Africa agrees on a shared direction and strong readiness to act on smart farming

Delegates representing African countries and agriculture stakeholders have made a strong call to drive action on smart and inclusive farming across Africa, encompassing agricultural mechanization and digital innovations. 

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

“These ten actions are not aspirational. They reflect shared direction and practical readiness to act,” said FAO Policy Officer Mark Fynn during today’s closing ceremony. 

The 10 actions reflect a clear shift from dialogue to delivery, and are aimed at accelerating technology-led farming that is inclusive, practical and adapted to African realities, he said.  

The actions include expanding tailored financing and investment mechanisms, strengthening mechanization service provision ecosystems; promoting viable, service-based and shared-use mechanization business models; accelerating digital transformation; mainstreaming youth and women’s access to mechanization services; and advancing demand-driven and context-adapted research and innovation. 

“Progress does not require unanimity but it does require clarity,” said Beth Bechdol, FAO Deputy Director-General.  

Countries demonstrate readiness to accelerate mechanization 

“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.” 

Other speakers on the closing day underscored that Africa is ready to move forward with turning smart and inclusive farming into real 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).  

Rose Wangithi, representing the Consortium of African Youth in Agriculture and Climate Change (CAYACC), urged countries to move beyond pilots and projects towards ecosystems of support for young agri-tech entrepreneurs. “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 to a smart future 

Beyond tractors, the conference highlighted innovations such as GPS-guided drones, autonomous feeding systems using sensors, artificial intelligence-supported advisory services and big data platforms to support decision-making. 

Together, these solutions can raise productivity, reduce losses, cut drudgery and create new jobs across Africa’s agrifood systems. 

An Asia-focused conference on the topic will be held later in 2026 as part of FAO’s support to Members to transform agrifood systems to be more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. The outcomes of the Africa conference will also help shape FAO’s Global Conference on Smart Farming to be held in Rome in July. 

Read: FAO DDG Beth Bechdol’s opinion piece on agricultural mechanization in Africa 

Read: Five countries in Africa making advances in agricultural mechanization in Africa

Read: Africa conference on sustainable agricultural mechanization opens in Dar Es Salaam