How can Digitalization Contribute to Sustainable Agricultural Transformation in Africa?

The development of smallholder agriculture in Africa faces numerous challenges. While digitalization is seen as a transformative opportunity for the continent’s agricultural sector, there is limited empirical evidence on the effectiveness and impact of digital tools for smallholder farmers. This study examines the landscape of digital agriculture in Kenya, often called Africa’s “Silicon Savannah,” to assess the current state and potential of these tools. The study seeks to answer two key questions:

(1) To what extent can digital solutions for agriculture in Africa leverage the latest technological developments?

(2) To what extent can these digital solutions effectively address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers?

The findings reveal that the number of digital tools available to smallholder farmers has tripled over the past decade, with a peak in new digital start-ups in 2016, followed by a slowdown. There is a shift from “generic” tools—focused on low-cost information exchange—toward “farm-specific” tools, offering tailored advisory services based on manual data input or sensor-generated data. Generic tools remain limited to information sharing, while farm-specific tools are increasingly using diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive capabilities, supported by satellite imagery and sensors.

The analysis indicates digital tools can enhance farmers’ knowledge and access to inputs, services, and markets, boosting productivity and income. However, there is limited evidence on their effects on food security, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience. Due to the heterogeneity of tools and evaluation methods, there is a lack of quantifiable, attributable evidence on their full impact.

Published in Agricultural Systems 222: 104180.

Previously published as Hohenheim Working Papers on Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development Nr. 022-2024.