Promise and Peril of Artificial Intelligence in Transforming Africa’s Food Systems and Development Agenda

David Mhlanga (Edited By) Dr David Mhlanga is an award-winning Economist, Researcher, and Higher Education Professional with extensive experience in teaching, research, and policy consulting across Africa and Australia. He is the Principal Consultant at Econowrite Research and Director of The Econowrite Institute for Policy Innovation & Development (EIPID), where he leads strategic initiatives in digital transformation, financial technology, and sustainable development policy. He also serves as a Teaching Associate at Monash University and a Teaching Professional at the Australian College of Applied Professions (ACAP), delivering courses in economics, research methods, and public policy. Dr Mhlanga holds a PhD in Economics from North-West University (South Africa), an MCom in Economics from Midlands State University (Zimbabwe), and a BSc Honours in Economics from the University of Zimbabwe. He is also a recipient of a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (RMIT, Australia) and an Artificial Intelligence Certificate (University of Johannesburg). Recognised under Australia's Global Talent Visa Program for his expertise in Sustainable Development Economics and FinTech, he has received multiple accolades, including the ACAP Award for Excellence in Teaching and Student Engagement (2024 & 2025), the Purple Letter Award for outstanding Student Evaluations at Monash University (2023 & 2024), and consecutive Research Excellence Awards from the University of Johannesburg (2022-2024). A prolific scholar, Dr Mhlanga has authored and edited numerous books and published widely in peer-reviewed journals on topics including FinTech, digital financial inclusion, artificial intelligence, sustainable development, and health economics. His editorial contributions include serving as Assistant Editor for the Journal of Knowledge Economy (Springer), Environment, Development and Sustainability (Springer) and Polytechnica. He is a Member-African Scholar of The Econometric Society and has presented at, chaired, and co-organised international conferences. His research and consulting work have influenced economic policy, 4IR readiness strategies, and financial inclusion initiatives across Africa, with projects supporting governments, NGOs, and academic institutions. Skilled in integrating emerging technologies such as AI, blockchain, and data analytics into economic research and policy design, Dr Mhlanga is committed to advancing inclusive, technology-driven development.

• PART I:: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1: Introduction: Promise and Peril of AI in Transforming Africa’s Food Systems and Development Agenda PART II: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Chapter 2: Artificial intelligence-driven pathway to sustainable aquaculture in sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 3: Exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and food sustainability in Africa Chapter 4: Advancing AI-Driven Agricultural Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 5: Strengthening institutional capacity for artificial intelligence integration in Africa’s agricultural science curriculum Chapter 6: AI and the Circular Economy: Sustainable Practices in African Food Systems PART III: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN AGRICULTURE AND AGRO-FOOD CHAINS Chapter 7: Artificial intelligence and food safety governance in Ghana’s maize value chain: status, opportunities and challenges Chapter 8: Upscaling small grains and small livestock production: Bridging Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous Agricultural Knowledge Systems (IAKS) for improved food and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa Chapter 9: Access to and Adoption of Artificial Intelligence-Powered platforms among Smallholder Farmers in Ghana Chapter 10: Towards Sustainable Agriculture in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities for Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe Chapter 11: Artificial Intelligence and Smallholder Agriculture in East Africa: Opportunities, Inclusion, and Uneven Impacts Chapter 12: Climate-smart agriculture in Africa’s semi-arid tropics: The role of intelligent irrigation and soil diagnostics PART IV: RESPONSIBLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN AFRICA’S FOOD SYSTEMS Chapter 13: Data privacy and responsible AI use in Applied Biotechnology Chapter 14: Governance and Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities for African Agriculture PART V: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION Chapter 15: The Digital Divide in Africa’s Food Systems: Rethinking Causes and Solutions Chapter 16: Artificial Intelligence and Food Security in Zimbabwe: Interrogating Technological Promise Through Governance, Equity, and Systemic Prerequisites Chapter 17: Conclusion: AI in Transforming Africa’s Food Systems and Development Agenda