Digitalisation has brought a vast array of opportunities
to smallholder farmers in Africa, which, when coupled
with the right investments, can help them transition
to more sustainable agri-food systems. However, the
diversity of services, advice and solutions provided can
be overwhelming. There is often a lack of understanding
about potential drivers and hindering factors and
successful cases are generally context specific. To
support the transition for smallholder farmers,
regulations and policies must be put in place to spur
responsible digitalisation. Incentives and funding
facilities for the production and deployment of farmer-
owned digital tools must also be prioritised. This
knowledge brief outlines what digitalisation may mean
for smallholder farmers in Africa and draws specific
links between digitalisation and FAO’s 10 principles of
agroecology.