As West and Central Africa are bracing for a lean season from June through August, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns that some 55 million people in the region are threatened by food insecurity and malnutrition.
“Malnutrition in West and Central Africa has risen to a shockingly high rate with 16.7 million children under five experiencing acute malnutrition,” a UN report added.
In addition to less-than-ideal weather conditions, the food uncertainty in Ghana, Nigeria, Mali, and Sierra Leone has been affected by economic turmoil caused by growing inflation, currency devaluation, and a production standstill.
Extreme heatwaves, irregular rainfall, and prolonged droughts are all contributing to the struggles of African agricultural workers, amid fertilizer shortages, pests, and crop diseases.
But in Ghana, the new generation of farmers have something their elders couldn’t dream of having – artificial intelligence (AI) and modern technology.
In a recent report, DW revealed how Ghanaian farmers are using high-tech tools like drones and AI to monitor crops, but also to water and spray them.
Using AI-supported drone surveillance, farmers can identify crop disease in its early stage which will allow them to take measures much more quickly and salvage a sick plant, as well as prevent the spread of disease.
Though a rare sight in rural Ghana, AI-supported drones have proved their value and have already shown positive results. But until ‘precision farming’ becomes mainstream, West African nations must seek other ways to put food on their tables in hopes of curbing hunger.
Recently, officials from Saudi Arabia and Ghana convened and visited Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Ghana, where they spoke of strengthening ties and collaboration between the Saudi kingdom and African states.
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the agreement, reached between Saudi Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture Abdulrahman Alfadley and Minister of Food and Agriculture of Ghana Dr. Bryan Acheampong will span “strengthening relations and increasing investment opportunities in agriculture, food security, fisheries, and livestock.”
