The success of the cassava (manioc or yucca) beer which is now the third most drank in Mozambique is a demonstration of what value addition can do. Wealth is created through value addition and investing in the latter can tilt the scales of Africa’s 3% share in global trade. The future development of Africa lies in moving up the value addition ladder.

Africa is rich in commodities that the rest of the world is bound to demand over the next 30 years. These resources include oil, coal, natural gas, tin, tantalum and tungsten among others. The continent must diversify its economy and retain as many processes as possible in the value chain to create an environment that is conducive to both industrial production and trade.