KIGALI, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Delegates at the African Conference on Agricultural Technology (ACAT) are calling for urgent investment in farmer-centered agricultural technologies to empower smallholder farmers across the continent.
At the opening of the conference on Monday in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, participants emphasized the importance of equipping farmers with the right knowledge and tools to overcome the complex challenges of modern agriculture.
"Empowerment of farmers comes through providing them with knowledge and resources to make informed decisions to optimize their farming practices and better navigate the complexities of modern agriculture," Rwandan Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe addressed the conference.
He said farmers must be engaged as active partners, not merely as recipients, and they should be at the center of all agricultural development efforts.
The ACAT conference, themed "NextGen Ag-Tech Solutions for Africa's Farmers," runs through Thursday and has brought together more than 800 participants globally.
Canisius Kanangire, executive director of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), highlighted the forum's role in building on decades of innovation that support farmers in addressing critical issues such as climate change, pests, and crop diseases.
"The forum offers a timely opportunity to reflect on and expand the impact of agricultural innovations that address the multiple stressors faced by farmers," Kanangire said.
Recalling the inaugural ACAT held in Nairobi two years ago, he noted that it was launched in response to the urgent need for high-level dialogue on science, technology, and innovation in the agricultural sector. "The simple idea of amplifying voices in support of broader technology adoption is now bearing fruit."
Bernard Slippers, director of the Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute in South Africa, said, "If we want to have farmer-centric technology, we should place farmers at the center of evaluating the performance and success of the agricultural technologies we develop and aim to transfer."
ACAT remains one of Africa's premier forums for promoting cutting-edge agricultural technologies and practical policies that enable a more efficient, inclusive, and resilient agriculture sector. ■
