When most people think of cocoa, Indonesia is probably not the first place that comes to mind. But the country is actually the world’s third biggest producer after the Ivory Coast and Ghana. A key crop for many Indonesian smallholder farmers, who own more than 90 percent of the country’s cocoa plantations, declining yields have left numerous farmers in a downward spiral of poverty, with some ready to give up growing it entirely despite increasing global demand.

With less than 4% of farmland in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) currently under irrigation, increasing access to water could play a huge part in supporting Africa’s productivity, allowing farmers to grow crops three seasons a year, increase their nutrient intake and produce a surplus to sell. Over the last few years a new generation of solar-powered pump startups have sprung up in Africa and they’re beginning to make an impact.

Drones are making a lot of headlines these days, but they’re much more than just a novelty. Predicted to disrupt a range of industries, their potential for agriculture has also been hotly tipped, with the market expected to be worth $3.77 billion by 2024. Drones might just be a key innovation for increasing crop yields around the world. Already one of the most effective analytical tools in precision farming, they also have considerable potential for distribution and application.

With almost 70% of Africa’s population dependent on agriculture, improving agricultural productivity is an excellent way to boost the continent’s living standards. For the past two decades, the winner of this year’s World Food Prize has been focussed on doing just that. From promoting fertilizer use and growing Nigeria’s food production to increasing credit to smallholder farmers and making agricultural progress a political priority, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has been instrumental in developing African agriculture.

It is with great sadness that IFA learned of Professor Tekalign Mamo’s passing on September 7. Professor Mamo, a distinguished soil scientist and former Ethiopian State Minister of Agriculture, was IFA’s 2016 Norman Borlaug Award winner.