Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in African Food Systems

Description

Page: 556-563

Emmanuel Ndhlovu (School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, College of Business and Economics, University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science (DS) are on the rise in economic sectors, including agriculture and food systems. AI and DS play a vital role in transforming food systems by facilitating precision agriculture, predicting pest and disease outbreaks, optimising supply chain management, and improving market access, ultimately enhancing food security and sustainability across the continent despite challenges like climate change, limited infrastructure, and data availability. This article identifies examples of initiatives where AI and DS technologies have been adopted and implemented in Africa. It also explores the potential benefits of AI and DS in the African food systems. The article is based on a qualitative review of the activities and actions of food systems projects across Africa. It identifies several programmes and companies where AI and DS are being integrated into African food systems activities. However, the findings reveal that AI and DS technology integration in African food systems exists mainly as trials and not full-fledged implementations. These initiatives are also concentrated in the production stage, with little innovation in the other components of African food systems. Several factors, ranging from government, economic, resource, and social to knowledge factors, have been identified as among the reasons for the limited technology integration of AI and DS technology in African food systems. The article recommends that, instead of individual actors relying on their meagre resources, governments should play a leading role in facilitating a broad-based agriculture and food system transformation that can ensure the attainment of food security on the continent.