Agriculture is a vital component of African economies. Yet it is often faced with challenges linked to soil degradation, crop diseases and pest invasions. It is against this backdrop thatEsther Wanjirua young Kenyan entrepreneur, founded Farmer Lifeline in 2018. This startup uses cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence to help small-scale farmers anticipate the ravages caused by pests and diseases, in order to improve their yields.
Overcoming the challenges of an ailing agricultural sector
Esther Wanjiru's vision for Farmer Lifeline was born out of personal experience. Having observed the difficulties faced by her farmer parents in dealing with crop losses, she decided to create a innovative solution. His start-up, Farmer Lifeline Technologies, has developed the Crop Disease and Pests Detection Device (CDD), an intelligent device capable of early detection of crop diseases using artificial intelligence, machine learning and data analysis.
The system consists of solar cameras connected to a central computer that continuously monitors crops over a 730 metre area. When a problem is detected, farmers receive an alert by text message, enabling them to take swift action. This system not only optimises agricultural production, but also reduces post-harvest losses and promotes more sustainable agriculture.
Farmer Lifeline's direct impact on farmers
To make this technology accessible to small farmers, Farmer Lifeline Technologies is offering to rent the device for one dollar a month. The innovative young company guarantees a 30-40 % increase in yields in the first four months of use, with a refund policy in the event of non-satisfaction. This approach has already produced impressive results: over 60 % farmers, the majority of whom are women, have recorded a reduction in losses of over 40 %.
In collaboration with a Canadian NGO, Farmer Lifeline Technologies tested this solution with 400 farmers. Of these, 360 saw an increase in production of 40 % and a reduction in losses of 30 %. These results have helped the start-up gain international recognition.
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A vision for the future of African agriculture
On the strength of these successes, Farmer Lifeline Technologies is already a key player in agritech in Africa. Recommended by governments and non-governmental organisations, it has won a number of prestigious awards, including the COMESA Award, the African Agrihack, and the Youth Adapt prize at the COP27.
Esther Wanjiru plans to broaden the impact of her technology by working with ministries of agriculture in several African countries. Ultimately, Farmer Lifeline Technologies plans to monetise the data collected by its devices to help develop large-scale agricultural policies.
The future of agriculture in Africa looks brighter thanks to technological innovation, and Farmer Lifeline could well be a model for other countries on the continent to follow.
