Most developing countries still depend heavily on imported agricultural equipment from the developed world, and many of these imports are high cost, inappropriate to countries’ needs, difficult to maintain in remote areas and could to a large extent be replaced by locally manufactured alternatives. The barriers to communication and technology transfer are still very strong. Even when countries know the equipment they want, and have found where it is made within the region, logistical obstacles, customs barriers and financial restrictions often prevent them from obtaining it. It is frequently easier to purchase from established suppliers through established trade routes in Europe, than from a manufacturer just over the border in a neighbouring territory.



This Guide has been prepared to break down the barriers between communication and technology transfer in agricultural equipment. The authors of this guide hope that it will prove useful both to manufacturers and to users of agricultural equipment in East, Central and Southern Africa.