The African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have been working together since 2019 to support African farming households in creating opportunities for economic growth through conservation agriculture and sustainable agricultural mechanization.

ACT and FAO have worked closely with farmers and value chain actors to promote mechanization hire services, providing directions for investments for sustainable mechanization, and piloting mechanization and digitali-zation innovations adapted specifically to local contexts. This partnership has supported farmers in making the transition from subsistence farming to commercially and market-oriented farming.

In collaboration with the African Union Commission, ACT and FAO have been working to raise awareness on new ways of funding in sustainable agricultural mechanization and develop capacity for mechanization hire service providers and policy makers in support of the implementation of the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization for Africa (F-SAMA). Launched in 2018 by the African Union and FAO, the F-SAMA emphasizes the need for mainstreaming sustainable agricultural mechanization in agricultural development programmes, aiming to move smallholders from hand tool-based labour to innovative technologies. Sustainable mechanization cuts working time, relieves labour shortages, raises productivity and encourages youth into agriculture, and also aids in efficient use of agricultural resources, helping mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing harmful emissions and increasing farmer resilience.