The Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, has revealed that the government plans to deploy drones to collect critical soil data.
Speaking on Tuesday, April 8, during a meeting with a delegation from the Rockefeller Foundation, the CS disclosed that the government would seek a partnership with aviation companies in the country to equip drones with the necessary software to collect soil data and kickstart the project.
Currently, soil data is collected through labs; however, according to the CS, shifting from this traditional method to a more technologically advanced soil data collection system will be more efficient for farmers.
Once the drones have collected and analyzed the soil data, they will relay the information directly to farmers through their mobile phones.
"Right now, we are using our labs, but in the future, we want that to become a lot more efficient. When I was a kid, I remember there used to be people who came to the farms and advised the farmers on what they needed to do after analyzing the soil. This is where we want to get back to – a point where a farmer feels informed," he said.
"I believe the use of technology today is much easier because we can send information through our phones, just like how we are sending information about fertilizer. There’s no reason why we can't extend that to their soils and everything else they are doing," he added.
Furthermore, the CS assured that the ministry would partner with county governments to ensure agricultural colleges integrate technology into their education systems, equipping agricultural officers with more advanced, technology-oriented techniques to carry out their duties.
"We want to revive our agricultural schools by integrating technology and teaching the use of technology in agriculture. This is an area we want to explore with our supporters," he said.
The development comes two days after the CS revealed that the government is also set to establish a special Agricultural Police Unit in its effort to curb the accelerating cases of avocado theft in the country.
The CS, who held a meeting with members of the Avocado subsector on Monday, April 7, said that the new Unit will be responsible for protecting avocados both in the farms and after harvest to protect the livelihood of farmers in the country.
“To protect the livelihoods of our farmers, we must ensure that their hard work is not lost to unlawful activity," he said.
"The Agriculture Police will help secure farms and maintain order across the value chain,” he added.
