Editor’s note: This viewpoint is part of Foresight Africa 2024. AI and other automation technologies are presenting game-changing opportunities for [Africa’s] smallholder farmers. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) will be the most significant contributor to the transformation of agri-food systems in Africa. OpenAI’s ChatGPT application exemplifies the rapid pace of advancement in AI capabilities in the ...

In the ever-evolving digital landscape of Africa, a series of groundbreaking initiatives are reshaping the future of e-commerce, agriculture, and artificial intelligence. The continent is witnessing an unprecedented digital revolution, spearheaded by innovative platforms like Jumia Technologies, Farmz2U, and the advent of cutting-edge AI tools like ‘Sora’ by OpenAI. Amidst this digital transformation, strategic partnerships ...

Africa is heavily reliant on agriculture. Over the past decade, agriculture has constituted 42-48% of total employment on the continent. Subsistence farming is a mainstay of many African countries, especially south of the Sahara, which boasts a quarter of the world’s arable land and has an estimated 33 million smallholder farms, with agriculture contributing to 17% of gross domestic product (GDP). ...