Mécanisation agricole durable

Showcasing the collaboration between FAO and CEMA

13/06/2022

 On Thursday, 09 June 2022, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Agricultural Machinery Industry Association (CEMA) celebrated their long-standing collaboration through a hybrid event hosted by FAO. CEMA is an association representing both large multinational companies and Small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe including the major global corporations in agricultural equipment manufacturers, which work towards advancing agricultural machinery and solutions for sustainable farming.

In view of the rising costs for fertilizer and energy due to shocks and stresses such as climate change, pandemics and conflicts, FAO and CEMA have extended their collaboration for four more years, aiming to promote technologies and business models to increase access and use of agricultural machineries including for smallholder farmers, women and youth.

The event highlighted the joint work by FAO and CEMA since 2015 to promote sustainable agricultural mechanization across agrifood value chains, from production to post-harvest handling and processing. FAO and CEMA’s collaboration includes the operationalization the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (F-SAMA); discovering equipment innovations; as well as improving statistical data on agricultural machinery use. The partnership focuses on regions such as Africa, where mechanization has the greatest potential to increase agricultural production and productivity and improve livelihoods.

In the coming years, FAO and CEMA will support the geographical expansion and coverage of F-SAMA. The framework was launched in October 2018, following an Africa-wide consultative process conducted by the African Union Commission and the FAO. It guides policy and decision-makers on mainstreaming sustainable agricultural mechanization in national agricultural mechanization strategies and hopefully regional agricultural development programmes with focus on sustainable mechanization.

During the event, both FAO and CEMA also outlined future scenarios on sustainable mechanization interventions. A pnel discussion explored innovations and new business models for sustainable mechanization. Five business models with a potential to boost the access and use of farm power in Africa, especially for smallholders, were highlighted.

To watch the recording of the event, click here.

You can read more about the FAO/CEMA partnership here: FAO/CEMA partnership