Smart Farming Technologies for Sustainable Agriculture: A Review of the Promotion and Adoption Strategies by Smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa

Motin Bashiru (), Mathieu Ouedraogo, Adama Ouedraogo and Peter Läderach
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Motin Bashiru: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 68, Ghana
Mathieu Ouedraogo: Climate Action Lever, International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Dakar BP 24063, Senegal
Adama Ouedraogo: Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 68, Ghana
Peter Läderach: Climate Action Lever, International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Dakar BP 24063, Senegal

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: Small-scale farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) need to adopt and consistently practice sustainable agriculture to ensure sustainable livelihoods and food security. However, the adverse effects of climate change are threatening the achievement of this goal. Therefore, farmers within the sub-region need to embrace climate-smart agriculture (CSA) as a means for climate change adaptation and mitigation. This study was conducted to understand, on the one hand, how smart farming technologies are being promoted in sub-Saharan Africa, and on the other hand, how farmers are adopting the prevailing technologies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) procedures were followed to identify 48 scientific papers in sub-Saharan Africa. It was found that promoters of smart farming technologies in sub-Saharan Africa include CGSpace, FAO, National Research Institutions, individual researchers, local institutions, and private institutions. The approach to the smart farming technology discourse in sub-Saharan Africa starts by building on efforts to sustain CSA practices with a gradual shift towards the fourth agriculture revolution innovations. Even where there are efforts to push beyond conventional CSA practices by the private sector, farmers’ responses are still low. It is recommended that any intervention to promote modern smart farming technologies to smallholders should build on conventional CSA practices.

Keywords: climate-smart agriculture; smart farming technologies; sustainable agriculture; smallholders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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