BTA2023 Africa continues to trail other regions in access to farm power, raising concerns about productivity, food security and the future of agricultural jobs on the continent, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The UN agency notes that while Asia and the Near East have rapidly expanded tractor use and modern farm equipment, large numbers of African farmers still rely on manual labour or animal traction. Earlier mechanisation drives across the continent often failed, the FAO says, because imported equipment was poorly adapted to smallholder farming systems and lacked supporting ecosystems for maintenance, spare parts and repairs.
This lag persists despite Africa holding nearly half of the world’s uncultivated arable land — about 202 million hectares. Crop yields, however, remain low, averaging just 56% of the global benchmark. Agriculture employs roughly 60% of Africa’s population, yet contributes only about 21% of GDP, underscoring deep inefficiencies across the sector.
According to the FAO, sustainable agricultural mechanisation is critical to closing these gaps. When embedded within local value chains, mechanisation can reduce drudgery, improve efficiency, lower post-harvest losses, create skilled employment and enable climate-smart farming practices.
“Choosing a new direction that embraces mechanisation, digitalisation, scientific innovation and inclusive policies can fundamentally transform Africa’s agrifood landscape,” said Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa, at the opening of the Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation.
The conference highlighted emerging models that depart sharply from past approaches. Across the continent, a new generation of mechanisation is taking shape, combining compact, context-appropriate machinery, digital platforms for equipment hiring, drones, and new service-based jobs such as machine operators, technicians, drone pilots and data analysts.
Practical examples of impact were also shared. Fatmata Binta, Chef and FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa, described a joint FAO initiative introducing processing machines for fonio, a traditional grain. “What was once a burden became an opportunity. Mechanisation gave women back their time, their energy and their motivation,” she said.
Momentum around mechanisation received a further boost as Tanzania launched its National Agricultural Mechanisation Strategy 2026–2036 at the conference. The strategy was unveiled by Prime Minister Mwigulu L. Nchemba, positioning mechanisation as a long-term pillar of agricultural transformation.
“Through action, we can change Africa’s agriculture into a mechanised sector that is sustainable for this generation and future generations,” Prime Minister Nchemba said.
The 10-year plan aligns with the FAO–African Union Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation in Africa (F-SAMA) and places women and youth at the centre of implementation. The gathering marks the first major regional convening since the global mechanisation conference held in Rome in 2023, signalling a shift toward Africa-led solutions.
FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol cautioned against repeating past mistakes. “Mechanisation today cannot look like mechanisation of the past. Shipping in large machines without financing, training, repair services or local adaptation has not delivered lasting results,” she said.
“Africa does not need more idle equipment. It needs systems that work,” Bechdol added, describing sustainable mechanisation as a tool to empower people rather than replace them.
Echoing this view, Moses Vilakati, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, said Africa’s mechanisation drive is inseparable from social progress. “Our mechanisation agenda is also a dignity agenda,” he stressed.
