Farming, like every other sector, is quickly embracing technology to simplify tasks that often took hours and were cumbersome.  One of those sectors is managing crops.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

For generations, spraying crops meant carrying a heavy knapsack across fields for hours under the scorching sun for many small-scale farmers.

Today, that task can be completed by a drone in just seven minutes, a shift experts say could transform how Kenyan farmers manage their land.

Speaking on Friday, July 24, during the 24th episode of Co-op Bank's Youth Forums, which focused on how smart farming, including the use of drones and artificial intelligence, is assisting farmers in reducing costs, drone service provider Alex Mugane stated that speed is the main selling point for drones.

📌 What You Need to Know

"We spray one acre in seven minutes.. If you give me five acres, within 45 minutes maximum I am done with your farm," Mugane explained

According to Mugane, the efficiency extends beyond time, as a drone fitted with a 30-litre tank can spray up to three acres in a single trip, while a 50-litre tank comfortably covers five acres.

"It is more efficient than spraying with the knapsack," he said.

Modern agricultural drones are increasingly becoming flying data collection tools, giving farmers a detailed picture of what is happening across their fields before problems become visible.

Using NDVI and RGB imaging, drones can assess crop health by measuring chlorophyll levels,  Mugane explained.

The data is then analysed using artificial intelligence to help farmers identify stressed crops and determine the most appropriate interventions.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke