This chapter examines the role of precision agriculture (PA) in addressing persistent food insecurity and low agricultural productivity in West and Central Africa. The region’s agriculture, dominated by smallholder systems, faces multiple constraints, including nutrient-depleted soils, erratic rainfall, climate change, pest pressures, and limited access to technology. PA is introduced as a data-driven management approach that optimizes input use, fertilizers, pesticides, water, and labor, through targeted, site-specific interventions. Key technologies and strategies relevant to the region are explored, including unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for crop monitoring, yield estimation, phenotyping, and pest detection; fertilizer microdosing as a low-cost, scalable nutrient management practice; and site-specific nutrient/fertilizer management (SSNM) supported by decision support tools (DSTs) such as DSSAT and LINTUL. Case studies from different regions highlight local innovations and initiatives, such as UAV training programs and capacity building in Benin Republic and Cameroon to build youth capacity, integration of microdosing with organic amendments to boost yields, and digital nutrient recommendation platforms like CORAF’s D4Ag. The chapter also addresses precision irrigation solutions, ranging from low-cost bamboo drip systems to advanced sensor-based mesh networks for real-time water management. Adoption challenges, including high cost, poor technical skills, infrastructure gaps, and policy limitations, are discussed alongside strategies for overcoming them through capacity building, localized technology adaptation, and enabling policy environments. By combining high-tech and low-cost approaches, PA offers a pathway to more resilient, efficient, and sustainable agricultural systems in West and Central Africa.

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Advances in Precision Agriculture in West and Central Africa

  • Vodjo Nicodeme Fassinou Hotegni,
  • Winny Leocade S. Azonhoumon,
  • Orou Berme Herve Gonroudobou,
  • Mario Ronel Vigninou,
  • Femi Emmanuel Hounnou,
  • Marcel Fodjo Kamdem,
  • Dèdéou Apocalypse Tchokponhoué,
  • Enoch Gbènato Achigan-Dako

摘要

This chapter examines the role of precision agriculture (PA) in addressing persistent food insecurity and low agricultural productivity in West and Central Africa. The region’s agriculture, dominated by smallholder systems, faces multiple constraints, including nutrient-depleted soils, erratic rainfall, climate change, pest pressures, and limited access to technology. PA is introduced as a data-driven management approach that optimizes input use, fertilizers, pesticides, water, and labor, through targeted, site-specific interventions. Key technologies and strategies relevant to the region are explored, including unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for crop monitoring, yield estimation, phenotyping, and pest detection; fertilizer microdosing as a low-cost, scalable nutrient management practice; and site-specific nutrient/fertilizer management (SSNM) supported by decision support tools (DSTs) such as DSSAT and LINTUL. Case studies from different regions highlight local innovations and initiatives, such as UAV training programs and capacity building in Benin Republic and Cameroon to build youth capacity, integration of microdosing with organic amendments to boost yields, and digital nutrient recommendation platforms like CORAF’s D4Ag. The chapter also addresses precision irrigation solutions, ranging from low-cost bamboo drip systems to advanced sensor-based mesh networks for real-time water management. Adoption challenges, including high cost, poor technical skills, infrastructure gaps, and policy limitations, are discussed alongside strategies for overcoming them through capacity building, localized technology adaptation, and enabling policy environments. By combining high-tech and low-cost approaches, PA offers a pathway to more resilient, efficient, and sustainable agricultural systems in West and Central Africa.