Determining the uptake of ICT, GIS, RS, and 4IR technologies in improving food security in the agricultural sector in Gauteng Province, South Africa

Abstract

Food insecurity has long been a problem in South Africa, with 6.5 million people (11% of the population) suffering from hunger in 2019. South Africa should, due to rising demands for food in urban areas, notably in Gauteng, the most populated province, enhance its efforts for food production. The aim of the study was to evaluate the uptake of ICT, GIS, RS, and 4IR technologies by the agricultural sector in improving food security in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The study objectives were to investigate the uptake of ICT, GIS, RS, and 4IR technologies by agricultural support divisions in government, assess and map the uptake of these technologies by smallholder and commercial farmers, assess the implementation of GIS and RS in local farms including available government support, as well as to assess and map underlying conditions that promote or discourage the uptake of these technologies in Gauteng. The literature review underscores the transformative impact of advanced technologies, such as ICT, GIS, RS, and 4IR, on agriculture, significantly enhancing productivity and sustainability. Precision farming, AI, robotics, UAVs, IoT, and big data have transformed agricultural practices, enabling efficient resource management and improved yields. Nevertheless, poverty and inadequate resources hinder the adoption of technology by smallholder farmers in South Africa. There is a digital divide between commercial and smallholder farmers in terms of the uptake of ICT, GIS, RS, and other 4IR technologies. Food security and agricultural productivity can be improved in Gauteng Province through the adoption of these digital technologies. A mixed methods approach, through a concurrent triangulation data collection design, was employed in the study. This means both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed simultaneously. The study was conducted through a cross-sectional survey of N=150 farmers, N=60 GDARD personnel, and face-to-face interviewing of N=26 DALRRD personnel as well as researcher observations of N=6 farms. Research findings show that many commercial farmers have adopted 4IR technologies, although the uptake by smallholder farmers remains low. Results suggest that the high 4IR adoption by commercial farmers can be attributed to affordability, whereas low uptake by smallholder farmers can be due to a lack of funds and level of education. It is recommended that DALRRD and GDARD do not neglect smallholder farms and provide advanced ICT, GIS, RS, and 4IR training to smallholder and commercial farmers. This research work only focused on the Gauteng province so future research work could focus on adapting and improving the methods presented in this study for investigating the uptake of these technologies in other provinces to better understand the general status quo for the whole country.