A new report by mobile network association, the Society for Mobile Communications Systems International (GSMA), reveals that agriculture in Africa accounts for 49 percent of the adoption of new-age technology, artificial intelligence (AI).
The report, “AI for Africa: Use Cases that Make a Difference” (AI4D Africa), which was developed from existing research and interviews with leaders from civil society, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia and the private sector, found that the majority of AI use cases in agriculture on the continent involve machine learning (ML)-enabled digital advisory services.
This will enable farmers to get data-driven advice to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices and optimise productivity.
Solutions are typically delivered to farmers via mobile devices, highlighting the importance of device ownership, digital skills and literacy, and ease of use.
Agricultural AI Applications in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa
The report is based on an analysis of over 90 use case applications identified in Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, which are benefiting from a thriving technology ecosystem in the areas of agriculture, food security, energy and climate.
While many AI use cases are at a relatively early stage, with some being deployed as part of projects or pilot schemes, a number of commercially viable solutions are also emerging.
In these solutions, AI is often embedded into existing digital products and services, acting as an enabler to make the digital solution more relevant and efficient, amplify its impact and facilitate scaling, the report noted.
In fact, most of the AI innovation is happening in the agritech sector, especially in Kenya and Nigeria, where agriculture continues to play a key role in the economy.
AI is already being used in agricultural advice, with companies like TomorrowNow and ThriveAgric providing farm-level insights to farmers, and in financial services, with companies like Apollo Agriculture developing alternative credit scoring methods.
Agriculture's Potential in Africa's Growing Economies
The new report says African countries are well positioned to adopt technology to drive their economies, given that most households on the continent depend on agriculture to make a living.
Agriculture employs 52% of Africa's workforce and contributes an average of 17% to GDP.
In sub-Saharan Africa, up to 80 percent of food is produced by small-scale farmers who use traditional techniques and lack access to information that could help them improve their yields.
AI applications will add $2.9 trillion to Africa's economic growth by 2030
Africa currently accounts for just 2.5% of the global artificial intelligence (AI) market, but new applications could add $2.9 trillion to the continent's economic growth by 2030.
Other areas cited for AI use case applications in Africa include climate change (26%) and energy (24%).
In Nigeria, for example, emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) are serving as a gateway to advanced data analytics in smart energy management.
AI is also supporting climate-related use cases, such as biodiversity monitoring and wildlife conservation in Kenya and South Africa, led by leading tech companies like Microsoft's AI for Good Lab and nonprofits like Rainforest Connection.
