Kenyan Farmers Embrace Data-Driven Agriculture to Combat Climate Change
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Leveraging solar power and artificial intelligence, a new wave of innovation is empowering Kenyan farmers to build resilience against increasingly erratic weather patterns and secure their livelihoods.
Kenya’s agricultural sector, which sustains up to 75% of the nation’s population, is facing an existential threat from a changing climate and the degradation of precious natural resources. However, amidst these challenges, a beacon of hope emerges from the ingenuity of individuals dedicated to finding lasting solutions.
From Family Farm to Tech Pioneer
The drive to innovate comes from individuals like Maryanne Gichanga, who spoke to the United Nations ahead of the International Day of Clean Energy, observed annually on January 26th. Gichanga’s personal experiance growing up on a farm fueled her determination to find solutions for struggling agricultural communities. “I grew up in a farming set-up. My parents are farmers. I witnessed a lot of harvests, but when climate change started happening, we could not understand what was happening,” she explained. “Since our source of income was farming,when the harvest was bad,it directly affected our quality of life,and it meant that we could not go to school.”
This early exposure to the devastating impact of climate change inspired Gichanga to found a company dedicated to supporting smallholder farmers with data-driven insights. Her approach utilizes solar-powered sensors and AI-powered satellite data to provide crucial information on soil health, crop health, and weather patterns.
UN Support and the Rise of Greenovations Africa
Gichanga’s venture received vital support from Greenovations Africa,a UN-backed initiative that champions women entrepreneurs. “Greenovations Africa was a very important part of the process, because they believed in companies that are small and offered them training and seed capital to help them grow,” she stated. This support proved critical in scaling the solution and reaching more farmers in need.
Breaking Barriers in a Male-Dominated Field
Navigating the agricultural technology sector as a woman in Africa presented critically important hurdles. “In Africa, communities are quite patriarchal. So, trying to get into this male-dominated field is a thing. It is hard,” gichanga acknowledged.”Peopel woudl rather work with a man. They feel that men understand what you do better than you do.”
Overcoming this bias required unwavering persistence and a commitment to demonstrating expertise. “What really helped me on this journey was persistence and having training and demonstrations to show what we do and that we know what we are doing. You cannot give up,” she emphasized. collaboration and a clear sense of purpose – the well-being of her parents and the future of countless children – also proved essential.
The Power of Empowered farmers
The impact of these innovations is already being felt on the ground. Gichanga finds the greatest reward in witnessing tangible improvements in the lives of the farmers she serves.”My highest point is when I see lives changed directly. When you empower farmers, their lives change,” she said. “When you see a direct increase in crop yields or when people are no longer struggling, it makes you want to work even harder.” She highlighted the empowering affect of enabling farmers to control the prices they receive for their harvests, even those who previously lacked the resources to purchase seeds.
A Call to Action for women in Innovation
Gichanga’s message to othre women and girls aspiring to innovate in agriculture or climate action is simple: “Go for it. You will learn along the way, and there are a lot of people who will support you financially or offer technical support, advice, and training. There is no right time to start, and you will never be prepared enough – you just have to do it…don’t be scared!” Her story serves as a powerful testament to the transformative potential of innovation, resilience, and the unwavering dedication of individuals committed to building a more sustainable future for Kenya and beyond.
