The Contribution of Emerging Technologies and Skills to the Agricultural and Consumer Goods Sectors in Two Countries in Africa.

This paper investigates how emerging technology has impacted the ways of working and functioning of various industries in Africa. The research was conducted at a time when digital transformation may have been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in a greater rate of adoption of emerging technology (social media, mobility, analytics, cloud computing and the internet of things [SMACT]. This qualitative research focuses on how African youth and entrepreneurs have developed their businesses and communities in the digital economy by exploiting emerging technology and skills. For Africans to overcome the market challenges caused by digital transformation, they need to acquire and leverage digital business skills tailored to their unique challenges. This paper will be of interest to other researchers and industries on the African continent that are competing for global market share and the transformative development of their communities. Disasters and pandemics have become accelerators of the adoption of digital technology to sustain industries around the globe. The COVID-19 global pandemic (2020) has affected up to 49 countries, making it the largest health, social, and economic threat that the world has faced in the 21st century. The COVID-19 crisis has pushed both planned and unplanned innovation. This study explores the development of this social and cultural innovation in various consumer sectors in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]