Kenyan innovator Esther Kimani wins Sh8.1 million Africa prize for AI-powered farming

Kenyan Esther Kimani has clinched the prestigious Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, from the Royal Academy of Engineering, for a tool that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases on farms.

She is the third woman in Africa and the second in Kenya to win this esteemed award, after Edmund Wessels and Anatoli Kirigwajjo from South Africa, who were joint winners in 2023.

Kimani's solar-powered tool is called Farmer Lifeline Technologies. It boasts a detection accuracy of 97 per cent and is affordable, costing just $3 per month, significantly cheaper than traditional detection methods.

She was awarded Sh8.1 million (£50,000), the largest sum in the prize's history, money she plans to use to develop her innovative device and broaden its reach.

"I aim to scale up my innovation so that it can benefit one million farmers in Kenya in the next five years," she stated at the award ceremony in Nairobi on Thursday.

Kimani's inspiration stemmed from watching her parents lose up to 40 per cent of crops each farming season due to pests and diseases. Her innovation promises to reduce crop losses for smallholder farmers by up to 30 per cent and increase yields by 40 per cent.

"This device offers a much-needed solution for the five million smallholder farmers in Kenya, who typically lose about 33 per cent of their crops to pests and diseases," she said.

Kimani developed the tool while studying computer science at the University of Eldoret. It uses computer vision algorithms and advanced machine learning to identify crop pests, pathogens, or diseases and notifies farmers via SMS.

The tool, which works round-the-clock, provides real-time alerts within five seconds of an infestation and offers tailored intervention suggestions. It also alerts government agricultural officers to the presence of diseases or pests, contributing to broader agricultural management efforts.

The innovation supports 5,000 farmers in central Kenya and Kimani plans to double this number by the end of the year.

"I am very happy to win this prestigious award. I look forward to scaling my innovation to five other countries in Africa to help farmers control pests at the farm level," she said.

The prize money will further enhance food production and security across the continent.

From @AskwarHilonga, the first ever winner to Esther Kimani, the 10th winner. Tonight, Esther was revealed as the winner of our 2024 #AfricaPrize for Engineering Innovation on its 10th anniversary, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Her early crop pest and disease detection device won the… pic.twitter.com/iOyck3trQ2

— RAEngGlobal (@RAEngGlobal) June 13, 2024

Kevin Maina, another Kenyan innovator, received Sh2.5 million for his innovation, Eco Tiles, an environmentally friendly roofing material made from recycled plastic that is stronger and lighter than traditional tiles.

Maina's firm, founded in 2016, processes about 20 tonnes of plastic daily to produce approximately 1,500 tiles, and he aims to expand his production capacity.

Catriona MacArthur, Senior Manager of the Africa Programme, said the Africa Prize has supported nearly 150 entrepreneurs in 23 countries, generating over 28,000 jobs and benefiting more than 10 million people.

Established in 2014, the Africa Prize is Africa's largest award dedicated to developing African innovators and maximising their impact. It is supported by the UK government, charitable trusts, foundations, corporate partners, and individual donors.

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