Africa: Five Ways Science, Technology And Innovation Are Helping To Transform The World's Agrifood Systems

By 2050 it is estimated that the global population will surpass nine billion, with urban people growing and rural populations declining. Although total food production might be sufficient to feed such a growing population, there are substantial gaps among countries in the use of science, technology, and innovation in agriculture and food production. With productive arable land and freshwater resources severely constrained in many parts of the world and poor agricultural practices or the consequences of climate change leading to land and marine degradation, we must transform our agrifood systems. This will only be possible through the widespread application of science, technology, and innovation.

Here are five ways science, technology, and innovation can make agrifood systems more resilient and sustainable.

Using digital applications in agrifood systems

In the agrifood sector, there have been recent advances, such as mobile technologies, remote-sensing, and distributed computing, in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Narrowing the 'digital divide' has allowed small-scale producers to harness mobile phone networks and internet availability to access information, inputs, markets, and finance. Although these technologies are spreading rapidly, they are also evolving rapidly, and poorer communities are struggling to keep up with developments in infrastructure, costs, e-literacy, regulatory frameworks, and access to services.

Mobile phone apps have widespread functions in management, monitoring, marketing, finance, and decision support and are increasingly relied on by small-scale producers. In Fiji, for example, a smartphone app is used to help grow nutritious food and promote healthy eating.

Digital technology, such as Artificial Intelligence and blockchain, can play an essential part in enhancing the sustainability of agrifood systems. By providing training and ensuring access to the newest technology, FAO is helping to ensure that small-scale producers do not miss out on any advances in this fast-evolving domain.

Using innovation to reclaim underutilized space for urban agriculture

It's estimated that In 2050, that two-thirds of the world's population will live in urban settings. The urban and peri-urban environments represent largely untapped resources in terms of land and water for plant production, agroforestry, livestock keeping, and aquaculture. Can use Underutilized space in and around towns for greening the environment and producing food, reducing reliance on transported and traded goods, which are becoming increasingly expensive.

An extension of urban production is 'vertical agriculture, which can utilize idle structures, such as old buildings or discarded shipping containers. This agriculture uses vertical space to produce crops in a controlled environment. It is automated indoor farming using hydroponics, an artificial atmosphere, and LED lighting. Production is possible year-round and is independent of the weather, but the set-up is costly and requires a great deal of electricity. Although this relatively sophisticated technology is only currently suited to regions with easy access to specialized equipment and start-up finance, technological advances might enable broader uptake soon.

FAO provides decision-makers with resources to advance urban agriculture and ensure that appropriate technologies are available to all, promoting the conversion of urban areas into Green Cities.

Reducing distances and enhancing access to the internet

Traditionally, for small-scale rural producers, the further away one was from towns and cities, the more difficult it was to access services.

With the development and spread of digital technologies, such as the internet and mobile phones, some of the problems of distance and limited or costly access can be mitigated. Planning and management are vastly improved by being able to coordinate digitally between producers and buyers, for example, and having access to data sources that can help with decision-making. Mobile technologies cannot wholly substitute for physical infrastructure, but they can facilitate access to many services far more than was previously possible.