegration. The agricultural history of Zanzibar and its future potential became the underlining subject of the research and development framework proposed for the Chumbuni area. The site location and the programme will function as an incubator for local small industries, local farming and micro industries that will directly assist with increasing food security on the island. The Agricultural research and educational facility is therefore to become a structure that houses a number of beneficial programmes (focused on an educational and symbiotic relationship between industry and public). Public-funding driven cycles of basic education, agricultural education, physical practice and research thus have a platform to influence and be influenced by industry.