The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has concluded a four-day conference, which brought together approximately 400 participants, including representatives of farming communities, mechanisation practitioners, researchers, development partners, government officials, extension officers, civil society organisations, thought leaders, and private-sector actors.

The conference explored new pathways for sustainable agricultural mechanisation and produced several recommendations.

In line with the conference theme of enhancing investment and financing, the centre presented its partnerships-driven model involving municipal councils, financial institutions, and the various foundations.

Through these collaborations, youth gain access to soft loans at 10 per cent interest, financed by municipal internal revenue.

To date, the centre has supported 16 youth and women’s groups, each comprising an average of five members, totaling approximately $7,200 per group. These funds have enabled enterprises in poultry production, cassava value addition, organic fertiliser production, maize milling, fruit and vegetable farming, and financial literacy services.

Advancing service-based mechanisation business models, programme graduates now operate youth-led farming enterprises, mechanised agro-processing ventures, and agribusiness start-ups. Many have transitioned into self-employment as professional service providers or cooperative members, creating jobs and strengthening local value chains.

Responding to the conference’s call for African solutions to African challenges and for stronger mechanisation ecosystems, the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) showcased its two-decade partnership with Intermech Engineering Limited (IEL), a Tanzania-based company that manufactures agricultural implements and agro- and food-processing machinery tailored to local conditions.

What began as an initiative to adapt cassava processing equipment has evolved into a national and regional hub for postharvest and processing technologies, serving farming communities across the region.

The IITA Country Representative for Tanzania, Dr Frederick Baijukya, said: “At IITA-CGIAR, we recognise that mechanisation only works when it fits the local context. Our approach goes beyond importing technologies. We collaborate closely with local artisans, engineers, and the private sector partners to co-create, co-engineer, and adapt machinery that is functional, maintainable, and sustainably adopted by farmers and agribusiness.”

While opportunities remain to further strengthen the model, the centre’s impact underscores its potential for replication across the continent. Since its establishment, it has trained and supported more than 10,000 youth and women farmers in Dar es Salaam, Newala, Mafinga, Dodoma, and Singida through hands-on practical knowledge transfer and technology adoption.

For delegates from across Africa, the centre offered more than inspiration; it presented a blueprint. The model demonstrates that sustainable agricultural mechanisation depends on adapting proven approaches to local contexts, expanding youth access to finance and technology, and building partnerships that reinforce local capacity and long-term resilience.