Africa Signals Readiness to Transform Farming Through Technology

African countries have agreed on a shared direction to accelerate smart and inclusive farming, signaling what leaders described as a decisive shift from discussion to delivery in transforming the continent’s agriculture sector.

The commitment was made at the Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization, convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which brought together governments, farmers’ organizations, youth and women’s groups, private sector actors and development partners from across the continent. More than 500 participants attended in person, with over 1,000 joining online.

At the close of the conference, FAO Policy Officer Mark Fynn emphasized that the outcomes go beyond broad ambitions.

“These ten actions are not aspirational. They reflect shared direction and practical readiness to act,” he said.

The agreed actions aim to accelerate technology-led farming that is inclusive, practical and tailored to African realities. They include expanding tailored financing and investment mechanisms, strengthening mechanization service ecosystems, promoting viable shared-use business models, accelerating digital transformation, increasing youth and women’s access to mechanization services, and advancing demand-driven, context-adapted research and innovation.

FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol underscored the importance of clarity in implementation.

“Progress does not require unanimity but it does require clarity,” she said.

Mechanization as a System, Not Just Machines

Speakers stressed that agricultural mechanization must be understood as part of broader systems rather than limited to tractors and equipment.

“We have reaffirmed that mechanization is not just about machines, it is about systems that work,” said FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, Abebe Haile-Gabriel. “We shall leave Dar es Salaam energized for further action.”

Participants on the final day of the conference emphasized that Africa is ready to turn smart and inclusive farming into measurable impact on the ground.

“We must work together to ensure the outcomes of this conference translate into tangible impacts for farmers,” said Babafemi Oyewole, Chief Executive Officer of the Pan African Farmers Organization (PAFO).

Youth representatives also called for stronger investment in innovation ecosystems. Rose Wangithi, speaking on behalf of the Consortium of African Youth in Agriculture and Climate Change (CAYACC), urged governments and partners to move beyond pilot projects.

“Young people are already contributing solutions and this is an invitation to invest in youth, not as beneficiaries but as partners,” she said.

Beyond Tractors: Digital and Data-Driven Agriculture

The conference highlighted that modern agricultural transformation goes far beyond conventional machinery. Innovations discussed included GPS-guided drones, sensor-based autonomous feeding systems, artificial intelligence-supported advisory services and big data platforms to strengthen decision-making.

Stakeholders agreed that these technologies have the potential to raise productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, ease labor burdens and create new employment opportunities across Africa’s agrifood systems.

The outcomes of the Africa conference are expected to inform FAO’s Global Conference on Smart Farming scheduled for July in Rome. An Asia-focused conference on sustainable agricultural mechanization is also planned for later in 2026 as part of broader efforts to make agrifood systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.