Sammy Selim, a coffee farmer in Sorwot village, Kericho, Kenya, is utilizing AI-powered tools to enhance his farming practices. Selim and another farmer named Kennedy Kirui input the farm’s coordinates into a WhatsApp conversation with Virtual Agronomist, an AI tool that provides fertilizer application advice. The chatbot asks questions and generates a report recommending specific fertilizers and quantities to achieve optimal yield. Selim was surprised by the recommendations as he had planned to use more fertilizer than suggested. He realized that he could have wasted money without this guidance.
Small-scale farmers in Kericho and other parts of Kenya are increasingly turning to AI tools like Virtual Agronomist to improve their crop quality and quantity. Due to pests, diseases, and limited technical knowledge, farmers often experience significant crop losses. In the past, they relied on agricultural extension officers for advice but their numbers have declined due to funding issues.
Selim started using Virtual Agronomist on his 0.4-hectare farm in 2022 with the help of another farmer who had a smartphone at the time. Following its recommendations led him to achieve his highest-ever yield of 7.3 tonnes of coffee. He believes technology plays a crucial role in farming success.
Before adopting Virtual Agronomist, Selim applied fertilizers based on general knowledge without considering soil health which resulted in low productivity. Sometimes he would send soil samples for testing at distant labs but faced delays or no results at all.
Farmers face challenges in determining their soil needs as well as identifying pests and diseases affecting their crops. Musau Mutisya from Machakos county used PlantVillage app powered by AI technology for diagnosing pests and diseases accurately instead of relying on guesswork.
Both PlantVillage and Virtual Agronomist train AI models using images and data related to healthy crops or pest-infected plants respectively.
Kenya has around seven-and-a-half million small-scale farmers but lacks an adequate number of extension officers recommended by FAO guidelines (1:400 ratio). Enock Chikava from Gates Foundation believes technology can bridge this gap left by insufficient extension officers.
A report released by GSM Association highlights agriculture as one of the prominent sectors utilizing AI tools for socioeconomic growth in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa; however digital skills shortages need addressing along with increased smartphone accessibility.
PlantVillage is free while Virtual Agronomist charges KSh300 (£1.70) only for coffee advice; both platforms follow a “lead farmer” model where trained farmers assist neighboring plots besides managing their own farms.
While some scientists caution against excessive reliance on AI tools due to exclusion of indigenous knowledge leading potentially eroding local agricultural practices; others like Boniface Nzivo find technologies like FarmShield beneficial for monitoring greenhouse conditions accurately.
