Review article
Harnessing Data-Driven Innovations for Climate-Smart Agriculture in East Africa
2025, 90 (4) p. 263-269
Dawit Mamo Zegeye, Assen Ebrahim
Abstract
Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has emerged as a critical strategy for mitigating the impacts of climate change, particularly in East Africa, a region where agriculture is essential for food security and economic development. The integration of data-driven innovations, including remote sensing, machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), is transforming farming practices by providing real-time data to optimize agricultural productivity, enhance resilience to climate impacts, and promote environmental sustainability. This review aims to evaluate the role of these technologies in advancing CSA in East Africa, focusing on their applications for managing climate variability, improving agricultural yields, and promoting sustainable farming practices. Quantified results from the reviewed studies show that smart irrigation systems, powered by IoT technologies, have improved water use efficiency by up to 30% in water scarce areas of the region, while AI and ML models have increased crop yields by up to 40% in drought-prone areas. Despite these promising advancements, challenges such as limited technology access and affordability, digital literacy, policy gaps, integration barriers, and concerns around data privacy remain significant obstacles. The review further highlights key research gaps and offers recommendations for future research and development efforts to address these challenges and maximize the potential of data-driven innovations in CSA. In conclusion there is a need for continued investment in infrastructure, policy development, and capacity building to support the scaling up of these technologies across East Africa.
Keywords
agricultural technology, climate resilience, climate-smart agriculture, data-driven innovation
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