An awakening giant If Africa’s economies are to take off, Africans will have to start making a lot more things. They may well do so.
The Economist - Feb 8th 2014 | ADDIS ABABA
LESS than an hour’s drive outside Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, a
farmer walks along a narrow path on a green valley floor after milking
his cows. Muhammad Gettu is carrying two ten-litre cans to a local
market, where he will sell them for less than half of what they would
fetch at a dairy in the city. Sadly, he has no transport. A bicycle
sturdy enough to survive unpaved tracks would be enough to double his
revenues. At the moment none is easily available. But that may be about
to change.
An affiliate of SRAM, the world’s second-largest cycle-components
maker, based in Chicago, is aiming to invest in Ethiopia. Its Buffalo
Bicycles look ungainly but have puncture-resistant tires, a heavy frame
and a rear rack that can hold 100kg. They are designed and assembled in
Africa, and a growing number of components are made there from scratch,
creating more than 100 manufacturing jobs. About 150,000 Buffalo bikes
are circulating on the continent, fighting puncture-prone competition
from Asia.
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