The imperative of AI in saving the small African farmer

Small African farmers have long been the backbone of both local food systems and agricultural export markets.

For generations, they have sustained communities, supported national economies, and maintained Africa’s rich agricultural heritage.

Despite their crucial role, these farmers are facing increasing marginalization.

A combination of complex regulatory regimes, climate-change-driven pressures, and the rapid evolution of global markets has made it harder for them to compete, comply, and thrive.

The very systems designed to ensure food safety and environmental sustainability are, paradoxically, pushing smallholders to the edge of poverty.

One major example comes from shifting global standards, such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, rules meant to protect human, animal, and plant health from pests, contaminants, and disease.

These rules are important for keeping consumers safe, but they get stricter every year.

They often use new words that don’t have translations in African languages and aren’t easy for small farmers to understand.

The result is a widening knowledge gap: while international markets demand higher compliance, farmers lack the tools and language support necessary to meet these expectations.

This challenge became even more pronounced following a December 2025 European Commission announcement reinforcing controls on all food, animal, and plant products entering the European Union (EU).

Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare Olivér Várhelyi outlined sweeping measures to enhance border checks, increase audits, and tighten monitoring of non-compliant commodities.

The intent is clear: EU citizens must be guaranteed the highest possible food safety standards, and EU producers must compete on equal footing with global suppliers.

But while these measures are non-negotiable, their impact reverberates strongly across Africa, especially among small-scale horticultural producers supplying Europe’s vast market.

The new EU measures aim to enhance the safety and compliance of imported goods.

These measures include a significant 50% increase in audits of non-EU countries, alongside a 33% rise in inspections at EU Border Control Posts.

Authorities will implement heightened checks on commodities and countries that have a history of compliance issues, ensuring a more rigorous oversight process.

Additionally, a dedicated EU import-control task force will focus on critical areas such as pesticides, food and feed safety, and animal welfare.

To support these efforts, expanded training programs will be introduced for regulatory authorities, and the rules governing the importation of goods containing traces of hazardous pesticides that are banned in the EU will be updated.

These steps, while important for consumer protection, add layers of complexity for African exporters.

Even though the EU invests in training local regulators, such training rarely reaches the individuals who need it most: the small farmers themselves. The result leaves a critical gap between policy and practice, one that current extension services cannot fill quickly or widely enough.

To address this divide, and while recognising that a handful of large-scale farmers already possess the resources to adapt, there is a need for a bold solution: the creation of AI-driven agents designed with the needs of smallholder African farmers in mind.

These farmers remain essential to the continent’s agricultural future, even as mechanisation and consolidation progress.

With AI tools tailored to their realities, smallholders could access support across every stage of farming, from soil preparation and planting to irrigation, pest management, crop rotation, harvesting, and storage.

Such a system would put expert advice directly in their hands, offering real-time, accessible guidance in local languages and familiar formats, thereby making advanced agricultural knowledge truly inclusive and actionable.

Language accessibility is paramount. Many agricultural and chemical terms have no equivalents in African languages.

For instance, there is no known translation of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a pesticide with a long and harmful legacy on the continent, in any African language.

Without proper terminology, farmers may misinterpret safety instructions, misunderstand the risks, or unknowingly misuse substances.

AI can ensure consistent, scientifically accurate explanations that break down complex concepts into understandable, culturally relevant language.

Moreover, large language models (LLMs) are becoming increasingly capable of supporting local African languages.

AI can be very helpful in digitising and formalizing languages that aren’t well represented, filling in the gaps and making both linguistic reach and scientific knowledge more accessible.

This presents a unique opportunity not only to assist farmers but also to preserve and evolve Africa’s linguistic landscape.

The pressures small farmers face, such as climate change, regulatory shifts, and competitive markets, can be reframed as catalysts for innovation.

Every problem presents an opportunity to rethink systems, adopt new tools, and empower farmers with knowledge and agency.

Rapid technological change is reshaping agricultural markets in real time. One significant shift already underway is the global demand for full traceability “from farm to fork.”

This means buyers want transparent records of how food is grown, processed, and transported.

Traceability at this scale will require technologies such as blockchain, which can securely capture and share data at every stage of the value chain.

With AI assisting farmers in keeping records of their methods, checking what they use, and ensuring they follow rules, blockchain can ensure this information is reliable, tamper-resistant, and accessible.

Small farmers, often considered too informal or technologically disconnected, could suddenly become traceable, trustworthy participants in international markets.

The adoption of AI and digital tools will increase productivity and build confidence among global partners, reduce compliance risks, and open higher-value market opportunities.

More importantly, it will enable Africa’s small farmers to transition from vulnerable producers to competitive global agricultural actors.

A coordinated effort is necessary for African agriculture to flourish in this new global reality.

To design AI systems that meet farmers where they are linguistically, culturally, and technologically, governments, technology developers, agronomists, and international partners must collaborate.

The AI agent proposed is not merely a technological tool; it is an inclusion strategy.

It guarantees the advancement of global regulatory and market systems without neglecting small farmers.

Such solutions must be accessible offline or with limited connectivity, offer voice-based interfaces for farmers with low literacy levels, and be adaptable to different crops, climates, and cultural practices.

Instead of replacing local extension workers, AI-empowered facilitators would multiply their reach with effectiveness.

Africa’s farmers need to adapt to the evolving global markets and rising consumer expectations. AI is not a luxury in this context; it is an imperative.

It is the bridge between tradition and modernity, between marginalization and participation, and between vulnerability and empowerment.

With thoughtful implementation, AI can transform the small African farmer into a global player.

One who is not merely responding to change but shaping the future of agriculture.

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