The University of Rwanda’s Theofrida Muginga, a young female scholar, is at the forefront of innovation with her creation of ‘Mkulima GPT,’ a Swahili chatbot powered by ChatGPT. This initiative aims to bolster small-scale farmers by diagnosing crop diseases and dispensing agricultural guidance that resonates with local culture.
Under the name ‘Mkulima GPT,’ this pioneering venture synergizes artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) to serve the needs of smallholder farmers, particularly those with scant resources. “The agricultural sector is fundamental in my family’s livelihood,” shares Theofrida Muginga, the brain behind MKULIMA CHATGPT. “This brings into perspective the numerous farmers yet to embrace technology.
Among the technological tools at our disposal is CHATGPT, and while many farmers might be unaware or indifferent, this artificial intelligence technology has immense potential.” A distinctive feature of ‘Mkulima GPT’ is its dedication to local dialects and its ambition to broaden its services to encompass more African languages. To ensure widespread accessibility, ‘Mkulima GPT’ has set up a virtual platform, complete with a dedicated website and a WhatsApp contact, through which farmers can seek advice on various subjects ranging from farm preparation and maize disease control to post-harvest practices.
“Our goal is to see many farmers adopting this technology. We are also exploring the integration of Kinyarwanda into CHATGPT. During the app’s development phase, we engaged with farmers and identified [head] smut as prevalent crop disease.” “[Head] smut is perpetuated by suboptimal farming practices, but our application consistently promotes best practices to prevent the recurrence of the disease.” Currently in its trial phase, the project is open to user feedback and is slated for launch in December. The team is collaborating with experts in agriculture and AI to refine the application’s capabilities, ensuring it is well-equipped to assist smallholder farmers.
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