NextFin news, On this Friday, September 12, 2025, Malawi launched an AI chatbot named 'Ulangizi' to provide farming advice to small-scale farmers across the country. The initiative, supported by the Malawian government and developed by the non-profit Opportunity International, aims to help farmers improve crop yields and adapt to climate-related challenges.
Malawi, a southern African nation where over 80% of the 21 million population depend on agriculture, faces frequent climate disasters such as cyclones and droughts that severely impact food security. The AI chatbot was introduced as a response to these challenges, offering tailored agricultural guidance in both Chichewa and English languages.
The chatbot operates on WhatsApp, allowing farmers to type or speak their questions and receive audio or text responses. It can identify crop diseases from photos and suggest suitable crops and farming techniques. For farmers without smartphones, the program employs farmer support agents who carry smartphones with the app to assist them directly in their villages. One such agent, Patrick Napanja, visits groups of farmers weekly to facilitate access to the AI tool.
Alex Maere, a 59-year-old farmer from the village of Sazola near Mount Mulanje, shared his experience using the chatbot. After Cyclone Freddy devastated his farm in 2023, the AI advised him to diversify his crops by planting potatoes alongside corn and cassava. Following this advice, Maere successfully cultivated potatoes on half a soccer field and earned over $800 in sales, enabling him to pay his children's school fees.
According to Richard Chongo, Opportunity International's country director for Malawi, the chatbot is designed to overcome barriers such as low literacy, language diversity, and limited digital infrastructure. The app provides responses in audio format and supports local languages to ensure accessibility.
Despite the benefits, challenges remain, including poor internet connectivity in rural areas and the cost of internet access. The Malawian agriculture ministry's extension methodologies officer, Webster Jassi, noted that while the chatbot aligns with official farming advice, scaling the tool to reach more communities requires addressing these infrastructural issues.
Experts like Daniel Mvalo, a Malawian technology specialist, emphasize the importance of trust in AI tools, warning that inaccurate advice could harm farmers' livelihoods. The government and developers have programmed the chatbot to provide reliable, locally relevant information to mitigate such risks.
The introduction of 'Ulangizi' represents a significant step in leveraging artificial intelligence to support Malawi's agriculture sector, which is crucial for the country's economy and food security. By combining AI technology with human support, Malawi aims to enhance the resilience and productivity of its small-scale farmers amid ongoing environmental and economic challenges.
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