After Cyclone Freddy damaged farms in southern Malawi, some smallholder farmers began using a WhatsApp-based AI chatbot (“Ulangizi”) from Opportunity International to get practical guidance on crops, soil issues, and disease identification. One farmer followed the tool’s advice to diversify into potatoes alongside staples, improving income and household stability. The article also notes challenges to scaling these tools, including limited smartphone access, connectivity, electricity, and the risk that incorrect AI advice could reduce trust.

Read more (click here): https://apnews.com/article/malawi-ai-farmers-climate-weather-agriculture-31979c49ed66b8222ea6afe7e3247770