Casablanca – While the world talks about AI and robots, Africa’s food security crisis is rooted in a less glamorous but more structural problem: fragmentation.
Accessing the latest algorithms is not the primary concern for most farmers on the continent. Their more immediate struggle is accessing markets. While advanced technologies are often the main driver of progress, some of the most pressing challenges require far simpler solutions.
Sometimes, what farmers need most is not a better algorithm, but a way to facilitate the process of moving food from the field to the market. Supply chains are split into too many pieces, often held together by middlemen rather than data and coordination.
This reality does not mean that cutting-edge technology has no place in Africa. It does, and this has been evident in recent editions of GITEX Africa.
At the 2024 edition, the Moroccan company ABA Technology introduced a precision spraying drone designed to manage water and chemical use more efficiently, at a time when drought has become a recurring challenge.
Similarly, Morocco’s DeepLeaf showcased in 2025 an AI-driven solution capable of detecting crop diseases, pests, and nutrient deficiencies in real time. The goal is to reduce chemical use, improve yields, and support more sustainable farming practices.
Africa is clearly witnessing a wave of technological advancement in agriculture. For a continent where livelihood remains embedded in agriculture, these developments are not an option, but an obligation.
What’s in store at GITEX Africa 2026
The fourth edition will take place again in Marrakech from April 7-9, gathering policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators from across the continent and beyond.
Held under the theme “Catalyzing Africa’s Digital Economy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” the expo places AI at the center of conversations.
As far as agritech and food security is concerned, discussions will explore a wide range of tools shaping the sector and driving climate-smart agriculture. These include AI-driven farming, drone-based crop monitoring, IoT-enabled supply chains, and agri-fintech solutions.
This year’s programming is expected to touch on the technologies that promise to reshape how Africa feeds 1.5 billion people. Sessions and panels will explore a range of crucial topics, from smart farming and IoT to precision agriculture, sustainable farming practices, and supply chain innovations, as well as presenting digital platforms for farmers.
Looking at these themes, one thing stands out: integrating technology into agriculture is no longer a choice, It has become a necessity. The question is no longer whether technology belongs on African farms, but which technologies actually serve the people working the land.
But, in reality, for every company developing cutting-edge innovations, theory versus implementation remains a challenge.
Designing practical solutions from hand to hand
Across many regions of Africa, the majority of food still comes from smallholder farmers. Their products pass through multiple hands, from middlemen and transporters to market wholesalers, before reaching consumers. At each step, value is lost, food spoils, and farmers earn less.
This is the fragmentation that needs to be addressed first. The primary issue is not lack of advanced tools but a real problem of invisibility, where many farmers remain disconnected from markets.
To make AI-powered solutions and latest technologies more effective, these foundational gaps must be addressed first.
At GITEX Africa 2026, several agritech startups are set to present practical solutions of how this can be done.
Three approaches, one problem
Biolife Tech is among the participating companies in this year’s expo. It has built a platform that allows a direct link between pineapple farmers and exporters.
Through their e-pineA platform, buyers can access key information such as harvest volumes, maturity timelines, and the quality of the produce before placing orders.
What the company is providing isn’t deploying drones or training large language models. Instead, it is ensuring smallholder farmers are visible to the global market.
In Senegal, ENDAM offers a solution to improve agricultural productivity and resilience. Its ENDAM AGRI platform bridges the gap between farmers and the essential support systems, including access to quality inputs, financing, and technical advice.
At the same time, the company goes beyond technological means. It deploys trained rural youth agents to assist farmers with crop monitoring, data collection and climate-smart agricultural practices.
This approach reflects a simple reality. Agriculture cannot transform itself through technology alone. The human contribution also counts. By combining digital tools with on-the-ground agents, ENDAM helps farmers increase yields while making their operations visible.
Improving productivity, however, is only one piece of the puzzle. A successful harvest has limited impact if the food cannot effectively reach the people who need it.
This is where Kilimo Fresh steps in. The Tanzanian startup tackles the gap between harvest and market by improving logistics. Through its model, it connects farmers directly to buyers while optimizing the journey in between. This approach helps reduce waste and improves access to fresh products.
At GITEX Africa 2026, the future of African agriculture will be shaped by this balance. It is not only about advanced technologies, but also about the systems that make them useful in practice.
Only by achieving this balance will agritech innovators be able to make tangible change, from farm to table.
