Stakeholders Push To Unlock Africa’s Agricultural Mechanization Potential
Major stakeholders in agricultural mechanization have called for the adoption of a value chain approach to mechanization as one of the best options towards attaining high productivity in agriculture on Africa, writes Collins Nnabuife at the Nigerian Tribune.
Speaking during a webinar organized by Africa Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), the stakeholders that included experts in agricultural mechanization, agribusiness, digital agriculture, and representatives of global agencies like the World Bank, African Union, the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) of Uganda, and private sector players agreed that smallholder farmers are key players in the value-chain system that can engender growth and sustainability of Africa’s agricultural productivity.
Setting the stage, George Marechera, Business Development Manager at AATF, said mechanization provides an opportunity for smallholder farmers to evolve from subsistence to business. He, however, added that this can only happen where mechanization is adopted along the agricultural value chain.
According to Marechera, mechanization brings about increased production and reduces high labor costs to enhance efficient production at low cost and facilitate competitive pricing, promote efficient use of input, and enhance productivity.
Continue reading at the Nigerian Tribune.
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