Artificial intelligence (AI) holds considerable promise for redefining agriculture in Kenya and Nigeria, two of Africa’s leading tech hubs. Recent estimates suggest AI could markedly improve Africa’s economy, potentially adding up to $2.9 trillion by 2030. In 2023, African tech startups attracted approximately $4 billion in investments, with Kenya’s AI sector receiving $15 million and Nigeria’s $2.9 million, making them two of the leading recipients. A substantial portion of these funds is being directed to the agricultural sector.
Kenya
Kenya, with a population of about 55 million, has enjoyed relative economic and political stability recently, with a projected growth rate of 5.2% from 2024 to 2026. Despite these positivities, the country faces ongoing issues such as poverty, inequality and natural disasters.
Agriculture, which employs more than 40% of Kenya’s workforce and contributes 33% to GDP, is central to the economy. Smallholder farmers, making up more than 70% of the farming population, are essential for both economic stability and food supply. However, farmers battle unpredictable weather, limited access to information and insufficient resources to cope with the effects of natural disasters.
In 2023, approximately 4.4 million Kenyans experienced severe food insecurity, reflecting the sector’s difficulties with financing, quality inputs and crucial information such as weather forecasts and market prices, according to the 2024 GSMA report.
Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with more than 220 million people, is experiencing rapid growth at an annual rate of more than 2.6%. Despite this, the nation faces substantial economic and social challenges, including stagnant GDP per capita, high poverty rates, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, which employs 40% of the workforce and contributes 24% to GDP, is critical to the economy, yet only 35% of arable land is actively farmed.
Nigerian farmers deal with erratic weather, security issues, poor infrastructure as well as problems like poor seeds, labour shortages, and the loss of farmland to urbanisation, according to ICT Works.
In July 2023, Nigeria declared a food insecurity emergency, forecasting that 26.5 million people could face acute hunger in 2024 due to frequent droughts and floods impacting food production.
The Impact of AI on Agriculture in Kenya
Launched in 2023, Digital Green’s Farmer Chat improves farming advice by offering personalized support to extension workers. It uses information from videos, call logs and factsheets to provide real-time assistance, having already sent more than 134,000 messages in Swahili and English, according to the 2024 GSMA report. Plans are underway to expand its coverage to more crops and regions.
Founded in 2023, Amini addresses the lack of environmental data – such as soil quality and rainfall patterns – which the World Bank identified in 2022. Amino’s platform uses AI and satellite technology for crop monitoring, yield predictions and risk assessments.
Partnering with TensorFlow technology, PlantVillage U.S. nonprofit has developed an AI-powered app to identify plant diseases. The app detects issues on plant leaves such as and recognizes patterns indicating disease outbreaks, helping to combat the 33% crop loss Kenyan farmers face each year due to pests and diseases. The app has attracted more than 10,000 users, who have reported an average 40% increase in crop yields.
The Impact of AI on Agriculture in Nigeria
Crop2Cash offers FarmAdvice, a hotline that gives farming advice via a toll-free number. Since its launch in July 2024, FarmAdvice has provided personalized recommendations in local languages to more than 500,000 farmers across 13 states, helping them increase their incomes and crop yields, according to the 2024 GSMA report.
AirSmart provides AI-driven solutions by collecting and analyzing data from drones, satellites, soil sensors and loT devices. The insights help manage water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage, predict yields and offer data-driven farm management recommendations, according to ICT Works.
The World Food Program (WFP) has developed a predictive model that forecasts food shortages up to 30 days in advance, according to the 2024 GSMA report. By looking at past food consumption data alongside market prices and weather conditions, this tool helps provide early warnings of potential food shortages.
Staying on Track
The impact of AI on agriculture is already being felt in Kenya and Nigeria, but keeping an eye on persistent issues is essential to fully realize its potential. AI is advancing especially in data-driven advisory and financial services, but the high costs of precision tools like loT sensors and drones are problematic. Making these technologies more accessible is important for maximizing the impact of AI on agriculture. While generative AI could assist farmers with low literacy or disabilities, improving digital literacy and ensuring AI services are accessible on affordable mobile devices will enable wider adoption of new agricultural practices among smallholder farmers.
– Georgia O’Keeffe
Georgia is based in Wiltshire, UK and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Flickr
World Vision’s Syria Türkiye Emergency Response
Syria lost about 6,000 people to the earthquake, primarily in Idlib and Aleppo. The earthquake destroyed more than 10,000 buildings, including many schools and displaced 265,000 people, forcing them into temporary shelters. Overall, the World Bank estimates the damages at $34 billion for Türkiye and $5 billion for Syria. This disaster has compounded the displacement crisis in Syria, where millions were already displaced due to the ongoing civil war. Furthermore, the World Bank projects that the rebuilding costs could escalate to approximately $100 billion.
Immediate Impact of the Earthquake in Syria
On Feb. 8 and 9, 2023, the World Vision Syria Response team conducted a rapid assessment in Idlib and Aleppo to quickly gauge the immediate needs of those affected by the earthquake. The assessment involved 322 randomly selected participants from 25 different villages. Key findings indicated that the most urgent personal needs were for beds, cooking supplies, blankets, food and clothing. Additionally, 87% of respondents reported safety concerns, primarily due to low lighting, injuries or hazards from collapsed buildings and distress. Regarding shelter, 82% found refuge with family, friends or in camps. In addition, the survey revealed that 94% of participants had damaged homes, with 51% reporting their homes destroyed.
Long-term Economic Impact in Türkiye
The earthquake affected poverty rates in Türkiye. The Borgen Project reached out to a World Vision representative based in Canada, who wishes to be anonymous. When asked about the impact of the earthquake on poverty, the representative confirmed it worsened the situation, explaining, “Especially as these people were already facing a situation of protracted crises, the earthquake led to displacement, which resulted in the loss of capital stock and household wealth.”
Disaster Philanthropy reports that in the earthquake-affected provinces of Türkiye, about 40% of households live below the poverty line, compared to 32% nationwide. This rate could rise to more than 50%. A year after the disaster, many affected areas in Türkiye still lie in ruins. An estimated one in three children remain homeless, living in temporary shelters. As of Feb. 2024, about 660,000 children are still displaced, residing in small tents or metal containers that offer minimal protection from the elements.
In Syria, the ongoing conflict compounds the hardships for children in the wake of the earthquake. In addition to the conflict, they struggle with an economic crisis that has further damaged schools and hospitals. This situation leaves many without access to food and shelter. The United Nations (U.N.) World Food Programme has had to suspend aid in earthquake-affected areas due to the conflict.
World Vision’s Syria Türkiye Emergency Response
World Vision’s Syria Türkiye Emergency Response (STER) has assisted nearly 2.5 million people. It implemented 15 projects in Northwest Syria, addressing needs such as health services, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and rebuilding schools. The organization also implemented psychological support services to aid recovery from trauma, particularly for children. This support has reached more than 1,300 students in schools. A notable case involved a 9-year-old girl who was terrified of returning to school after her house collapsed during her studies. She expressed “I am afraid to go to school. I don’t want the building to fall down when I start studying again” With the help of World Vision adding mental health support sessions in schools, she has returned to school and is showing considerable improvement.
The anonymous source from World Vision also reports that the organization has assisted 114,064 people in Northwest Syria and 5,937 in Türkiye from the time of the initial disaster to the present. The source also highlighted the enhancement of mental health support, stating, “Following the earthquake, we also provided additional funding to World Vision Syria from private non-sponsorship donations with the goal to reach 9,846 people with psychosocial support.”
Looking Ahead
World Vision has assisted millions through the Syria Türkiye Emergency Response (STER) and other projects, helping citizens of both countries to recover. The Borgen Project inquired about the expected duration of the earthquake recovery efforts. The organization explained that while the initial emergency response has concluded, its focus is now on recovery and building resilience. It shared an excerpt from its strategy plan, which states that it will continue with STER and incorporate it into other projects running from Oct. 2023 until Sept. 2025. This timeline gives the organization an additional 13 months to continue making a difference in the lives of the people in Syria and Türkiye.
– Sabrina Betterly
Photo: Flickr
Haiti’s $23 Million Deficit and Crippling Gang Violence
The Impact of Gang Violence
The U.N. estimates that gang violence affects 2.7 million Haitians, including more than 600,000 children. Since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise, gang activity has surged dramatically. In the first quarter of 2024 alone, gangs killed or injured 2,500 Haitians, a 53% increase from the previous reporting period. Gangs frequently target institutions, including schools, exacerbating poverty across the country. For example, in March, escalating violence forced the closure of the main port in Port-au-Prince, cutting off food supplies and leaving millions hungry.
A Lack of Safety in Schools
In Haiti’s school systems, many teachers are forced to pay gangs to ensure the safety of their students. In Sept. 2021, seven schools paid these armed gangs. With already scarce funding, such payments leave schools lacking essential teaching tools. By the end of Jan. 2024, 900 schools had temporarily shut down due to security concerns. On March 25, gangs set fire to 23 classrooms in a Port-au-Prince school, further destabilizing the education environment.
Amid widespread violence and targeted attacks on schools in Haiti, many families opt not to send their children to school out of fear for their safety. Gang violence has displaced thousands, forcing many to seek refuge in makeshift shelters within school buildings, prompting further school closures. Additionally, a $23 million deficit leaves schools starkly unequipped, lacking even basic furniture like benches or chairs. A 22-year-old Haitian student highlighted the dire conditions to ABC News, stating, “The hardest part of this is that there are no bathrooms.”
Nonprofit Work
The Haiti Education Foundation and Hope for Haiti are actively working to alleviate the educational debt and enhance the schooling system for children by providing scholarships, training teachers and supplying essential back-to-school items. The Haiti Education Foundation is currently matching donations from Sept. 1 through Dec. 15. Additionally, Hope for Haiti is organizing various events, including Celebrating Hope in Greenwich, Connecticut on October 3rd, featuring a silent auction to support Haitian families. Moreover, the U.N. Global Fund Education Cannot Wait has committed a $2.5 million grant aimed at assisting 75,000 children with cash transfers, school feeding programs and other vital initiatives.
Looking Ahead
The escalating gang violence in Haiti severely undermines the country’s education system, leaving schools vulnerable and underfunded. Due to Haiti’s $23 million deficit, many schools struggle to provide even the most necessities, forcing closures and compromising student safety. Nonprofits like the Haiti Education Foundation and Hope for Haiti are stepping in to offer crucial support, but the challenges remain immense as the nation grapples with both violence and a lack of resources.
– Madeline Rozmus
Photo: Flickr
A Path Forward: Addressing Disabilities and Poverty in Serbia
The Scope of Disabilities and Poverty in Serbia
Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe with a population of around 6.6 million, has a significant portion of its population living with disabilities. According to the United Nations (U.N.), around 8% of the population has a disability. Many of these individuals face challenges that are exacerbated by poverty, limiting their access to essential services and opportunities. The combination of disability and poverty creates substantial barriers to health care, education and employment, perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage.
Barriers Faced by Disabled Individuals
The poverty rate in Serbia is a significant concern, with around 24.3% of the population living below the national poverty line. However, individuals with disabilities are disproportionately affected, facing an even higher likelihood of poverty compared to the general population. This disparity exacerbates their struggles with accessing health care, education and employment opportunities, further entrenching them in a cycle of poverty and marginalization. The gap between the overall poverty rate and that of the disabled population highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions.
Health Care Access
Disabled people in Serbia face significant challenges in accessing health care services. Approximately 8% of the population, nearly 600,000 individuals, lives with some form of disability. One in five women and adolescent girls with disabilities report difficulties accessing needed health services. Additionally, one in four women with disabilities is dissatisfied with the sexual and reproductive health services she receives and one in seven has never had a gynecological examination. These challenges are compounded by negative stereotypes and barriers that persist even among health professionals.
Solutions
Several organizations and activities aim to improve conditions for disabled persons in Serbia. For instance, the National Organization of Persons with Disabilities of Serbia (NOOIS) focuses on advocating for disability rights and providing various support services. With representation for more than 800,000 individuals with disabilities, NOOIS has implemented programs such as accessible transport services and educational workshops. In addition, Nordeus, the largest IT company in Serbia, established a corporate foundation with $2.7 million to support the education and training of young IT professionals in the country.
A Call to Action
Addressing the intersection of disability and poverty in Serbia requires continued effort and collaboration. Key areas for improvement include increasing funding for support programs. Additionally, enhancing the accessibility of public services and raising awareness to combat social stigma, will support efforts within the country.
By focusing on practical solutions and promoting positive change, Serbia can make significant strides toward reducing poverty and improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.
– Aneela Agha
Photo: Flickr
Twaweza: A Mission to Empower Citizen Voices in East Africa
We Can Make It Happen
Twaweza means “we can make it happen” in Swahili, and its name captures the charity’s commitment to putting citizens at the center of change. The organization believes in an open society where citizens are informed, engaged and organized to drive positive change in their communities and hold authorities accountable. Twaweza’s mission is centered on three key areas:
Uwezo – Revolutionizing Education Assessment
Launched in 2009, Twaweza’s Uwezo initiative, meaning “capability” in Swahili, targets the learning crisis in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Uwezo assesses millions of children for basic literacy and numeracy skills through a citizen-led approach.
Volunteers conduct large-scale assessments and provide instant feedback to households, engaging communities in educational advocacy. Uwezo’s findings, revealing that many children lack foundational skills, have influenced policy and highlighted educational inequities. The program also demonstrated adaptability by assessing learning in crisis contexts, such as Uganda’s refugee settlements. UNESCO recognized Uwezo in its 2018 Global Education Monitoring Report.
Sauti za Wananchi – Giving Citizens a Voice
In a region where access to reliable data is often limited, Twaweza’s Sauti za Wananchi, meaning ‘Voices of the Citizens’ in Swahili, emerged as a groundbreaking initiative. Launched in 2013, it is Africa’s first nationally representative mobile phone survey. It gathers real-time, nationally representative data on citizens’ views in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The survey, which engages 2,000 participants, led to significant policy impacts, with more than 150 pieces of media coverage and reaching hundreds of policymakers annually. The data collected plays a crucial role in influencing government transparency, policy-making and public debate on issues like education, health and governance. By providing a representative panel and facilitating direct interactions, it amplifies citizen voices, promotes government accountability and drives informed decision-making.
Open Government Partnership
Through its Open Government Partnership (OGP) initiative, Twaweza collaborates with governments. The organization develops and implements action plans that promote transparency, fight corruption and enhance public access to information. Furthermore, it calls on members to enhance reforms in 10 key policy areas over five years to strengthen democracies. The Challenge engages multiple public institutions globally, inspiring policy changes and public debate. With high participation, OGP recognizes outstanding efforts in international forums. Additionally, it boosts global democratic practices and reinforces Twaweza’s advocacy for accountable governance.
Looking Ahead
Twaweza’s work is a powerful reminder of the importance of NGOs for citizen engagement in combating poverty and fostering accountability. Furthermore, the charity is actively helping to create a future where all East Africans can access the services and opportunities they deserve. It stands as a beacon of hope for marginalized communities, demonstrating that through collective action, real change is possible.
– Fatima Naqavi
Photo: Flickr
Prevention Strategy: HIV/AIDS in Cambodia
Correlation Between HDI and the Rate of HIV Incidence
According to a study into the correlation between the Human Development Index (HDI) and the rate of HIV incidence, populations with a higher average socioeconomic strength are more likely to avoid outbreaks of HIV infections. For Cambodia, the country’s HDI has doubled since the ’90s, currently at 0.600 (148th worldwide), supporting the conclusions found in the study.
Ultimately, to satisfy the conditions of the UNAIDS 95-95-95 HIV prevention scheme by the end of the decade, support for the most vulnerable has to be further reassured. These key populations include pregnant mothers, sex workers, people injecting and children living with HIV in impoverished communities. Integrated in 2023, the National Social Assistance Fund (NSAF) envelops efforts to support impoverished individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Cambodia.
Covering Medical Costs for Vulnerable Families
In 2023, Hun Manet’s newly elected government launched the NSAF to centralize health care planning, targeting protection toward the more economically vulnerable across all provinces of Cambodia. Broadly, the fund provides crucial health care benefits for older adults, retired civil servants and those living in impoverished communities.
The social safety nets this fund provides include insurance or cash transfers to cover existing medical costs. While health care is not guaranteed as a dedicated right, it is subsidized based on the approval of a government grant through an application process. This safety net is HIV-sensitive, meaning that individuals living with HIV receive prioritized access. Statistics dating back from 2019 show that beneficiaries of the insurance support amounted to nearly 350,000 pregnant women and children aged less than 2. Recipients of the cash bank transfer scheme were approximately 17,000 impoverished or disabled people.
Tia Phalla, Deputy Director of the National AIDS Authority in Cambodia, argues that people living with HIV can benefit more from financial coverage. She states that nutritional and wage support are as integral as medicinal support and both are offered effectively with economic aid.
Seeking Treatment Anonymously
The new government has nevertheless outlined a new priority to provide upward of 450,000 vulnerable families with health care cards to offer them complete health services coverage. As of December 2023, 13,600 people living with HIV have registered for health care coverage schemes using IDPoor, a smartphone application that alerts HIV treatment centers when a family member is living with the virus. By notifying health care professionals of their status, registrants become eligible for an Equity Card.
This card provides a straightforward and universal way to share their HIV status with treatment centers and other officials. A significant obstacle during the HIV crisis has been the stigmatization of the virus by some uninformed members of the public. The IDPoor registration addresses this issue by offering anonymity to people living with HIV seeking treatment, as their status is revealed through the platform without disclosing their identity publicly.
Final Thoughts
UNAIDS and nonprofit organizations combating HIV/AIDS in Cambodia highlight that an effective health care strategy to counteract increasing HIV infection rates needs to include the following:
Continued efforts in these areas will be essential for maintaining the progress made and ensuring Cambodia’s HIV/AIDS protection strategy is effective. By prioritizing vulnerable populations and strengthening health care infrastructures, Cambodia can move closer to achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and eventually eradicating HIV/AIDS in Cambodia.
– Ramiro Ruiz Martinez
Photo: Flickr
Innovative Ways to Tackle Food Insecurity in Botswana
Alongside unreliable food chains, approximately 70% of Botswana’s landscape is made up of desert and poor soils. Collectively, this contributes to food insecurity in Botswana. Thus, since the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of Botswana has focused on building resilience in food supply chains and domestic production, to improve food security across the country. Addressing food insecurity in Botswana has become a national priority, especially given the increasing vulnerability of the land to natural disasters such as droughts. It is crucial to use innovative solutions to promote food security for their population.
Project Anton Technology
Anton Tech has grown to become an AI research start-up, aiming to transform Botswana’s agriculture industry. It directly addresses the looming threat of food insecurity across the country. The project uses image data, from drones to satellites to cameras, to detect pests and diseases. It can also predict soil organic carbon levels, in turn giving recommendations on the treatments and interventions needed. Additionally, Project Anton uses WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger to increase its accessibility for farmers across Botswana.
Climate-Smart Agriculture
Climate-smart agriculture includes weather forecasting apps and satellite imagery, which can assist in analyzing weather patterns and social moisture levels. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture collaborated with the Botswana Ministry of Agriculture to assist local farmers in climate-smart practices. This led to a 30% crop yield increase for small-scale farmers, according to the African Leadership Magazine.
Furthermore, another climate-smart agriculture technology includes the practice of zero tillage. This is a way to conserve soil carbon, soil structure and moisture. This sustainable management of soil resources has improved crop yields. In the long term, this technology has encouraged farmers to innovatively repurpose their old plows into ripper tools.
Bushvet
Across Botswana, veterinary health services are accessible and efficient. The geography of Botswana often made it difficult for rural cattle to access animal health services. Thus, the Botswana Agricultural Marketing Board initiated the “Bushvet” call-out service, providing farmers with on-farm veterinary services. Additionally, many retired veterinary paraprofessionals could support in delivering basic services such as animal drugs and advisory support. This means Bushvet can operate at a community level, increasing the long-term sustainability of this programme, as well as ensuring peak cattle health for farmer’s businesses.
Capacity Building and Knowledge Bridging
Educational online platforms post up-to-date agricultural techniques, the best practices for pest control, and general market information, and much more. This information is invaluable to farmers across Botswana, bridging their knowledge gap. UShare is a social media platform specifically for farmers, allowing them to exchange knowledge, ask questions, and vitally, connect to experts in the field, according to the African Leadership Magazine.
Tackling Food Insecurity in Botswana
The future of the country’s food security is filled with an abundance of innovative and technological solutions that have the potential to successfully eradicate food insecurity in Botswana. As per Mr. Kgabeng, Co-Founder of Anton Tech, “Put it out there and continue to iterate on it, that is how we improve as innovators and drive toward a better Africa,” the U.N. reports.
– Sian Ameer-Beg
Photo: Flickr
Reducing Unemployment in Somalia
High rates of unemployment worsen already concerning rates of poverty; more than 60% of the population live on less than $2 a day. This means many struggle to feed their families or access education or healthcare. With low employment rates looming over the country, there seems to be no way out of these cycles of poverty.
The Nation of Poets
Somalia has a chance at a different future; known as “The Nation of Poets,” the country is investing more in the arts to help reduce unemployment, especially for younger people. President Sheikh Mohamud launched the National Youth Development Initiative to get more young people into work, with the help of U.S. investments, the World Bank reports.
The World Bank defines the Orange Economy as “a range of economic activities in cultural and creative industries where the main objective is the production or reproduction, promotion, distribution, or commercialisation of goods, services, and activities of content derived from cultural, artistic or heritage origins” and it generates around 30 million jobs every year. Harnessing this area of the economy could be Somalia’s answer to unemployment.
Unemployment in Somalia
Creative industries in Somalia thrived before the civil war but declined during it – now younger people are reviving them, according to the World Bank. The arts are a particularly effective way of reducing unemployment as they offer opportunities for both women and young people, the most affected by unemployment in Somalia.
The Solutions 4 Youth Employment report notes that four areas require changes to improve unemployment rates: training and mentorship; finance and grants; access to international markets; and local community networks for self-sufficiency.
The British Council’s East Africa Arts program is helping provide necessary financial aid to fund training and support people entering the workforce, according to the World Bank. The arts can provide prospects for so many to escape cycles of poverty, through providing opportunities for women and young people, and those whose careers and livelihoods have been impacted by extreme weather and natural disasters.
Other Initiatives
Alongside this investment in the creative industries, there have also been efforts to improve employment rates in numerous different sectors. The U.N. Joint Programme on Youth Employment worked to provide both long and short-term employment for young people by focusing on key areas like agriculture, resulting in 5,000 new jobs.
Organizations like UNFPA and SOLO have been offering training to young people in Somalia to improve their soft skills, a crucial aspect of being employable. This training means that young people are ready and equipped to take up jobs that other programs are helping to create.
Investing in the arts and creative industries could help reduce unemployment in Somalia and provide life-changing chances for so many living in poverty. This focus on harnessing the skills and gifts of Somalia’s young people is instrumental in securing Somalia’s future.
– Eryn Greenaway
Photo: Flickr
Milky Way Program Transforms the Dairy Sector and Poverty
Milky Way Program
The Milky Way program is supported by Heifer International – a development organization working to end hunger and poverty around the world through the provisions of livestock to supplement dairy farming endeavors – in addition to local and Korean partners to upscale the dairy sector in Nepal.
The initiative supplies high-quality Korean Holstein cattle to households in Nepalese villages to engender better-quality output in the dairy sector. For instance, it supplied 100 cows and eight bulls from Korea to the Kamamalai municipality in the Sindhuli district of Nepal. Farmers received training to help them make the most of these cows and learn to produce milk for money thereby increasing their living standards and income while having the ancillary effect of improving their vocational skillsets.
Bishnu Chopai and Heifer International
Aside from the Milky Way program, the main sponsor – Heifer International – has played a crucial role in improving the quality of life in Nepal. Residing in Phalebas, Nepal, Bishnu recounts the trying days when her husband worked as an expatriate in India, and money was still scarce. She was the primary caretaker for the family during the time and worked on raising their goats to earn more money, but only merely survived on that income. She states “I wished for a time when we could all be together as a family… and we could create a better life for ourselves” until Heifer International supplied their family with cows to raise, alongside training for handling those cows. They recognized dairy farming as a legitimate chance to change the fate of their family, and “transitioned from raising goats to cows.”
Raising cows that Heifer provided proved to be life-changing for Bishnu. Their income increased exponentially, and with that so did their living conditions. It also enabled them to break generational poverty by bestowing a guaranteed better future for their children. Both of their children, aged 12 and 14, are now able to receive an education there in Phalebas, thanks to the newfound income. Bishnu and her husband now operate a full-fledged dairy farm, being able to afford to educate their children and cover health expenses, according to Heifer.
Reinforcing These Initiatives
Initiatives like the Milky Way program in Kamamalai, and the provision of cows in Phalebas, have been instrumental in encouraging the growth of the dairy sector and engendering increased dairy farming interest in struggling households. Considering that the extreme poverty rate could rise from 4.9% to 5.1% in the 2024 fiscal year, it is more important than ever to ensure that the progress seen by the country is not undone.
– Disheta Anand
Photo: Flickr
Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar: How Enterprise is Transforming Bangladesh
Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar
Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar focuses on encouraging farming and welfare practices in rural Bangladesh as a means of alleviating poverty. This focus on enterprise has changed the lives of 470,556 people since its inception in 2009.
Agriculture is naturally one of the largest producing sectors in Bangladesh, with approximately 13.31% of its GDP being dependent on it. Furthermore, 43% of the total Bangladeshi labor force are agricultural employees. This has rendered the sector appropriate to focus on for a poverty alleviation program. With this program, the government grants small sums in the form of loans to poor Bangladeshi people to encourage enterprise and improve their living standards.
The Story of Selina
A prime example of the success of Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar is Selina. The job of Selina’s husband was not well-paying, which rendered living a normal life “tough.” They could not maintain their family and expenses, which changed with Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar. Selina, alongside seven other women, decided to change their lives by purchasing a sewing machine and beginning to sell clothes, according to The Daily Messenger. After this, they opened a shop and took a loan from Palli Sanchay Bank as a means of funding the shop and investing in its growth.
Palli Sanchay Bank is the bank responsible for running Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar, and its role is to provide low-interest loans per this initiative. She was soon able to repay the initial loan and sought another one with the hopes of expanding and operating her business on a much larger scale, The Daily Messenger reports. Eventually, her business expanded immeasurably, and her clothes store was found to have changed the lives of Selina and her husband. This was, of course, in addition to the several other women involved with Selina’s store, as she also helped increase employment opportunities for the impoverished in her community by providing them with jobs.
These helpers earned “250 to 300 Taka each day” and Selina’s monthly income now stands at “Taka 50,000 to 60,000 each day.” In addition to the salary by her husband, Selina and the women in her store are now able to lead more comfortable lives.
Tackling Poverty in Bangladesh
Enterprise has been effective in tackling poverty in Bangladesh. Ekti Bari Ekti Khamar has improved the lives of many impoverished people in the country. Furthermore, it has proved that enterprise-focused initiatives can help with the development and prosperity of a nation. Taking small, positive steps in the right direction involves advocacy and amplifying the aims/results of great initiatives like these, to ensure greater visibility and eventually more parity on the global stage.
– Disheta Anand
Photo: Flickr
The Impact of AI on Agriculture in Kenya and Nigeria
Kenya
Kenya, with a population of about 55 million, has enjoyed relative economic and political stability recently, with a projected growth rate of 5.2% from 2024 to 2026. Despite these positivities, the country faces ongoing issues such as poverty, inequality and natural disasters.
Agriculture, which employs more than 40% of Kenya’s workforce and contributes 33% to GDP, is central to the economy. Smallholder farmers, making up more than 70% of the farming population, are essential for both economic stability and food supply. However, farmers battle unpredictable weather, limited access to information and insufficient resources to cope with the effects of natural disasters.
In 2023, approximately 4.4 million Kenyans experienced severe food insecurity, reflecting the sector’s difficulties with financing, quality inputs and crucial information such as weather forecasts and market prices, according to the 2024 GSMA report.
Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with more than 220 million people, is experiencing rapid growth at an annual rate of more than 2.6%. Despite this, the nation faces substantial economic and social challenges, including stagnant GDP per capita, high poverty rates, and inadequate infrastructure. Agriculture, which employs 40% of the workforce and contributes 24% to GDP, is critical to the economy, yet only 35% of arable land is actively farmed.
Nigerian farmers deal with erratic weather, security issues, poor infrastructure as well as problems like poor seeds, labour shortages, and the loss of farmland to urbanisation, according to ICT Works.
In July 2023, Nigeria declared a food insecurity emergency, forecasting that 26.5 million people could face acute hunger in 2024 due to frequent droughts and floods impacting food production.
The Impact of AI on Agriculture in Kenya
Launched in 2023, Digital Green’s Farmer Chat improves farming advice by offering personalized support to extension workers. It uses information from videos, call logs and factsheets to provide real-time assistance, having already sent more than 134,000 messages in Swahili and English, according to the 2024 GSMA report. Plans are underway to expand its coverage to more crops and regions.
Founded in 2023, Amini addresses the lack of environmental data – such as soil quality and rainfall patterns – which the World Bank identified in 2022. Amino’s platform uses AI and satellite technology for crop monitoring, yield predictions and risk assessments.
Partnering with TensorFlow technology, PlantVillage U.S. nonprofit has developed an AI-powered app to identify plant diseases. The app detects issues on plant leaves such as and recognizes patterns indicating disease outbreaks, helping to combat the 33% crop loss Kenyan farmers face each year due to pests and diseases. The app has attracted more than 10,000 users, who have reported an average 40% increase in crop yields.
The Impact of AI on Agriculture in Nigeria
Crop2Cash offers FarmAdvice, a hotline that gives farming advice via a toll-free number. Since its launch in July 2024, FarmAdvice has provided personalized recommendations in local languages to more than 500,000 farmers across 13 states, helping them increase their incomes and crop yields, according to the 2024 GSMA report.
AirSmart provides AI-driven solutions by collecting and analyzing data from drones, satellites, soil sensors and loT devices. The insights help manage water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage, predict yields and offer data-driven farm management recommendations, according to ICT Works.
The World Food Program (WFP) has developed a predictive model that forecasts food shortages up to 30 days in advance, according to the 2024 GSMA report. By looking at past food consumption data alongside market prices and weather conditions, this tool helps provide early warnings of potential food shortages.
Staying on Track
The impact of AI on agriculture is already being felt in Kenya and Nigeria, but keeping an eye on persistent issues is essential to fully realize its potential. AI is advancing especially in data-driven advisory and financial services, but the high costs of precision tools like loT sensors and drones are problematic. Making these technologies more accessible is important for maximizing the impact of AI on agriculture. While generative AI could assist farmers with low literacy or disabilities, improving digital literacy and ensuring AI services are accessible on affordable mobile devices will enable wider adoption of new agricultural practices among smallholder farmers.
– Georgia O’Keeffe
Photo: Flickr