The year is closing, Christmas is fast approaching and resolutions are in the offing. Earlier this morning, I logged in to check my Facebook timeline and updates and my good friend Ɔdadeɛ Samuel Darko had shared Bill Gates’ favorite books of 2014, following my love for books and what informs people like Bill Gates i went further to checkout his list and i found this book #HowAsiaWorks. I found Gates’ description of the book and seems like it would make a good read. I am definitely adding it to my books for 2014 and would recommend same for His Excellency John Dramani Mahama and his Ministers and Members of Parliament to inform them of how Asia got to become a super power (that is if he has not read it yet).
I have copied the blurb just for your convenience Mr president. In Gates’
last paragraph he speaks about whether parts of the Asian model can apply in Africa… Our leaders should think same.
How Asia Works, by Joe Studwell. Studwell produces compelling answers to two of the greatest questions in development economics: How did countries like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China achieve sustained, high growth? And why have so few other countries managed to do so? His answers come in the form of a simple—and yet hard to execute—formula: (1) create conditions for small farmers to thrive,
(2) use the proceeds from agricultural surpluses to build a manufacturing base focused on exports, and
(3) nurture both these sectors with financial institutions closely controlled by the government. The agriculture section of the book was particularly insightful.
It provided ample food for thought for me as well as the whole Agriculture team at our foundation. And it left us thinking about whether parts of the Asian model can apply in Africa.
