Africa moves to close mechanisation gap as Tanzania launches 10-year strategy

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Africa’s drive to accelerate sustainable agricultural mechanisation gained new momentum in Dar es Salaam as Tanzania formally launched its National Agricultural Mechanisation Strategy 2026–2036 during the Africa Conference on Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation.

The high-level conference was organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and hosted by the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. It brought together African governments, private sector actors, researchers, development partners, youth leaders and farmers to exchange experience and advance scalable, Africa-led mechanisation solutions.

Opening the conference, Tanzania’s Prime Minister Mwigulu L. Nchemba described mechanisation as a strategic necessity for the continent. He said the newly launched 10-year strategy was aligned with the FAO–African Union Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanisation in Africa and deliberately centred women and youth as drivers of change.

The Dar es Salaam gathering marked the first major regional convening since the global mechanisation conference held in Rome in 2023. It signalled a shift from global commitments to practical action designed and delivered on the continent, with a focus on solutions suited to Africa’s smallholder-dominated farming systems.

FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol stressed that past approaches had often failed African farmers. She noted that importing large machinery without financing, training, repair services or local adaptation had left equipment idle rather than productive. Sustainable mechanisation, she said, required functioning systems that reduced drudgery, improved productivity and created opportunities rather than replacing people.

She added that evidence-based policies, local manufacturing and service ecosystems, innovative financing and strong partnerships were essential if mechanisation was to deliver lasting results across Africa’s agrifood systems.

From the African Union side, Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, framed mechanisation as both an economic and social priority. He described Africa’s mechanisation agenda as a dignity agenda, linking productivity gains to improved livelihoods and respect for agricultural labour.

The conference also highlighted the scale of Africa’s mechanisation gap. While other regions expanded farm power rapidly over recent decades, many African farmers remain dependent on manual or animal labour. Earlier efforts often failed because machinery was poorly matched to smallholder realities and unsupported by spare parts, maintenance and repair services.

This gap persists despite Africa holding around half of the world’s uncultivated arable land, estimated at about 202 million hectares. Crop yields remain well below global averages, and although roughly 60 percent of Africans depend on agriculture for work and livelihoods, the sector contributes only about 21 percent of the continent’s GDP.

FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa Abebe Haile-Gabriel said sustainable mechanisation was central to reversing these trends. When embedded in local ecosystems, it could create skilled jobs, cut post-harvest losses, improve efficiency and support climate-smart practices.

During the opening session, Chef and FAO Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Africa Fatmata Binta shared practical examples from a joint FAO project supporting fonio processing. She explained that introducing appropriate processing machines transformed a heavy burden into an economic opportunity, giving women back time, energy and motivation.

Discussions throughout the conference pointed to a new generation of mechanisation emerging across the continent. Compact, context-appropriate machinery is increasingly combined with digital platforms for equipment hire, alongside new service-based jobs such as machine operators, technicians, drone pilots and data analysts.

The conference concluded with FAO reiterating its support to African countries in adopting sustainable mechanisation solutions. Sessions focused on youth employment, digital transformation and investment pathways, alongside field visits to a youth incubation centre and a rice mechanisation cooperative in Tanzania.

For Africa, the discussions in Dar es Salaam underscored that mechanisation is no longer about machines alone. It is about building systems that work for farmers, communities and future generations. As many African countries continue to modernise young agricultural sectors under pressure from climate change, population growth and food insecurity, sustainable mechanisation stands out as a practical pathway to resilience and opportunity. From a continental perspective, the challenge now is to ensure that these commitments translate into inclusive progress that reflects Africa’s realities and ambitions.

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