ACT Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization Service Provision Report 2019

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Report on Regional Workshop To Share Experiences
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION HIRE SERVICE PROVISION PRACTICES
IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN COUNTRIES.
Exploring Opportunities for Investments.
9th to 12th December 2019 | Imperial Royale Hotel, Kampala Uganda

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Introduction
The African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) is a Pan-African non-profit
organization that is a neutral platform for sharing knowledge, information and
experiences on conservation agriculture. It aims to stimulating, facilitating and
catalyse agricultural transformation and adoption of conservation agricultural
practices across the food value chains. ACT brings together stakeholders and
players that are dedicated to improving agricultural productivity through sus-
tainable utilization of natural resources of land and water in Africa’s farming
systems.
ACT believes that widespread adoption of conservation agriculture will con-
tribute significantly to the attainment of agricultural and environmental objec-
tives, namely: empowering farmers and rural communities to manage their re-
sources, sustaining resilience while achieving viable production systems. Thus
ACT aims to contribute to placing at the disposal of development partners and
governments farming practices that will catalyse agriculture-led economic and
rural development, and reduce food insecurity and poverty.
Agricultural mechanization in Africa is a priority and indispensable pillar for
attaining the Zero Hunger vision by 2025, as stated in the Malabo Declaration
of 2014, Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Prosperous
Africa We Want, as indicated in Africa’s Agenda 2063. Africa aims to double
agricultural productivity and eliminate hunger and malnutrition in Africa
by 2025, while consigning the hoe to the museum. Sustainable agricultural
mechanisation and enhancing access to mechanisation services is therefore an
urgent priority.
To answer this call following extension Africa-wide studies and consultations,
a Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa framework was devel-
oped. The aim of the SAMA Framework is to inform policymakers and deci-
sion makers in the Member States and the Regional Economic Communities
(RECs) in Africa, and the wider development community dealing with agricul-
tural development, on the significance of mainstreaming sustainable agricul-
tural mechanization in the overall national and regional agricultural develop-
ment programmes.
The The framework presents a menu of priority elements to be considered by
African states when developing their own national strategies for sustainable
agricultural mechanization. For it to be sustainable mechanization must follow
some core principles. It must be built along the entire agricultural value chain.
Must be private-sector driven, environmentally compatible and climate smart,
and must also be economically viable and affordable, especially for small-scale
farmers who constitute the bulk of African farmers. It is vital that it targets
women, who bear the brunt of African agriculture. Finally, mechanization
must target youth, specifically to make agriculture more attractive and a choice
for employment and entrepreneurship.
In order to achieve impact, following the adoption and publication of the
SAMA framework it is important to move quickly towards mobilizing the
necessary support for implementation. It is in this light that ACT, working with
FAO convened a regional workshop to share experiences of sustainable agri-
cultural mechanisation hire service provision practices in Sub-Saharan African
countries to support the implementation of the framework. A key outcomes of
the workshop was that the of the framework document will help catalyse the
required investments to support Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in
Africa.
ACT therefore convened a stake-holder’s experience sharing workshop from
December 8 - 12, 2019 at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala. Its was attended
by about 60 delegates from various countries, representing the Agriculture
Mechanisation arms governments, the private sector value chain and develop-
ment partners that included FAO, GIZ, Agra, World Bank, IFAD and AfBD.
The figure in the next page shows the overall topology of the workshop.

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The Team key elements required in a framework for SAMA are as follows::
1. FARM-POWER:
Boosting farm power through appropriate technologies and innovative busi-
ness models
2. FINANCING MECHANISM:
Promoting innovative financing mechanisms for agricultural mechanization.
3. FACILITATE TOOLING:
Building sustainable systems for manufacture and distribution of agricultural
mechanization inputs.
4. FOCUS ON VALUE CHAINS:
Sustainable mechanization across agrifood value chains.
5. FUEL INNOVATION:
Innovative systems for sustainable technology development and transfer.
6. FARMER PRACTICES:
Sustainable transformation of land preparation and crop/animal husbandry
practices.
7. FAIR CHANCES:
Social sustainability and the roles of small scale farmers and their organiza-
tions; women and youth.
8. FORCE THAT IS COMPETENT:
Human resources development and capacity building for SAMA.
9. FORWARD THINKING FRAMEWORKS:
Need for a long-term vision: policy and strategy issues.
10. FOUNDATIONAL INSTITUTIONS:
Creating sustainable institutions for regional cooperation and networking.

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