NEC Corporation and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have signed a letter of intent to deploy advanced digital technologies aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and resilience among small-scale farmers in Africa.
The agreement was sealed on the sidelines of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). It focuses on integrating tools such as remote sensing, secure digital platforms, and NEC’s CropScope system to improve farm management, support climate adaptation, and open new economic opportunities for rural communities.
Small-scale producers account for more than 80 percent of farms worldwide and remain central to food security, yet many lack access to digital advisory services, resilient technologies, financial tools, and structured markets.
IFAD President, Alvaro Lario, said the collaboration would “scale up digital public infrastructure with services that boost rural economies, create opportunities and raise incomes for millions of vulnerable producers.”
NEC Senior Executive Vice President, Shigehiro Tanaka, described the partnership as aligned with TICAD9’s agenda, adding that “digital agricultural solutions will be key to addressing Africa’s development challenges.”
