How AgriSmartTech Innovations Can Contribute to
CAADP’s Sustainable Productivity Goals
Dr. John M. Ulimwengu[1]
Senior Research Fellow
International Food Policy Research Institute
A blog
1. CAADP’s First Strategic Objective: Sustainable Production and Food Security
Under the Kampala Declaration and the CAADP Strategy (2026–2035), African Union Member States have committed to accelerating agricultural growth through sustainable intensification, agro-industrialization, and expanded trade. The first strategic objective emphasizes increasing crop yields and overall agrifood output while maintaining environmental sustainability and strengthening food security (African Union, 2025). Targets include a 45% increase in agrifood production by 2035, a 50% reduction in post-harvest losses, and a threefold increase in intra-African agrifood trade.
Achieving these targets requires productivity gains that do not compromise soil health, water resources, or climate resilience. The strategy highlights improved access to quality inputs—such as seeds, fertilizers, water, and technology—alongside innovation in agro-processing and value chains. Within this context, agricultural technologies that improve input efficiency and support sustainable land management are relevant to the implementation of CAADP’s first objective.
AgriSmart Technologies Inc. is an agri-technology company developing tools intended to improve precision in input use and support regenerative land management practices (AgriSmart Technologies Inc., 2025). Two of its technologies—a precision seed-banding planter and a reduced-tillage land preparation system—illustrate how farm-level innovations may contribute to CAADP-aligned productivity and sustainability outcomes.
2. Precision Seed-Banding Planter: Implications for Input Efficiency and Yields
One of AgriSmartTech’s technologies is a precision planter designed to place fertilizer in bands directly adjacent to seeds at planting. This approach differs from conventional fertilizer broadcasting by concentrating nutrients in the root zone, potentially improving nutrient uptake and reducing losses through fixation, leaching, or runoff. The planter operates without reliance on high-cost GPS or laser-guided leveling systems, which may lower barriers to adoption in contexts where advanced equipment is not widely available.
The agronomic rationale for seed-placed fertilizer banding is well established. Studies indicate that banding nutrients near the seed can increase fertilizer use efficiency and improve yields without increasing application rates. For example, Qu et al. (2025) report that deep-banded potassium fertilizer increased soybean yields by approximately 3–4% while improving potassium uptake efficiency. Similarly, University of Illinois field trials summarized by Barrera (2022) found that banding phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in maize production increased yields by an average of eight bushels per acre compared to broadcasting at equivalent application rates.
For African agricultural systems, where yield gaps remain substantial and fertilizer efficiency is often low, such incremental gains can be significant when applied at scale. Improved fertilizer placement may contribute to higher output per unit of input, aligning with CAADP’s emphasis on sustainable intensification. Reduced fertilizer losses also have environmental implications, including lower risks of nutrient runoff and greenhouse gas emissions associated with inefficient nitrogen use.
By enabling precision nutrient placement with relatively simple machinery, seed-banding technology may support broader adoption of improved nutrient management practices. This is consistent with CAADP priorities on strengthening input systems and improving access to appropriate technologies, particularly for farmers who lack access to high-end precision agriculture infrastructure.
3. Regenerative Land Preparation and Weed Management under Reduced Tillage
A second innovation examined is AgriSmartTech’s land preparation system designed to support weed suppression while minimizing soil disturbance. Developed in collaboration with the USDA National Soil Dynamics Laboratory, the system aims to address a common constraint in conservation agriculture: effective weed control under reduced or no-tillage conditions.
Conventional intensive tillage can temporarily suppress weeds but is associated with long-term negative impacts on soil structure, organic matter, and erosion rates. Soil degradation remains a significant challenge in Africa; estimates suggest that roughly one-third of arable land has been affected by degradation over recent decades (FAO, 2015, cited in Knapton, 2019). Conservation agriculture approaches—characterized by reduced tillage, residue retention, and crop diversification—have been shown to improve soil health and resilience, but adoption is often constrained by weed pressure and management costs.
Evidence from long-term studies indicates that reduced tillage systems can maintain or increase yields over time while improving soil conditions. Deines et al. (2019), analyzing 12 years of data from the U.S. Midwest, found that conservation tillage systems achieved average maize yield increases of approximately 3.3%, with higher gains observed in some locations. Yield improvements were associated with enhanced soil moisture retention, reduced erosion, and higher soil organic carbon.
Weed suppression strategies that rely on ecological and mechanical approaches rather than intensive tillage or herbicide use have also demonstrated effectiveness. A meta-analysis by Zipp and Zeng (2024) found that cover crop-based systems reduced weed biomass by an average of 63% and significantly lowered weed density. Such findings suggest that integrated weed management approaches can support reduced tillage without compromising productivity.
In African contexts, where access to herbicides and mechanized tillage may be uneven, land preparation technologies that facilitate weed control while conserving soil resources may contribute to both productivity and sustainability objectives. Reduced tillage can also lower fuel use and labor requirements, with potential implications for production costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Implications for CAADP Objectives and System-Level Outcomes
The two technologies discussed address different but complementary dimensions of CAADP’s first strategic objective. Precision seed-banding targets input efficiency and yield enhancement at the point of planting, while regenerative land preparation focuses on soil health, weed management, and long-term system resilience.
Together, such technologies may contribute to:
Productivity gains at farm level can also have downstream effects relevant to other CAADP goals. Higher and more stable yields may support agro-industrial development by ensuring consistent raw material supply, while surplus production can contribute to increased participation in domestic and regional markets. Input efficiency and soil conservation can improve farm profitability and reduce vulnerability to climate and price shocks, with implications for livelihoods and poverty reduction.
Importantly, technologies that do not rely on highly specialized infrastructure may be more adaptable across diverse African farming systems, including smallholder and cooperative-based models. This aligns with CAADP’s emphasis on inclusivity and equitable access to productivity-enhancing innovations.
5. Conclusion
CAADP’s ambition to substantially increase agrifood production by 2035 depends on the widespread adoption of practices that combine productivity gains with environmental sustainability. Technologies such as precision seed-banding planters and reduced-tillage land preparation systems illustrate how agronomic principles supported by empirical evidence can be operationalized at farm level.
The evidence cited suggests that precision nutrient placement can improve yields and fertilizer efficiency, while conservation-oriented land management can sustain or enhance productivity over time while restoring soil health. These outcomes are consistent with the objectives articulated in the Kampala Declaration, particularly the requirement that intensification be both sustainable and resilient.
As African countries translate CAADP commitments into national and sub-national investment plans, technologies that support efficient input use, soil regeneration, and climate resilience warrant consideration as part of broader agricultural transformation strategies. Their contribution lies not in replacing policy or institutional reforms, but in complementing them through practical, field-level mechanisms that align with CAADP’s strategic framework.
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