Across rural Malawi, farmers are now making use of innovative technology to improve their harvests and cope with the realities of climate change. The tool is a farming chatbot created by the NGO Opportunity International, now being used by more than 180,000 rural households. One of the beneficiaries is Alex Maere.
“When we joined the chatbot group, we rented farming fields and cultivated different crops, including maize. We have been able to harvest enough. Even with some challenges, we have seen success because we managed to sell the maize. I also earned money and invested in tomato farming, which gives me confidence for the future. We are grateful for the reliable advice from the chatbot because it has helped us a lot in many ways. We have gained much,” Maere shared.
According to Richard Chongo, Country Director for Opportunity International Malawi, the chatbot was designed to be accessible to all, regardless of literacy levels. “The good thing about this tool is that it responds when asked through text. You can also use voice, and it will reply with a voice note. This makes it easier for people who cannot read or write, and it can even process questions through pictures,” he explained.
