About SMART-AGR  

Agricultural Production systems Section (APSS) of the Food Security and Sustainable Development Division (FSSDD) of UNECA started to implement in 2008 a Development Account (DA) project on Sustainable Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Transformation also referred to as SMART DA Project.

The overall objective of the project is to enhance the capacity of African countries for the formulation and implementation of  well informed programmes, strategies and policies towards  a" Sustainable Modernization of Agriculture and Rural Transformation (SMART)/African Green Revolution". The main activities of the project are:

           (i) Carrying out three studies on the identification and assessment of 
            indicators of SMART readiness and potential ( including best practices)
            in the central, western and southern agro-ecological regions of Africa.

 (ii) Convening one validation and synthesis  expert group meeting on the identification and assessment of SMART indicators of readiness and potential.  The outcome will be a set of indicators harmonized and merged among and within Africa’s regions, towards a common SMART Index to be used for awareness-raising, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation.

(iii)  Preparation and dissemination of video material to be used for promotion of SMART to farming communities, policy makers and development agencies..

(iv) Convening four  training workshops for SMART design teams in the western, Sahel, central, and southern regions of Africa that will design SMART systems that are scientifically valid, economically viable, environmentally friendly and socially acceptable and hence can be managed by Africa’s farming communities for poverty eradication and food security.

(v)  Establishing a SMART/Green revolution network of design teams and design-benchmark sites in up to 30 countries of sub-Saharan Africa, using the refined design methodology; establishing an online resource facility for networking and support for the SMART designers and other stakeholders.

Activities (i), (II), (iii) have been completed. We have  produced  reports covering best practices on African agricultural strategic commodities such maize in Malawi, cassava in Nigeria, rice and and tomato in Senegal, milk in South Africa, palm oil and banana plantain in Cameroon. We also cover best practices on  water use in agriculture in DR Congo. Video materials have been  produced to capture the main features of each case.  We will complete activities (iv) and (v) in June

The formulation and implementation of Saemaul Undong pilot project  are seen as a logical step in the way forward of  SMART DA project for they aim to complement the activities of this DA project  and help them achieve the expected tangible impacts. The recommendation of African experts to this effect is shown below:

"After a thorough review of both the features of agricultural and rural development in Africa and the Saemaul Undong approach  presented above, experts unanimously agreed that this approach is relevant and recommended its adaptation/replication for the promotion of SMART/GR in Africa. These experts also recommended that pilot projects  be formulated and urgently implemented to further knowledge and practice exposure including field initiatives for Saemaul Undong application to SMART in Africa. 

Experts further recommended that UN-ECA explore ways of enhancing knowledge sharing and coordination among other best practices related initiatives in Africa with a view to fostering synergy among the various initiatives and ensuring that they operate in concert and each of them is a value addition to Africa’s SMART/GR drive. 

Experts called on UNECA, UNPOG//UNGC and UNDESA to play an important role with respect to lesson learning related to and application of the Saemaul Undong approach to SMART/GR in Africa."