NAIROBI, Oct. 28—The future of digital farming in Africa was a focal point at the 10th AgriFin Learning Event held in Nairobi on Tuesday, where participants expressed concerns over decreasing external funding. Organized by Prosper Global AgriFin, formerly known as Mercy Corps, the one-day forum attracted senior policymakers, innovators, and representatives of smallholder farmers, culminating in calls for new funding sources to facilitate a shift toward digital and climate-smart agriculture.
The event operated under the theme “Leveraging Evidence for Connected, Scalable and Inclusive Digital Agriculture,” and included discussions focused on finance, technology, and partnerships aimed at rejuvenating the digital agricultural landscape in Africa.
Melaku Yirga, Vice President for Africa at Prosper Global AgriFin, noted that the AgriFin Learning Event has served as a framework for directing future funding and investments related to digital farming on the continent. “For more than a decade, AgriFin Learning Event has answered some of the complex questions of our time, how do we get the right financial, climate and market service into the hands of smallholder farmers that is affordable and reliable,” Yirga said.
Yirga also pointed out that the reliance on external funding poses a risk to the sustainability of digital farming in Africa. He advocated for a focus on domestic resource mobilization and regulatory incentives to attract blended finance into the agricultural sector. Additionally, he highlighted the importance of partnerships with local private sector entities to provide inclusive and resilient digital services to farmers dealing with challenges such as climate change, pests, diseases, and fluctuating market conditions.
In a video message, Amath Pathe Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum, urged that the 10th AgriFin Learning Event address critical questions about the sustainability of digital farming solutions after funding cycles end. He emphasized that, if effectively scaled, digital tools such as artificial intelligence could help farmers access markets, credit, and vital weather information, while enhancing their knowledge of effective agronomic practices.
Sieka Gatabaki, Program Director at Prosper Global AgriFin, stressed the necessity of incentivizing subsistence farmers to adopt digital financial tools like mobile money. Gatabaki argued that fostering trust in new farming technologies would enhance their adoption among farmers already facing various challenges, including climate-related disruptions, pest infestations, declining soil quality, and post-harvest losses.
The discussions at the AgriFin Learning Event signal a pivotal moment for digital agriculture in Africa, as stakeholders seek to adapt and find innovative financing solutions to sustain development in this vital sector.
