Harnessing technology and innovation to boost Eastern Africa's agriculture

Drip irrigation technology being used on a maize demonstration farm in Embu County. [Patrick Vidija, Standard] The Eastern Africa sub-region finds itself at a crossroads, facing significant opportunities and unprecedented challenges to its agricultural systems. With a population of over 280 million, including 30 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists, the sub-region is endowed with immense resources. The vast arable land, abundant livestock, fisheries, and aquaculture resources, along with rich biodiversity, make it a favourable place for agriculture-centred economic transformation. Yet, droughts, floods, landslides, and the emergence of pests such as Desert Locusts and Fall Armyworms, continually threaten its agricultural sector. Conflict has also been a challenge in parts of the sub-region. Largely due to the limited application of technologies and innovation, climate change, conflicts and rising food costs have hampered development and resilience-building efforts. Reports released in 2023 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations show that an estimated 10.7 per cent of the global population - 864 million people - were food insecure. Africa shouldered 58 per cent of these people. In Eastern Africa, the number is even higher as the number of food-insecure people increased by 50 million since 2019. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Regional Focus of the 2024 Global Report on Food Crises reveals that about 63 million people, or 25 per cent of the population in seven IGAD countries, are experiencing acute food insecurity in 2024. The sub-region is home to more than 50 per cent of Africa's chronically hungry, yet its population share in Africa is barely 25 per cent. Amidst these challenges, the need for technology and innovation has never been more urgent. These tools can accelerate the transformation of agrifood systems in the sub-region, by making them more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, leading to better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all. The role of technology and innovation in revitalizing agriculture is emerging as a beacon of hope, offering new solutions to build resilience, improve productivity, and ensure food security and nutrition. From drought-resistant seeds to smart irrigation systems, data-driven decision-making tools, drones, and satellite imagery, technological advancements are unlocking new possibilities for farmers, herders, and food processors to achieve better production in both terrestrial and marine resources, without compromising nature. Employing drones, satellites, and ground surveillance to provide real-time data on locust movements has enabled the government of Somalia to make a targeted intervention in the management of desert locusts before damage to crops and pastures occurred. In Ethiopia, better grain storage technologies, such as improved silos and hermetic bags, have helped preserve crops, reduced food wastage and enabled households to eat safer food. In South Sudan, collaborations to implement early warning systems have provided timely information on droughts, floods, and other climate-related disasters. With technology and innovation, improved production and processing systems enhance diversification, where healthy, nutritious, and safe foods can be more accessible to communities, ensuring better nutrition. This is particularly critical given the fact that the average prevalence of stunting in Eastern Africa is significantly higher than the global average, impacting a large percentage of children under five years old. Chronic malnutrition, like stunting, can severely hinder cognitive development and learning potential in children, impacting their future health and economic opportunities. Renewable energy solutions such as solar, wind, biofuel, hydropower, and geothermal energy, together with community-based initiatives for reforestation, and innovative waste management systems can greatly help to protect the land, water, and vegetation. These can ensure a better environment that is the basis for agrifood systems transformation. Before and when disaster strikes, technology and innovation facilitate anticipatory and response actions, building resilience, and realising rural transformation, guaranteeing a better life for smallholders and vulnerable communities. The adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices like precision farming and agroforestry - supported by early warning systems for extreme weather events using mobile technology - can empower the youth and local communities to adapt to the sub-region's unique challenges like severe weather events, invasions of swarms, droughts and floods. Apart from averting disasters, the "Better Life" principle at FAO emphasises the importance of improving the well-being and livelihoods of people, through ensuring sustainable agrifood systems and creating jobs for women and youth. In Eastern Africa, the youth population is rapidly growing, constituting about 70 per cent of the population. This demographic offers a tremendous opportunity for agricultural transformation, as young people are increasingly seeking alternatives to traditional agriculture, especially in rural areas where unemployment rates are high. The agriculture sector, however, remains a key employer, with the potential for youth engagement through innovative technologies and practices such as digital farming, agro-processing, and sustainable agriculture. Youth-led initiatives, such as mobile apps for agricultural advice, precision farming using drones and sensors, and e-commerce platforms for agricultural products, are reshaping farming and offering new pathways to economic empowerment. Despite robust policies at national and sub-regional levels, there remains a significant gap in the implementation of these policies, especially those related to youth in agriculture. The implementation of these policies can help the youth access the necessary skills, capital, and infrastructure to engage in agriculture. Promising initiatives like the African Union's Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) and the "Youth in Agriculture" strategies provide frameworks for action, but the challenge lies in translating them into tangible outcomes. We all have a role to play in supporting the transformation of agrifood systems to benefit rural communities, the youth and women, particularly those who are most vulnerable to disasters and shocks. All this entails partnerships as no one entity can do it alone. Farayi Zimudzi is FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the AU and UNECA

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