Groundbreaking SA platform AI Farmer harnesses AI to empower small farmers - Francois Rossouw, CEO SAAI

Farmers in Southern Africa face numerous challenges, including water scarcity, climate change, fluctuating commodity prices, and pest management. To tackle these issues, the Southern African Agricultural Initiative (SAAI) has introduced AI Farmer, an innovative AI platform designed specifically for family farmers. This world-first, WhatsApp-based platform leverages vast amounts of data to provide timely answers to farmers’ most pressing questions. CEO Francois Rossouw said in an interview with Biznews that SAAI recognised the potential of AI technology after advancements in large language models, understanding its value in agriculture. With over 13,000 topics available, AI Farmer has already made a significant impact by addressing issues like a water contamination crisis in an Eastern Cape goat herd and helping vegetable farmers in Rustenburg access new fertilizers and seeds. The platform even identified a recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease through increased inquiries, alerting authorities before government agencies were notified. In collaboration with local partner Vectormind, AI Farmer is available in 83 languages to bridge the knowledge gap for small farmers. Rossouw cites the example of a demonstration in Malawi where the app provided a perfect answer in Chechewa. With too few experts available to reach small farmers, he emphasises that AI offers the potential to extend knowledge to approximately 570 million smallholders who cultivate about 24% of the world’s agricultural land.