This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
On July 16, 2020, a significant development was announced in the agricultural sector of Vihiga County, Kenya. A Sh98 million project, dubbed Kenyan Innovation for Low Impact Maize Production (Kilimo), was launched to promote efficient use of government-subsidised fertiliser and improve maize yields.
The project, backed by the French, aims to deploy satellite imaging to map soil health conditions and generate tailor-made data for individual farmers. This data will be used to improve soil health, reduce fertiliser use, and increase crop yields.
French agri-tech company Itk will spearhead the project's roll-out in partnership with Airbus Defence and Space. According to Aline Bsaibes, the director-general of Itk, the scientific objective of the Kilimo project is to accurately capture data on the daily carbon, water, and nutrient cycles of soils.
Individual farmers will receive information via SMS or voice message, ensuring that government-issued fertiliser subsidies are used efficiently and cases of theft reduced. Itk already offers other digital and mobile tools to support African farmers in improving their maize and cotton production, through their partner E-tumba.
Kenya has recently seen an increased rollout of agri-tech by private companies that seek to improve sales of their produce while helping farmers to improve yields.
