• About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
The Daily Statesman Newspaper
  • General News
  • Opinion
  • Statesman Leader
  • Today’s Front Page
  • Education
  • Featured
  • Africa
  • Agriculture
No Result
View All Result
  • General News
  • Opinion
  • Statesman Leader
  • Today’s Front Page
  • Education
  • Featured
  • Africa
  • Agriculture
No Result
View All Result
The Daily Statesman Newspaper
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

Africa set to become hub for agritech – Study reveals

Daily Statesman by Daily Statesman
June 7, 2021
in Africa, Agriculture
0
GHC10m suit against ASEPA boss and others for ‘defaming’ Eward Akufo-Addo

Amrote Abdella, Regional Director of Microsoft 4Afrika

0
SHARES
20
VIEWS

It has emerged that Africa’s agricultural sector is set for exponential growth in the coming decade, becoming the global hub for agricultural technology.

This is according to a research commissioned by Microsoft and compiled by Africa Practice. With a projected value of one trillion dollars by 2030, the continent is poised to become the global centre of agritech solutions.

The study further revealed that the continent has also seen rapid growth in e-agriculture solutions.

Statistics

With agriculture sustaining 70 per cent of Africa’s livelihoods, Microsoft believes that developing agritech solutions to enable data-driven, precise and connected farming will help farmers across Africa optimise yields, boost farm productivity and increase their profitability.

Between 2016 and 2019, the agritech sector grew by 44 per cent year-on-year, and the continent has registered the highest number of agritech services in the developing world, reaching over 33 million smallholder farmers to date.

Agriculture already accounts for 14 per cent of GDP in Africa, and for 52 per cent of the continent’s workforce. It’s expected that as the continent’s middle class rapidly grows, they will drive increased demand for fresh produce.

The study further says that the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) could boost intra-African trade by 49 per cent. Through increased investments in inputs, storage facilities and irrigation infrastructure, Africa is expected to increase its agricultural output by up to three times by 2030.

It further revealed that smallholder farmers account for 80 per cent of the farming community, and it’s predicted that up to 200 million smallholders will be registered for agritech solutions by 2030.

Mobile connectivity is predicted to reach over 55 per cent by 2030, compared with 45 per cent currently, meaning that over 85 per cent of smallholder farmers could have access to feature or smartphones and mobile solutions. This, according to the study, is critical, as many smallholder farmers live in remote areas, are hard to reach and lack purchasing power on their own.

Commitment

To this end, Microsoft, through its 4Afrika initiative, is committed to ensuring that all farming communities are equipped with the latest tools like AI, IoT and edge computing to improve productivity and sustainability across the sector.

The Regional Director of Microsoft 4Afrika, Amrote Abdella, believes “technology has the potential to change the face of farming, using smart tools and platforms for precision farming, predicting weather patterns, maximising the use of scarce water resources.”

“By harnessing agri-tech, we can help solve the pressing issues around food security to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #2 of Zero Hunger, and enhance economic development in the process. We’re excited to work with our partners in building locally-relevant technology solutions that are mindful of the challenges local farmers face, offering solutions to farmers to deliver meaningful impact,” she said.

According to Richard Kiplagat, Group Director and MD of East Africa for Africa Practice, “the opportunity for the sector to address some of the continent’s most pressing challenges – including food security, income inequality and livelihoods for our fast growing and youthful population – is immense.”

 

“The big question is how to catalyze this momentum especially given the urgent need for a rapid post-Covid recovery. Our findings clearly show that agritech holds great promise as an effective tool to improve productivity, decision-making and access to markets. Africa Practice is excited about the results of the study and its potential to inform the growth of the agricultural sector on the continent,” he added.

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: News Desk
Previous Post

SUPPORTING NPP’S EDUCATION SECTOR INITIATIVES CRITICAL FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Next Post

Double sale of land: Chiefs, land owners to serve 10-year jail

Daily Statesman

Daily Statesman

Next Post
Double sale of land: Chiefs, land owners to serve 10-year jail

Double sale of land: Chiefs, land owners to serve 10-year jail

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

STATESMAN LEADER

  • Statesman Leader
THE FATALITIES ON THE ROAD ARE BECOMING SCARY
Statesman Leader

MINIMISING ACCIDENTS AS WE ENTER CHRISTMAS ERA

by Daily Statesman
December 1, 2022
0

MINIMISING ACCIDENTS AS WE ENTER CHRISTMAS ERA The latest road accident report shows that Ghana has done better this year...

Read more
Ghana committed to protecting refugees – Prof. Attafuah

PROTECTING INVESTMENTS IN WATER PRODUCTION

October 13, 2022
No politics in galamsey fight – President Akufo-Addo cautions

INNOVATION IN TRANSPORT SPACE NECESSARY IN GROWING GHANA

October 7, 2022
Alan: There’s hope for economic rebound

STAYING FOCUSED ON THE INDUSTRIALISATION AGENDA

September 30, 2022
Electrochem exports salt to Cameroon, Spain

ADA SALT PROJECT OFFERS A LOT OF HOPE

September 27, 2022

TODAY'S FRONTPAGE

  • Today's Front Page
Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023
Today's Front Page

Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023

by Daily Statesman
January 27, 2023
0

Read more
Today’s Front Page 26/01/2023

Today’s Front Page 26/01/2023

January 26, 2023
Today’s Front Page 25/01/2022

Today’s Front Page 25/01/2022

January 25, 2023
Today’s Front Page 23/01/2023

Today’s Front Page 23/01/2023

January 23, 2023
Today’s Front Page 20/01/2023

Today’s Front Page 20/01/2023

January 20, 2023
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Court discharges Qnet representatives

Court discharges Qnet representatives

May 13, 2022
HOW ADAMU SAKANDE WAS JAILED

HOW ADAMU SAKANDE WAS JAILED

February 8, 2022
Curren Price assures of deepened relations with Africa diaspora

Curren Price assures of deepened relations with Africa diaspora

December 23, 2022
Why are the Black Stars of Ghana no more shinning?

Why are the Black Stars of Ghana no more shinning?

February 17, 2022
Kansaworodo queenmother assures President of ‘four more to do more’

Profile of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

19

Bawumia: NPP is the only party with ideas to transform Ghana

6
Report sexual abusers for swift action – female students told

Report sexual abusers for swift action – female students told

6
John Boadu elected deputy chair of Democratic Union of Africa

John Boadu: NPP is the best party to move Ghana forward

4
Artificial intelligence for Africa: Transforming economies and improving lives

Artificial intelligence for Africa: Transforming economies and improving lives

January 27, 2023
Relevance of STEM education in 21st Century: Ghana in retrospect

Relevance of STEM education in 21st Century: Ghana in retrospect

January 27, 2023
Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023

Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023

January 27, 2023
Customs recovers GH₵5.7million from stolen cars, unpaid duties

Customs recovers GH₵5.7million from stolen cars, unpaid duties

January 27, 2023

Recent News

Artificial intelligence for Africa: Transforming economies and improving lives

Artificial intelligence for Africa: Transforming economies and improving lives

January 27, 2023
Relevance of STEM education in 21st Century: Ghana in retrospect

Relevance of STEM education in 21st Century: Ghana in retrospect

January 27, 2023
Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023

Today’s Front Page 27/01/2023

January 27, 2023
Customs recovers GH₵5.7million from stolen cars, unpaid duties

Customs recovers GH₵5.7million from stolen cars, unpaid duties

January 27, 2023
The Daily Statesman Newspaper

The Statesman Newspaper is a Ghanaian newspaper printed daily in Ghana by the GAB Publications limited. It is one of the oldest mainstream newspapers in Ghana.

Archives

Download App

 

 

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2021 Daily Statesman | Designed by Digitrust Ghana.

No Result
View All Result
  • General News
  • Opinion
  • Statesman Leader
  • Today’s Front Page
  • Education
  • Featured
  • Africa
  • Agriculture

© 2021 Daily Statesman | Designed by Digitrust Ghana.