Digital agriculture in LMICs - 6 Feb #78
Ethiopia reveals much anticipated digital agriculture roadmap; Agritech a priority for India's foundational AI model
04/02/25
Ethiopia launches digital agriculture roadmap
Ethiopia’s government has launched its Digital Agriculture Roadmap that aims to modernise the agricultural sector, increase production and productivity in the country. The roadmap, which was developed by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in collaboration with the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) and the Gates Foundation, will be implemented from 2025 to 2032.
The roadmap builds upon the 2022 Digital Extension and Advisory Services (DEAS) roadmap 2030. It is structured on two phases. The first phase 2025-2029 will focus on strengthening the enabling environment while developing the highest impact use cases. Enabling environment initiatives include establishing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) such as a data stack with APIs and farmer profiles and unique IDs. In addition, the plan is to create “digital kiosks” to allow farmers to adopt use cases. The government also plans to improve digital literacy for both farmers and extension agents.
Source: Boston Consulting Group
The second phase to 2032 will focus on scaling digital agriculture solutions across the country. Five use cases have been prioritised including access to credit and insurance; input distribution via top-down demand data assessment; tracking of inputs to ensure transparency and efficiency in the supply chain; tracking and monitoring of disease outbreaks, adverse weather events and pest attacks; and linking farmers with national and international markets via e-commerce platforms.
02/02/25
India details plans for foundational AI model, agriculture a priority sector
India is set to launch a cost-effective domestic foundational AI model tailored to its unique needs and focusing on a agriculture as a key sector of society and the economy. The move aims to position the country as a global leader in AI, following the examples of the US and China. The model should be available in six months. It will leverage advanced computing infrastructure under the so called “IndiaAI Mission” with a view to develop digital services in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and in addressing climate change. The model will support Indian languages and local applications, making AI more accessible for researchers, students, and businesses.
The IndiaAI Mission is a government-led initiative launched in March 2024 to establish the country as a global leader in AI research and development. The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITy) has been allocated USD INR 20 billion (USD 230 million) for IndiaAI mission for 2025-26. The government has also shortlisted 10 companies that will provide nearly 19,000 graphics processing units (GPUs) for setting up artificial intelligence (AI) data centres in the country, and fund the development of foundational models.
In other news:
27/01/25
Pula Secures $10.4M Bayer Grant for agri insurance in Africa, South Asia
Pula Foundation has secured a EUR 10 million grant (USD 10.4 million) from Bayer Foundation to provide insurance coverage for 10 million smallholder farmers in Africa and South Asia by 2030. The grant should unlock USD 127 million in insurance coverage through public-private partnerships with governments in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Mali. This public-private partnership model builds on a 2021 initiative in Zimbabwe, where similar insurance coverage expanded from 31,000 farmers to over a million in three years.
Founded in 2014, Insurtech Pula has developed data-driven agricultural insurance products protecting farmers from climate risks like droughts and floods, supporting financial stability and food security. Its approach includes bundling agricultural inputs with insurance and agronomic advisory services to cover risks to smallholder farmers. The Pula Foundation aims to build resilience for 30 million vulnerable people annually by 2030, integrating insurance into public-private partnerships with insurers across emerging markets in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
24/01/25
NiMet, MTN, Tomorrow.io partner for digital climate advisory in Nigeria
New details have emerged about a partnership between the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), mobile operator MTN, and weather intelligence and climate adaptation company Tomorrow.io. The three organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a Digital Climate Advisory Services (DCAS) solution offering location-specific, actionable weather advisories to Nigerian farmers on mobile phones. The DCAS system will provide real-time weather insights via SMS, helping farmers mitigate climate-related risks.
Source: Daily Times Nigeria
Under the partnership, MTN will leverage its base of 78 million mobile connections, representing 38% market share, to disseminate localised weather and climate information. MTN Group has a pre-existing collaboration with Tomorrow.io to provide early warnings and critical weather information to 300+ million people across Africa.