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Agricultural Mechanization in Sub Saharan Africa: Guidelines for preparing a strategy

Year of publication 2013

Author Houmy, K.; Clarke, L.J.; Ashburner, J. E; Kienzle, J.;Plant Production and Protection Division

Product type Book (stand-alone)

Series title Integrated Crop Management

Edition 1

Synopsis (short abstract) The manual work carried out by farmers and their families is often both arduous and time consuming and in many countries this is a major constraint to increasing agricultural production. Such day to day drudgery is a major contributory factor in the migration of people, particularly the young, from the rural countryside to seek the prospect of a better life in the towns and cities. Farm production can be substantially increased through the use of mechanical technologies which are b oth labour saving and directly increase yields and production. The necessary inputs are carefully selected tools, machines, and equipment. Such technological interventions are commonly referred to as agricultural mechanization and a judicious choice is crucial for farmers to achieve optimum profitability from their businesses and to attain an acceptable quality of life for themselves and their families. The choice can also have a major impact on the environment; only the use of those which have a positive effect can be sustainable over the long term. It is therefore important to identify appropriate mechanization strategies with particular emphasis on increased production, farmers’ livelihoods, and environmentally sustainable options. This document provides guidelines on the development and formulation of an agricultural mechanization strategy and forms part of FAO’s approach on sustainable production intensification.

Language English

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    Sustainable agricultural mechanization (SAM) is an essential input for the development of the smallholder farm sector in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The benefits of SAM range from drudgery reduction to improved timeliness of agricultural operations, increased input use efficiency, facilitating sustainable production intensification, ensuring environmental protection, and contributing to make agriculture more ‘climate-smart’. SAM is also important at other levels of the food supply system, for exam ple in post-harvest operations, processing, marketing and transportation. Previously in SSA, mechanization efforts were largely been driven by the public sector. Today there is a need, with appropriate social and natural environmental considerations, to adopt a more holistic view of what mechanization is and learn from the errors made in the past. A cornerstone of SAM is the importance of involving the private sector (especially machinery manufacturers, suppliers and service providers). It needs to be brought to the forefront in SAM development and provision, but without neglecting the important role that the public sector and its institutions can also play. The Consultative Meeting provided a platform to discuss SAM in general, SAM strategies and implementation options, experiences and recommended concrete lines of future action for SSA. Lessons learned from Asia and past experiences in SSA were presented, as well as various models for SAM collaboration and diffusion in SSA. This plat form allowed to better understand appropriate policies that may be required to support and promote the implementation of SAM at regional and national level within SSA. A special focus was placed on three key areas which were the subject of debate and discussion in three working groups. These were: (i) new collaborative models of public-private partnerships; (ii) modalities and approaches for establishing a global SAM knowledge exchange platform and; (iii) the establishment of regional centres or networks for SAM in SSA. The Meeting also received feedback on the on-going FAO-African Union Commission technical cooperation project that is seeking to develop a SAM strategy framework for SSA.
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    Book (stand-alone)
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    This Occasional Paper examines the role of agricultural mechanization in the agricultural and economic development of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The paper argues that in the light of global changes and challenges the time is ripe to reconsider the potential of mechanization and the priority that needs to be given to it by African governments and developmental agencies. It purports the view that if efforts to promote and support mechanization in SSA are to receive greater attention then it is esse ntial to rethink the nature of mechanization and how it can be accelerated. It concludes by making the case that efforts to accelerate mechanization in SSA will require substantial long-term political and financial commitments in order to effectively respond to the new challenges facing the continent.
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