Empowering Africa’s Smallholder Farmers Through Agritech
Small farms that are less than 5 hectares provide over 80% of the farmland for sub-Saharan Africa. Yet these smallholder farmers have continued to face monumental challenges from access to markets to impacts of climate change. But there is hope – emerging agritech innovations are cultivating solutions to empower them like never before:
- Providing actionable insights for increased productivity
Startups like SunCulture and CropIn are providing smallholder farmers tailored information to optimize decisions through SMS, smartphone apps and satellite data analytics. From precision advisories on seeds to use based on soil health to real-time pest risks probabilities for specific farm locations, data-driven systems are enabling farmers to significantly improve yields.
SunCulture farmers using solar-powered irrigation kits have increased incomes by 200-300% by growing higher value fruits and vegetables through the year without relying solely on seasonal rains. CropIn’s risk forecasting models have allowed 300,000 farmers across 11 African countries like Kenya and Ghana to reduce crop losses from pests by over 60%.
- Connecting farmers to financing and premium markets
Platforms like Farmcrowdy in Nigeria are introducing smarter ways to channel financing to small farms while allowing people to sponsor agriculture projects for a share of profits. Babban Gona goes one step further by providing training, inputs, financing and direct access to markets where farmers can sell at higher prices for increased incomes 2-3x over previous levels at 7 times lower risk.
82% of farms in sub-Saharan Africa still struggle to obtain bank loans critical for activities like securing quality seeds, fertilizers and equipment. But new agritech players are creating ways to bridge the gap.
- Building resilience to climate shocks in crop cycles
Volatility in weather patterns has long exposed smallholder farms disproportionately to losses from droughts and erratic rainfall. Companies like SafeGrow are building tailored, ultra-localized climate profiles using datasets to predict month-to-month variability, allowing small farms to shore up contingencies. SafiOrganics in Kenya provides crop nutrition solutions to strengthen resilience to droughts and floods while improving soil health.
Such climate-proofing of crop cycles can create African small farms that thrive despite external shocks. The latest technology solutions provide vital planning support.
The examples shine a ray over the abundant potential still left untapped in African agriculture. As emerging agritech business unlock solutions tailored even for <5 hectare farms, smallholder farmers will be propelled towards a future with combatted risk and shared prosperity through innovation.
There are several ways agriculture sector stakeholders can facilitate the adoption of such technologies. Through public-private partnerships, increased access to internet connectivity, agritech hubs for knowledge-sharing and rural farmer digital skills programs we can brighten prospects for small farms throughout Africa.