Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to support agriculture in Africa, according to UN News reporting from August 21, 2026, helping with access to information about weather, crops, and markets. The Food and Agriculture Organization says better connectivity, reliable infrastructure, appropriate data, and digital skills are necessary for small farms to benefit from the technologies. Meshack Malo, FAO deputy regional representative for Africa, told UN News that fewer than 10 percent of farmers currently benefit from digital agriculture services, with rural communities particularly affected by limited connectivity.
Conditions for the Model to Work
Training and education are equally important so farmers can incorporate the systems into their daily decisions. Without national strategies for science, technology, and innovation and appropriate policy, solutions cannot scale sustainably.
Independent of individual advisory projects, the environmental benefits of precision agriculture remain contested. A peer-reviewed overview published in January 2026 in the Nature portfolio found some evidence for reduced fertilizer use but overall only limited or overstated research on environmental benefits.