Africa on Agriculture 4.0 and Food Security
There is a significant improvement made when it comes to agriculture in Africa and there is still room for more especially with the possibilities and opportunities brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Whether it’s looking at how we can leverage technology into increasing productivity and efficiency, or how we can use it to facilitate the Agriculture chain value and grow the African market since it is the world’s hope when it comes to food security and yet, it is yet to live to those standards. From using Big data to make predictions, to analysing climate and resources needed, to improving access of information to farmers and regulating policies in incorporating technology in trading, all these can work to positively impact the agriculture sector in Africa.
Agricultural production is up 160% over the past 30 years, far above the global average of 100% according to WEF, yet Africa remains a net importer of food, although it has 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land. Even looking at the population growth doubling in past 30 years expected to triple by 2050, there is a greater role Africa can play in food production and global food security.
I suggest three areas which I believe the Fourth Industrial revolution can revolutionise agriculture in Africa and bring about significant impact in food availability, food production, market and Africa’s position in food security. Those are:
Production | technologies like big data in making predications and decisions , gene technologies helping in domesticating the plants to be more useful, to increase the quality and the quantity. Technologies like automation will and are revolutionizing the efficiency of farms, looking at the population predication by 2050 that will be about 10 Billion, this only means we need to have at least doubled the amount of food production by then. The question is how is Africa prepared for these technologies? Are they too hard or soft for the continent? Are Africa farmers prepared for this revolution or will this be for only big companies and heavily invested in farms?
Companies like Agritechs, using data and automation to increase efficiency, production and quality in a small space, the key take here is cost of energy the land used and the environmental implications. Agrinfo, using data in making predication and helping farmers make informed decisions through its Jembe product, in Tanzania. Trotro Ghana, being a tractor-uber for farmers looking hire tractors for their farms.
Markets | Digital platforms, mobile technologies and blockchain technologies can be a drive to agriculture market revolution in Africa. Using data to provide estimation of price ranges to farmers, utilising geospatial data to allow vendors to track their produce and consumers to choose location of their vendors. in all these ways and more Fourth Industrial Revolution can impact the market. The question is are our policies digital market friendly? Is Africa ready to use the opportunities brought by these innovations to turn from being a leading importer to exporter? Can Africa use such technologies to plan and understand the socio-economic development brought through Agriculture?
Companies like Jamvi, revolutionizing the investment and business side of agriculture in Tanzania by linking investors to farmers that have lands but luck capital. Kenyan-based M-Farm also using big data to provide information on weather and crop prices which in turn helps even in prediction of markets and needs.
Stakeholders | Whether it’s Farmers, Investors, Entrepreneurs or policy makers, all these groups’ association in Agriculture is one way or another impacted by the development of technologies. Big data technologies can facilitate right decision making whether it’s in investment, policy making or farming. Blockchain technologies can facilitate transactions. Mobile technologies can facilitate information distribution. Automation cutting down some activities done by farmers and enhancing efficiency and prodctivity. In all these, The Fourth Industrial revolution is such a drive to better production, efficiency, quality and economic developement.
The question is what is the role of all these stakeholders in supporting the agriculture ecosystem in Africa? Can the Fourth Industrial revolution really be adopted in Africa within the pace of population growth enough to provide food security?
US-based Bext360 is one of the trailblazers, using blockchain technology for on-farm coffee grading machines in Uganda where farmers deposit their beans for analysis and payment. “Each evaluation and transaction — including farmer identification, quality, purchasers and pay-outs — is recorded on the blockchain, providing complete visibility,” says Bext360 spokesperson Kim Vu. “And if you detected a contaminant, blockchain could help track the issue right back to the source.” — Gloplan
In my opinion Africa needs to invest in creating a wave of farmers that are informed and digitally equipped, create policies that facilitate trade and market technological revolution and open doors to investment opportunities to their own local companies.
Let’s have this discussion and even more at the Sahara Sparks 2019!
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