Kenyan farmers adopts digital technology to improve produce

By Bisola Adeyemo

Farmers in Vihiga County, Kenya have adopted the use of digital technology to enhance farm produces.

Digital technologies have the potential to provide farmers with information and ability to meet challenges and seize growth opportunities.

It as well enables improved traceability of agricultural products and increased value for farmers.

Governor Wilber Ottichilo said that satellite imagery has also been used to establish land sizes, to predict weather as well as monitor the crop growth at various stages to detect deficiencies and to carry out appropriate intervention for optimal production.

Ottichillo said KILIMO initiative applies the Precision Agriculture (PA) approach where information technology is used to ensure that the crop receives the correct amount of inputs such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides at the appropriate time.

According to partners from a consortium through the Kenyan Innovation Low Input Maize Production (KILIMO) project, has used satellite imagery to do land mapping of the county, Kenya news agency said

Patrick Armengaud from ITK stated that due to reducing land sizes, PA is the way to go in order to realize maximum returns from farming activities.

Speaking on the digital farming system, Armengaud said that digitization of agricultural production has long taken root in the developed economies and they are now spreading it to Africa.

“The extension officers share information with farmers through text messaging on the smart phones,” Marie Christine of Airbus Company said.