South African telecoms giant, Telkom Smart Agritech, in collaboration with Chinese technology partners, has launched an AI-powered farming initiative in South Africa to enhance food security, efficiency, and economic growth amid challenges like climate change and resource constraints.
Chinese AI technology is revolutionizing agriculture in South Africa, a country grappling with climate change, resource constraints, and a digital divide between urban and rural areas. From smart irrigation systems to real-time crop monitoring, these innovations are paving the way for a more sustainable agricultural sector, particularly for small-scale farmers who struggle with access to resources and expertise.
The introduction of 5G-powered agritech solutions is helping bridge the digital divide, with a pioneering project set to transform South Africa's agricultural sector, especially the wine industry. Telkom, collaborating with Chinese technology partners, is adapting AI-driven agricultural tools already tested in China to meet South Africa's unique challenges, such as water scarcity, where precision irrigation can make a significant difference.
"One of the big things we need to bridge is the urban rural divide, and secondly how do we give the skills and knowledge and know how to rural farmers. With AI you can through a smart phone device put an extension officer into the pocket of every small farmer in the country. So I think AI can revolutionize the way in which agriculture works particularly when it comes to assisting small scale farmers to be able to compete," said John Steenhuisen, South African agriculture minister, emphasizing the transformative potential of AI.
Lunga Siyo, CEO of Consumer and Small Business at Telkom, highlighted the collaboration with Chinese partners.
"The private 5G deployed here was actually done in conjunction with some of the Chinese OEMs such as Huawei. What we've done in the past is actually visit some sites in China -- be it mining and agriculture -- to see what technology has been deployed, and we are reusing most of the tools," said Siyo.
Fikile Wolela, a PhD student in Agriculture Science at Stellenbosch University, highlighted the democratizing effect of AI.
"We can all be our own scientists, so things are made easier, you don’t need somebody who is a specialist, so it’s easier in that aspect as to what will be within knowledge of what’s out there and what's new in terms of the technology and agriculture," said Wolela.
Beyond productivity gains, AI-driven farming is creating new job opportunities and upskilling the next generation of agricultural professionals.
"Our common goal is to try facilitate development skills for young South Africans, unemployed South Africans, so that they can get into the markets, get into the sector. Because the sector is predominately white and has always been and we are trying to change that through development of skills," said Nokuthula Selamolela, CEO of FoodBev SETA.
AI is also helping ensure compliance with global food safety regulations and opening new markets for local farmers. Talita Venter, a technical assistant from the Department of Agriculture at Stellenbosch University noted the country's proactive approach.
"I think South Africa is really moving ahead quite aggressively with technology and advancing in that field and embracing it, that is the other thing we can't hide away from technology. How we can use it for the greater good and also to see how we can ensure food security and also ensure that our products meet the exceptional quality that is required for exports," said Venter.
With AI revolutionizing farming, the potential for job creation, skill development, and international collaboration is vast. As South Africa taps into global expertise -- particularly from China -- the hope is that technology can transform agriculture into a more sustainable and inclusive sector.
AI-powered farming boosts South Africa’s agriculture
