Precision agriculture holds potential for millions of smallholder farmers

The Rwanda Space Agency (RSA) has said it has deployed what is called Geo-Hub, a platform that uses satellite imagery to monitor the country’s farmlands in real time. The portal gathers data from satellites and government databases, organises it into layers, such as land use and crops, and then uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to generate actionable insights to use in decision making. In practice, the platform identifies areas where crops are stressed or where soil lacks necessary nutrients, alerting officials to where irrigation or fertilizer is needed most to boost production. This is critical because many smallholder farmers struggle to understand the health of their crops, later alone that of the soil for which they grow their plants. As a result, yields are lost at the very stage where productivity is supposed to be nurtured. Providing practical tools to farmers, most of whom are smallholders with limited access to the latest technologies, is a step in the right direction. With these tools, farmers can better determine where and when to plant, what crops to grow, how to care for them, and even predict expected yields. More importantly, the new portal can analyse historical and near-real-time weather data to identify areas at risk of drought, floods, and other climate-related hazards. This enables early planning and informed decision-making, helping farmers reduce losses before disasters strike. For a country whose economy is largely agrarian, where agriculture employs the majority of the population and more than 83 per cent of production is driven by smallholder farmers, empowering the sector with technology is not just logical, but essential. Such tools can significantly minimise losses while boosting productivity and resilience. Encouragingly, the sector has already begun embracing technological innovation. Farmers in the Eastern Province are using smart irrigation systems to better manage water use, while others across the country are increasingly adopting mobile applications to monitor weather patterns and crop health. In addition, modern practices such as hydroponic farming are gaining traction, signalling a gradual but meaningful transformation in agricultural practices. That is exactly the power of precision agriculture. It means farmers can grow with clarity, predict yields, and as a result, productivity will improve, thereby transforming the sector and millions who depend on it.

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Precision agriculture holds potential for millions of smallholder farmers