The overall objective is to intensify smallholder farmers’ on‐farm operations through appropriate‐scale mechanization to improve land and labor productivity in a sustainable manner, considering the social, economic and environmental impacts with special focus on the role of women, by conducting the following programmatic activities via Innovation Hubs:
Assess challenges and opportunities, and recommend appropriate forms for agricultural mechanization,
Identify entities and projects engaged in mechanization research in the target countries to establish collaboration
Implement gender‐sensitive, scale‐appropriate mechanization strategies in coordination with USAID mission goals and objectives of the Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab,
Enhance women’s skills and education in using machinery, equipment, and tools, and empower women to address agricultural issues in the future,
Measure and evaluate impact of appropriate‐scale mechanization strategies on sustainable intensification.
The activities supported in this program are intended to introduce mechanized technologies that are technically, environmentally, and economically appropriate for use by smallholder farmers. These technologies will contribute to enhanced labor productivity and increased land productivity, thus sustainably reducing poverty among smallholders. Finally, the program intends to leave self‐sustaining innovation hubs that will persist in adapting technologies and disseminating them after the end of the project.
