Digital tools bridge Kenya’s extension gap as farmers face climate shocks
Kista Ogot, field coordinator at the Digital Green Foundation, demonstrates how FarmerChat, a digital agricultural extension platform, works during the Kenya Youth in Agrifood Systems Summit 2026 (KYASS 2026) at the Kenya School of Government, Kabete, Nairobi. The summit ran from September 2 to 4, 2026.
What you need to know:
- A recent government Agriculture Extension Manual puts the extension agent-to-farmer ratio at about 1:1,380, against a national target of 1:600 and the FAO-recommended 1:400.
Kenya’s agricultural extension system is under growing strain as public extension officers dwindle while farmers needing technical advice increase.
A recent government Agriculture Extension Manual puts the extension agent-to-farmer ratio at about 1:1,380, against a national target of 1:600 and the FAO-recommended 1:400.
The shortage is more urgent as climate change brings unpredictable weather, prolonged droughts, floods, rising temperatures and increased pest and disease outbreaks. Farmers need timely information on when to plant, which varieties to use, how to manage pests and diseases, and when to apply fertiliser or crop protection products.
With conventional extension services struggling to reach every farmer, digital technology is emerging as a tool to bridge the gap.
One such innovation is FarmerChat, a digital agricultural extension platform developed by Digital Green Foundation to provide farmers with timely information and technical advice via mobile phones.
Kista Ogot, Digital Green field coordinator, says the technology responds to the scarcity of extension officers. “Many extension officers are retiring at 60, and they are not being replaced at the same rate. In some places, the few available are serving very many farmers,” she says.
FarmerChat allows farmers to seek information by typing questions, using voice or photographing a crop affected by pests or disease.
It builds on Digital Green’s earlier Video-based Extension work in Kiambu, Makueni and Nandi, where farmers accessed videos on recommended practices for crops and livestock.
A baseline survey found access to advisory services was low. In some areas, one extension officer served about 6,000 farmers, making regular one-on-one support difficult. This led to digital tools that could extend advisers’ reach. FarmerChat launched in Kenya around November 2024 after experiments with chatbots on Telegram and WhatsApp.
Earlier versions had limited weather information and fewer value chains.
The current version covers crop value chains grown in Kenya and livestock kept by farmers. “The platform is a one-stop digital extension service, allowing farmers to access localised information without waiting for an extension officer to visit,” Ogot explains.
A dairy farmer seeking to increase milk production from 10 to 20 litres can ask for advice on housing cleanliness, feeding, mineral supplementation and other factors. A crop farmer facing a pest or disease outbreak can upload a photograph; the system analyses the image and provides information on symptoms, preventive measures and control options.
Ogot says the platform does not promote specific agrochemical companies. “It can indicate the active ingredient required, allowing the farmer to consult an agrovet for a product containing it.”
The tool also incorporates weather information. A weather widget provides a three-day forecast to guide farming activities. For example, a coffee farmer planning to spray against coffee leaf rust or coffee berry disease can check the forecast first. “If there is a high likelihood of rain, the farmer can postpone spraying because rainfall can wash away the product,” Ogot says.
A crop calendar feature advises on what to plant after harvest, based on localized agricultural information and market considerations. The same information can guide sowing, weeding and fertiliser application.
The growth of digital extension comes as farmers increasingly use mobile phones to access information. Hildah Akwona Moyia, an ecosystem officer at Impact Hub Nairobi, says adoption is growing, though challenges remain.
Some farmers lack smartphones or have devices that cannot support digital applications. “Others lack technical skills or appropriate equipment, while some spend much time outdoors and may find digital engagement unfamiliar,” Akwona says.
Trust is another issue. Farmers need confidence that information is accurate and relevant. “There are challenges around access to smartphones, technical expertise and trust. Farmers need support and incentives to embrace these technologies,” she urges.
Despite these barriers, many farmer-facing organisations are incorporating digital components, and farmers are becoming more connected through mobile phones and digital communities.
Impact Hub Nairobi is implementing the Advancing Agricultural Circularity Programme and examining adoption of organic and regenerative products. Akwona says uptake of ecological farming practices is strong because many farmers already practise techniques associated with regenerative agriculture, even if they do not use the term. Farmers are more receptive to innovations that improve practices they understand, such as using manure or harvesting rainwater, rather than technologies requiring completely new inputs.
This offers a lesson for digital agricultural services: technology must respond to farmers’ existing knowledge and needs while offering practical solutions.
Digital Green Foundation participated in the Kenya Youth in Agrifood Systems Summit 2026 (KYASS 2026) from September 2–4 at the Kenya School of Government, Kabete, Nairobi, under the theme “Youth Leading Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems,” showcasing how the platform operates.
FarmerChat is available on Android devices and has no subscription fee. It currently provides information in English, with simplified Swahili under development. “Other Kenyan languages could be incorporated in the future,” Ogot said.
Ogot stresses that FarmerChat is not intended to replace extension officers. “Artificial Intelligence is not here to take the jobs of extension officers. It is here to complement them,” she states.
Digital Green is working with agricultural research and development organisations including KALRO, ILRI, ICIPE, IFPRI and other CGIAR institutions. Other partners contribute specialised information on organic farming, regenerative agriculture and agroecology. The organisation is also exploring partnerships with microfinance and credit institutions to help farmers access financial services.
Ogot says Digital Green wants farmers to increasingly adopt regenerative and agroecological practices to cope with climate change.
For farmers facing drought, erratic rainfall, new pest outbreaks and other climate shocks, timely information can mean the difference between early action and losses.
For extension officers, the platform can also serve as a reference and training tool. Instead of carrying large amounts of printed material, officers can use digital information to refresh their knowledge and respond to questions. This dual role, serving farmers directly while supporting extension officers, could become increasingly important as Kenya strengthens agricultural advisory services.
