This is a collaborative research project involving three companies and two universities, both in the UK and Zambia. The project will focus on improving the sustainable intensification of agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa by evaluating the benefits and commercial potential of agricultural mechanisation and support services required for smallholders in Zambia. The project has two objectives: (a) to assess the affordability of mechanisation systems along with conservation agriculture for smallholders in Zambia, (b) to develop and evaluate economically a novel approach of farm service centre (agrodealer) for supporting and training smallholders. These two objectives will contribute to the overall goal of making recommendations and developing a model for sustainable agricultural intensification and affordable financing of well-suited mechanisation.

Across the world we face growing issues of food security and nutrition. Agri-science is one of the eight great technologies where the UK can link research strength to practical application to farming practices and the food industry. This project focuses on improving outcomes in primary production, and hence food security, by using advanced technologies to facilitate efficiency benchmarking for both productivity and environmental performance. The hypothesis we will investigate is that historic data patterns can be used to support farmers’ decision making, a positive impact on global food security in a sustainable way. High resolution data measurements will be evaluated in large scale and smallholder agriculture at locations in Zambia and the UK. Syngenta, AGCO, the University of Aberystwyth and the University of Southampton are working with other academic and international development organisations to deliver the project.