About Us

Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization for Africa (CSAM Africa)

Powering Africa's Agricultural Transformation

CSAM Africa is the continental knowledge and innovation hub designed to accelerate agrifood transformation through efficient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable mechanization. By institutionalizing the Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization in Africa (F-SAMA), CSAM Africa unlocks the continent potential and strengthens a coordinated path toward modern, resilient agriculture.

The Vision

Accelerating a Mechanized, Inclusive, and Sustainable Future

To accelerate Africa agrifood transformation through efficient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable mechanization. CSAM Africa serves as the continental knowledge and innovation hub, institutionalizing F-SAMA to unlock the continent vast agricultural potential.

The Challenge

Agriculture supports over 60% of African livelihoods, yet Africa remains the least mechanized region globally, with fewer than two tractors per 1,000 hectares of cropland. Current interventions are often fragmented, donor-driven, and weakly coordinated across regions and standards.

The Solution

Inspired by the UNESCAP-CSAM model in Asia-Pacific, CSAM Africa fills the missing institutional link through a permanent, regionally anchored mechanism that coordinates fragmented efforts, harmonizes policies and machinery standards, and catalyzes private-sector investment and innovation.

Our Core Pillars of Action

CSAM Africa operates as a dynamic ecosystem for policy coordination, innovation, standards, investment facilitation, and skills development.

Pillar

Policy Dialogue and Coordination

We harmonize national strategies with the continental F-SAMA framework, convening high-level forums for AU member states and RECs to align investments and share best practices.

Goal: Enabling policy environments that attract long-term investment.

Pillar

Research, Innovation and Knowledge Hub

We serve as an open research platform, facilitating co-creation of technologies adapted to African agro-ecologies.

Key Feature: A digital knowledge portal for data pooling, innovation briefs, and south-south technology transfer.

Pillar

Standards and Quality Assurance

We develop harmonized regional guidelines for machinery safety and suitability, supporting national laboratories to test and certify equipment.

Impact: Reliable, safe, durable machinery and reduced dumping of obsolete technology.

Pillar

Agri-Business and Private Sector Facilitation

We promote sustainable models such as Mechanization-as-a-Service (MaaS) and custom-hire centres to make technology affordable for smallholders.

Focus: Unlocking finance for manufacturers and supporting youth and women entrepreneurs in the service sector.

Pillar

Capacity Building

We deliver regional training programs for policymakers, engineers, and technicians to build the human capital needed to sustain mechanization.

Outcome: A skilled workforce capable of scaling, maintaining, and innovating SAM systems.

Why Partner with CSAM Africa?

Partnership Pathway

For Governments and Policymakers

Access evidence-based policy support to implement National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs) and achieve Malabo Declaration goals.

Partnership Pathway

For the Private Sector

Gain access to a harmonized market with clearer standards, lower regulatory friction, and co-design opportunities for locally appropriate machinery.

Participate in public-private partnerships that de-risk investment in supply chains.

Partnership Pathway

For Researchers and Academia

Join a participatory innovation ecosystem to test prototypes, share data, and track research outcomes through innovation tokenization and traceability systems.

Partnership Pathway

For Development Partners

Invest in a long-term institutional mechanism that coordinates aid efficiency, reduces duplication, and supports measurable impact through robust Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks.

Our Roadmap

CSAM Africa is advancing from concept to reality through a phased implementation model.

Implementation

Phase 1 (Establishment)

Leveraging the AfricaMechanize platform and FAO-ACT partnership to operationalize the Interim Secretariat and launch knowledge portals.

Implementation

Phase 2 (Expansion)

Establishing regional nodes, piloting standards, and expanding training programs.

Implementation

Phase 3 and 4 (Consolidation)

Transitioning to a fully independent continental centre with sustainable financing and full-scale service delivery.

Join the Movement

CSAM Africa is establishing its Interim Secretariat and inviting foundational partners to shape the future of African agriculture. Contact us via the AfricaMechanize Secretariat: secretariat@africamechanize.org.

Together, let us build a sustainably mechanized, productive, and prosperous Africa.

Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization for Africa (CSAM Africa)

Powering Africa's Agricultural Transformation

Accelerating a Mechanized, Inclusive, and Sustainable Future

Our Core Pillars of Action

Policy Dialogue and Coordination

Research, Innovation and Knowledge Hub

Standards and Quality Assurance

Agri-Business and Private Sector Facilitation

Capacity Building

Why Partner with CSAM Africa?

For Governments and Policymakers

For the Private Sector

For Researchers and Academia

For Development Partners

Our Roadmap

Phase 1 (Establishment)

Phase 2 (Expansion)

Phase 3 and 4 (Consolidation)

Join the Movement

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Contact Us