Currently our agricultural sector experiences climate unpredictability including extreme rain events, human- wildlife conflicts, and competition against agribusiness due to an absence of a collective forum. Further, there is currently a combination of high production and inappropriate processing facilities as well as market volatility. These issues are coupled with a lack of awareness on best practices, and a lack of access to technologies, government initiatives, and lab access for assessing crop disease, pests, and soil quality. All these factors have led to inconsistent crop yields and returns to farmers, a lack of storage and transport facilities, and limited access to markets leading to food wastage in agriculture, indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilisers, and loss of soil fertility.
To address these issues, we need to explore strategies to promote sustainable approaches to agriculture by empowering marginal farmers to protect and regenerate their environment using S&T innovations for improved productivity and sustained income.