Smallholder farmers in Africa are still among the poorest in the world. This is despite the clear benefits that smallholding farming has for the immediate communities around them. The quest for food security places smallholders at pole position as a great way of achieving this. 

Rural and urban societies and economies alike benefit from prosperous and productive small farms. This creates jobs and wealth for their communities, reduces pressure on young people to migrate, and contributes to more stable and peaceful societies. 

When small-scale farmers earn more, they inject their incomes directly into the rural economy, creating growth and diversification. Almost every example of large-scale national poverty reduction was kick-started by rising incomes among small-scale farmers. 

But it has become increasingly hard for smallholder farmers to maximise their potential without modern agricultural technologies, sufficient investment and a distribution structure that remains ill-suited for accessing markets. 

It is evident that there’s a need for innovation, science and technology to maximise training and the application of skills to the agriculture sector in Africa. African governments need to create training initiatives that empower farmers to become self-sufficient in food supply. 

Cultivation of arable land is essential, with access to quality inputs, there should be overwhelming support for the “science agenda” to establish methods of increasing crop yields. 

While governments can support these initiatives, if we are to create a sustainable platform where a new generation of small-scale farmers can flourish, what’s really required are affordable financing structures. 

The answer is simple - even if the solution is more complicated – by securing land. Unfortunately, small-scale farmers are not necessarily land owners, so they can’t use land as security for financiers. This is a major setback and one that requires urgent addressing if we are to exploit the full potential of smallholder farmers. 

The obstacle is infrastructure and policy: farm-gate prices in remote areas versus market prices in most instances do not compare favourably. We still have a system that favours the middleman more than the farmer who by virtue of being the producer is the actual owner of what is being sold. 

While African governments face a multitude of challenges, not least the present economic climate, the time is ripe for investment from the private sector. Hunger in Africa is still a priority for governments and organisations around the world, and small-scale farmers are at the centre of this possibility. 

We are at the dawn of a digital revolution that will change almost every part of our lives – jobs, relationships, economies, industries and entire regions. Africa – largely bypassed by previous industrial revolutions – stands in a unique position to reap the benefits of these changes. 

Its young and growing population, vast resources and largely untapped markets could provide the foundations for a continent-wide renewal, powered by technological innovations. 

All in all, thriving small-scale farmers and sustainable and inclusive food systems contribute to a brighter future for rural and urban populations alike across the planet. Let us exploit such opportunities while they present themselves. 

-tjatindi@gmail.com