ACT’s Participation in the “Belt and road international agricultural equipment and smart agriculture technology innovation conference 2024”

During the official opening ceremony of the Belt and Road International Agricultural Equipment and Smart Agriculture Technology Innovation Conference 2024 in Beijing, China, Eng. Saidi Mkomwa, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the African Conservation Tillage Network, shared his opening remarks. He utilized the opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of ACT to sustainable agricultural mechanization.

“After promoting Conservation Agriculture for the past 25 years, it has become clear to the Network that the adoption of CA is inseparable from mechanization. We could have increased our adoption rates if CA was promoted with SAM. CA needs to be promoted with mechanization, and vice versa. The evidence, from Africa, includes the mechanized medium- and large-scale farmers who are very successfully practicing CA,” explained Saidi.

The role of mechanization in transforming smallholder farmers cannot be overemphasized. The average 0.5 ha farm per Chinese household presented at the conference resonates very well with what is in Africa. However, the major difference is that while China has managed to overcome poverty in 2020, poverty in Africa still stands at millions (300) of people. The sad thing is that these people need not be poor, because they have fairly good land and weather and more than 300 days of sunshine annually. They lack appropriate mechanization. For Africa, what SMART solutions are ideal for which typology of farmers in Africa is an area requiring adaptive research, proof of concept, and commercialization.

Nonetheless, the positive gesture is that Africa has started to put her house in order with regard to mechanization, with the development of the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (F-SAMA) by FAO and the AUC, which has been endorsed by all African countries and the RECs, highlighting the initial efforts towards mechanizing Africa. However, an operational/implementation plan, which is a priority, is underway to ensure there is coordination at the continental and REC levels.

Besides the opening remarks, Saidi shared some insights on Africa-China Partnership Models to operationalize the AU Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization during sub-conference session 1 on Agricultural Mechanization and Socio-economic Development. During this session, Saidi shared some highlights on the mechanization status in Africa and different efforts and commitments, which included F-SAMA. ACT Network, with its continental networking coverage and capabilities, engages with stakeholders and joins hands with national governments, the African Union, and FAO to contribute to the realization of the F-SAMA.

During the course of the conference, ACT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the "Belt and Road" International Innovation Institute of Agricultural Equipment and Smart Agriculture of China Agricultural University (IIIAESA) and the China Association of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers (CAAMM) with the objective of establishing a strategic partnership to facilitate enhanced coordination, collaboration, and alignment between the parties; to continue supporting African and Chinese farming households in making the transition from subsistence farming to commercial and market-oriented farming; and to create opportunities for economic growth through sustainable agricultural mechanization.