Fewer than 10% of farmers in Africa currently benefit from digital agricultural services, despite the rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across the continent’s farming sector.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warns that the vast majority of smallholder farmers remain excluded from modern agricultural technology. According to the FAO, persistent challenges, including poor internet connectivity, limited infrastructure, and a lack of digital skills, continue to hamper widespread adoption.
While AI is increasingly leveraged to provide critical data on weather patterns, crop health, and market prices, the digital divide threatens to leave small-scale producers behind.
Speaking on the potential of emerging technologies, the FAO Deputy Regional Representative for Africa highlighted the transformative capacity of generative AI to aggregate complex data streams for agricultural workers.
The strength of AI lies in its ability to combine data from irrigation systems, remote sensors, and satellites, creating an integrated system that can quickly process information and deliver timely guidance to extension officers in the field.
–ChannelAfrica–
