Experts in climate adaptation techniques have proposed the deployment of digital climate-smart solutions, including communication and information systems, to boost agriculture production and marketing on the continent.

They say the continuous reliance on rain-fed agriculture in Africa was not sustainable, hence the need for governments to invest in digital infrastructure to support smallholder farmers to scale up their production amid pressing climate challenges.

They made the proposal in separate interviews at the opening of two-day training on Digital Climate Advisory Services in West Africa in Accra on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

The training was organised by the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), under the framework of the Forum for Agriculture Research Africa (FARA).

It is intended to build the capacities of stakeholders in the region to implement digital climate adaptation solutions for farmers.
Dr Oluyede Ajayi, Programme Lead, Food Security and Rural Wellbeing, Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), said there were existing solutions to address climate change impacts on the activities of farmers but connecting those interventions to farmers had always been a challenge.
He said digital tools such as climate information and advisory services could provide early warning systems to farmers to enable to plan their activities.

Dr Ajayi said there were digital platforms that could also support farmers to get access to markets readily after harvesting to help reduce post-harvest losses.

“These are fools that can give farmers information in real time for them to be able to make informed decision in their farm operation. For example, the tools can inform farmers that in the next three days, it is going to be raining heavily and in that case, the famer would not need to apply so much fertiliser,” he said.

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