Robots attract young farmers in Cote d'Ivoire

A robotics competition is attracting young people back to farming. The competition's held in Abidjan, the old capital of Cote d'Ivoire.

Agriculture's really important for the economy. The country produces 40 percent of the world's cocoa, for example.

Three quarters of Ivorians are under 35, but they're no longer interested in farming. It's seen as hard work and badly paid. The government's hoping that introducing technology and AI is the solution. It can also help farms produce more.

This young man's from a farming family.

Pele Ouattara: "I come from a family of farmers. My passion for robotics has actually added to my desire to improve the conditions in which my parents used to farm."

The biggest problem with using robots, drones and other technology is the price. Buying a small drone to spray fields with pesticides can cost over U$16,000. That's half a small farm's business for the whole year. However, now equipment can be rented from small firms. This farmer was shocked at how quickly a drone sprayed his crops.

Faustin Zongo: "Usually, it takes at least two days to cover one hectare. So with the drone, I see that we have sprayed 5 hectares. I don't know how long it took, but it was no more than two hours."

The Ivorian government's planning to build a manufacturing centre. Farming technology will be made locally, so prices will be lower. And private companies are also offering useful AI information. AI can give farmers more control and more choices.

Nowadays, farming is looking more attractive to young farmers.

Nozene Ble Binate: "There are more and more young people returning to the land and who are interested - who come to us to use, to request the drone for their fields because they've realised that the real treasure lies in the land." View Less