Technology Offers Solutions to Africa’s Drought Problems

Experts say technology can help African farmers deal with the increasingly persistent threat that drought poses to harvests across the continent, particularly in Kenya, Zimbabwe, and the wider Sahel region. With roughly 95% of sub-Saharan farmers still dependent entirely on rainfall, solar-powered irrigation and inexpensive soil moisture sensors, some priced as low as $25, provide smallholders with new tools to manage scarce water. Researchers are also using artificial intelligence to accelerate breeding of drought-resistant crop varieties, including a Kenya-based initiative focused on potato and sweet potato varieties. But technology alone cannot resolve the structural challenges facing African agriculture. Experts say that access to finance, infrastructure, electricity, connectivity, and technical knowledge will determine whether innovations reach smallholder farmers at scale.