The global agricultural sector is facing unprecedented challenges, but advances in digital technology are helping farmers adapt, according to a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
The FAO’s 2025 report, Agriculture at the Crossroads of Crisis and Innovation, warns of a “critical juncture” for agriculture as disasters converge worldwide.
“The year 2023 began with the continuation of a severe multiyear drought across the Horn of Africa, affecting over 36 million people,” the report states. “Consecutive failed rainy seasons led to the death of over 13 million livestock in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.”
South America also experienced extreme drought, with the Amazon basin recording its lowest water levels in over a century. “Crop production in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay was devastated, with soybean and corn yields falling by up to 40 percent,” the FAO report says.
Meanwhile, other regions were hit by floods and heavy rainfall. “Devastating floods in Pakistan affected 9 million people and destroyed 849,000 hectares of crops,” the report notes. “Homes, farms, and roads were washed away, making recovery extremely difficult.”
Southern Africa was not spared. “Drought affected over 20 million people across Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, and maize production fell by up to 70 percent in some areas,” the FAO said, highlighting the widespread impact of the El Niño phenomenon in 2023.
The challenges have continued into 2024 and 2025. “Biological hazards like African swine fever have devastated Asian pig populations, forest fires burned 3.24 million hectares in Canada by June 2025, and marine heatwaves disrupted fisheries and aquaculture,” the report added. Conflicts in Sudan and the Sahel have displaced millions of farmers, “creating agricultural collapse even in areas that experienced favourable weather conditions.”
Despite these crises, technology is offering new tools to protect agriculture. “Satellite technology, providing daily high-resolution imagery, has transformed agricultural monitoring capabilities,” the report says. “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms process vast data to detect emerging risks. Mobile network expansion has brought connectivity to isolated rural communities, while financial technology innovations have made parametric crop insurance accessible to millions of smallholder farmers.”
The FAO stressed that combining innovation with traditional farming practices is critical to protecting global food security. “The operationalisation of these tools can guide tailored interventions, reinforce health system delivery, and inform cross-border initiatives,” the report said.
Support CITE’s fearless, independent journalism. Your donation helps us amplify community voices, fight misinformation, and hold power to account. Help keep the truth alive. Donate today