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smallholder farmers
Trends
- 1El Niño intensifies, prompting calls to invest in farmers▼As El Niño intensifies, we should be investing more in the world’s farmers
Commentators argue that as El Niño strengthens and disrupts weather patterns, more money should go toward supporting the world's farmers, who face crop failures and income losses from droughts and floods. The argument is that smallholder agriculture is underfunded despite being on the front line of climate shocks, and that investment in resilience is urgently needed.
- 2AI maps Senegal's smallholder crops with 84% accuracy●AI identifies Senegal's smallholder crops 84% of the time using limited training data
Researchers have developed an AI system that identifies crops grown by smallholder farmers in Senegal with 84% accuracy, despite being trained on limited data. The result matters because mapping small, scattered plots is a major challenge for food security monitoring in West Africa, and accurate crop identification can support planning, aid targeting and yield estimates across the region.
- 3Nigeria central bank links weak farm infrastructure to financing gaps▼ZAWYA: Central Bank of Nigeria attributes weak agric infrastructure to difficulties of farmers in accessing finance
The Central Bank of Nigeria says weak agricultural infrastructure in the country stems from farmers' difficulties in accessing finance. Limited credit keeps smallholders from investing in irrigation, storage and other basic infrastructure, according to the bank's assessment. The statement comes amid ongoing concern over food security and low agricultural productivity in Nigeria.
- 4SunCulture Raises $10 Million To Expand Solar Irrigation Across Africa▼SunCulture Secures USD 10 M Financing To Expand Solar Irrigation In Africa
Solar irrigation company SunCulture has secured USD 10 million in financing to scale its operations in Africa. The company provides solar-powered water pumping systems that help smallholder farmers irrigate their land without reliance on rain or costly diesel. The funding is expected to support expansion of its customer base and distribution across African markets, where access to affordable irrigation remains a major constraint on agricultural productivity.