SLU news

Precision agriculture technologies show promising results in sub-Saharan Africa

Published: 25 January 2021
Africa map

New publications show that a number of precision agriculture technologies have been tested under conditions in sub-Saharan Africa and show promising results.

To adapt cultivation and animal husbandry practices to local or even within-field conditions rather than to use general recommendations is called precision agriculture or precision farming. It is often regarded as the future of agriculture, where sensor technology and digital solutions are part of the decision making.

Two new comprehensive reviews of scientific studies show that a number of precision agriculture technologies have been tested in sub-Saharan Africa with promising results. Most of these technologies are, however, at the experimental stage, applied mainly in large-scale mostly in commercial farms, primarily in South Africa. It is concluded that increased precision in input and management practices also among sub-Saharan Africa smallholder farmers can significantly improve productivity even without extra use of inputs.

Read more in the articles:

Precision agriculture research in sub-Saharan Africa countries: a systematic map

Precision Agriculture for Resource Use Efficiency in Smallholder Farming Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Facts:

The work was funded by AgriFoSe2030 phase I and is a cooperation between SLU and the University of Embu and the University of Nairobi. The AgriFoSe2030 project also included the participation in a course in systematic review at SLU and two visits by Kenyan researchers at SLU, Department of Soil and Environment.


Contact

Mats Söderström, External collaboration specialist
Department of Soil and Environment, SLU
mats.soderstrom@slu.se , +46 511-672 44

Johanna Wetterlind

Johanna Wetterlind, Assoc. Professor

Challenge leader of AgriFoSe2030 Challenge 3
Department of Soil and Environment, SLU
Telephone: +46 (0) 511-671 12
E-mail: johanna.wetterlind@slu.se