African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has teamed up with global and regional partners to empower women and youth in the rice sector.
The initiative will provide businesses with precise climate data to guide rice farming decisions, particularly in planting, irrigation, and pest control, to improve productivity and resilience.
It will deliver weather insight, such as rainfall forecasts, temperature patterns, and seasonal trends via Internet platform and SMS notifications, helping farmers make informed choices to enhance yields and reduce climate-related risks.
This will lead to more sustainable rice production, with higher income for farmers. Funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Grand Challenges initiative, the project brings together Michigan State University (MSU), Kenya’s Cereal Growers Association (CGA), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Benue State University (BSU).
AATF, in a statement by Communication Officer for East and Southern Africa, George Achia, said the Climate-Smart Decision Support System Project would integrate local and satellite data to deliver practical climate insight for rice farmers.
