Agricultural mechanization in sub-Saharan Africa has been neglected for far too long. Farm mechanization is essential for increasing productivity and profitability while eliminating the time-wasting monotony of traditional production methods.
However, farm mechanization comes with two challenges: the fear of job losses and the punitive initial cost of ownership.
The initial cost of ownership is a setback in a country where the per capita income falls below $400. In addition to this, studies have also shown that the acquisition of farm equipment, especially tractors, does not automatically translate into increased productivity. In the case of Somalia, where transportation of petroleum products into the hinterlands drives fuel prices up by as much as 30%, operating the tractors may be too costly a venture in some rural areas.
The fear of farming job losses due to mechanization is, however, unfounded. According to FAO’s Integrated Crop Management Vol. 23-2016 (Agricultural Mechanization: A key input for sub-Saharan African smallholders), the productivity realized through mechanization leads to the creation of more and better-paying jobs within the Agricultural Sector because mechanization frees up valuable time for smallholder households prompting them to hire farm laborers.
To overcome these hurdles, policymakers need to the following:
- Encourage farmer cooperatives and caucuses
Organizing smallholders into collectives would create structures to operationalize the acquisition of modern farming equipment by farmers as a collective, enabling them to spread the initial cost of ownership, and further enjoy economies of scale through pooled production
2. Adopt affordable, small scale innovations
The tractor has been the reigning champion of farm mechanization due to its resilience and multi-functional design. At approximately $120,000 for an entry-level model (without attachments), the tractor is beyond the reach of most Somali agropastoralists. However, new innovations such as the bicitractor are set to change this.
The bicitractor is a pedal-powered multi-functional tractor suitable for small to medium-sized vegetable farms – the device performs basic functions like tilling, planting, harvesting (for select vegetables), and carrying loads around the farm.
The bicitractor is an open-source project – this means that the technical drawings used to create the device are readily available to the general public.
3. Drive Productivity and Value Addition
Lastly, besides process improvement, farm mechanization should also look into value addition, which both improves smallholder households’ incomes and reduces post-harvest losses. The proliferation of small-scale agro-processing technologies can empower stakeholders within Somalia’s agricultural value chains to increase the value and shelf life of their farm produce.
Despite being constantly ravaged by recurring drought, Somalia is in a unique position where a well-implemented farm mechanization policy can transform the country into an agricultural powerhouse on the continent.
