With the increasing popularity of organic and natural foods in Western developed countries, there has been a similar push in Africa to promote organic farming and resist modern agricultural technology.
However, this approach could perpetuate poverty, malnutrition, and increased reliance on foreign aid, which is a major concern.
Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicates that Africa's food production is insufficient to meet its growing population's needs.
In 2020, the continent had a population of over 1.3 billion people, with food demand expected to increase by 60% by 2050.
To meet these needs, Africa requires access to high-yield hybrid varieties, modern fertilizers, and pesticides to increase food productivity and ensure food security.
African governments and foreign aid donors must invest in agricultural technology to support small rural farmers, helping them overcome the barriers to sustainable and profitable farming.
Instead of pushing for regulations that ban genetically modified organisms (GMOs), like many Western NGOs, it's important to focus on the benefits that GMOs bring to agriculture.
For instance, genetically modified (GM) crops can offer resistance to pests and diseases, leading to higher yields and reduced pesticide use.
In 2020, the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) reported that over 190 million hectares of GM crops were grown globally, with over 70% of those crops planted in developing countries, including South Africa.
South Africa, which has embraced GM crops, has seen substantial benefits, such as a 27% increase in maize yields between 2001 and 2019 due to GM varieties, contributing to increased food security.
Despite these advantages, many African governments, driven by NGO campaigns, have placed severe restrictions on GM crops, denying farmers the opportunity to benefit from these advancements.
The real challenges facing food security in Africa are not limited to agricultural technology alone; they lie in infrastructure and governance.
Data from the African Development Bank (AfDB) reveals that many African countries lack essential infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and irrigation systems, all of which hinder agricultural productivity.
In rural Africa, where the majority of farmers reside, 90% of roads remain unpaved, severely affecting transport and market access.
This lack of infrastructure means that even if farmers can grow crops, they may not be able to transport them to market before they spoil, leading to significant losses.
Furthermore, governments in many African countries struggle with corruption and inefficiencies that exacerbate these problems.
For instance, in 2018, Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Sub-Saharan Africa as the most corrupt region in the world, with governments unable to adequately address farmers' needs or respond to agricultural emergencies.
The lack of political will, insufficient emergency funds, and mismanagement can leave farmers without the necessary support when natural disasters, such as floods or droughts, devastate their crops.
Additionally, land reform policies are often inadequate, with vast tracts of land in the hands of wealthy landowners, leaving smallholder farmers with little access to fertile land or agricultural resources.
In 2019, Oxfam reported that 70% of Africa’s rural population are smallholder farmers who face challenges related to land access, rights, and support services.
Solving these infrastructure and governance issues should be the priority if we aim to ensure long-term food security and economic growth.
However, before African countries fully embrace agricultural technology, they must address the financial and logistical constraints that prevent farmers from benefiting from these advancements.
Agricultural technology, such as genetically modified seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, is expensive.
A 2020 report by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) highlighted that access to improved seed varieties, fertilizers, and chemicals is limited due to high costs, particularly in smallholder farming sectors.
In many African countries, smallholder farmers lack the financial resources to purchase these inputs, and the risk of crop failure from pests, diseases, or weather conditions makes the costs even more prohibitive.
To enable farmers to use modern agricultural technology, they would need access to loans, insurance, and infrastructure improvements.
However, most African governments face fiscal constraints due to international financial obligations and budget limitations.
For example, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), many African nations are required to keep their fiscal deficits below a certain percentage of GDP, limiting their ability to invest heavily in agriculture.
Instead, these governments often have to focus on sectors like health or infrastructure, which makes funding agricultural projects challenging.
Moreover, many African countries suffer from small farm sizes, which creates another barrier to implementing agricultural technology.
For example, in Malawi, over 40% of smallholders farm on less than 0.5 hectares, with an average farm size of 0.28 hectares (less than one acre).
This limited land availability means that many farmers cannot access the economies of scale required to make modern agricultural technology affordable and efficient.
In addition, small plots of land make it difficult for farmers to rotate crops and implement sustainable farming practices, leading to soil degradation and nutrient depletion.
Farming on such small plots also makes it difficult to implement irrigation systems or invest in farm machinery, such as tractors, which are necessary for more efficient farming.
Water scarcity is another issue that limits agricultural productivity in many parts of Africa.
According to the World Bank, over 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to safe water, which exacerbates the challenges of farming in areas with inadequate rainfall or no irrigation infrastructure.
While drought-resistant crops can help, they still require fertilizers and proper soil management to achieve high yields.
Despite these challenges, infrastructure investments are necessary to increase agricultural productivity in Africa.
According to the AfDB, investment in infrastructure, including transportation and storage, could increase agricultural productivity by 30-40%, which would have a significant impact on food security and economic growth.
To fully unlock the potential of agricultural technology, African governments and donors need to focus on both addressing structural problems and investing in the technology that can drive progress.
Rwanda provides a useful example of how agricultural development can proceed when governments take an active role.
The Rwandan government has implemented policies to support agriculture, focusing on improving land access, promoting sustainable farming practices, and investing in infrastructure.
As a result, Rwanda’s agricultural sector has grown by 5% per year, with increased productivity and food security, providing a model for other African nations to follow.
In conclusion, while agricultural technology plays a role in addressing Africa’s food security and economic challenges, it must be approached with caution.
Governments must prioritize infrastructure, land reform, and good governance before fully embracing technology.
Investing in both the structural and technological aspects of agriculture will enable Africa to break the cycles of poverty and achieve sustainable food security.
