This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
On July 16, 2020, a groundbreaking 18-month project was launched to revolutionize agricultural practices in western Kenya. Led by French agtech company itk, the KILIMO project aims to harness cutting-edge digital tools to monitor soil health conditions and optimize the use of fertilizers, water, and carbon sequestration in maize production.
The project, which stands for 'Kenyan Innovation for Low Impact Maize Production,' will utilize satellite imaging and modeling technologies to provide tailored, farm-level recommendations at scale. This real-time information, combined with meteorological data, will be fed into itk models to determine the optimal amounts and types of fertilizers to be applied, and at what time, to maximize both crop productivity and sustainability.
“Technology is driving a massive transformation of African agriculture,” said Aline Bsaibes, Director General of itk. “What we learn from the KILIMO project, especially regarding soil health and the carbon cycle, can then easily be scaled to other regions or countries as well as for related climate-smart agriculture initiatives.”
The project, which has a budget of over €800,000 (Ksh107.8 million), is being run in collaboration with Airbus Defence and Space, academic experts from various companies, and other organizations. The project's goal is to improve soil health, reduce fertilizer use, and increase crop yields, ultimately increasing farmers' sources of income.
