Kenyan innovator Esther Kimani has clinched the esteemed Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation for her groundbreaking invention leveraging artificial intelligence (AI).
Kimani, alongside her team, developed a solar-powered tool employing AI and machine learning-enabled cameras to rapidly detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases.
Kimani’s remarkable achievement was celebrated at an event hosted at a Nairobi hotel, attended by over 80 innovators from across Africa. Her groundbreaking innovation earned her a prize of Sh8.3 million.
Her invention, labeled as ‘Farmer Lifeline Technologies,’ was recognized for its capability to swiftly detect and identify agricultural pests and diseases, resulting in a significant reduction in crop losses for smallholder farmers (up to 30 percent) while boosting yields by as much as 40 percent.
Not only does Kimani’s innovation provide real-time alerts within five seconds of an infestation, with tailored intervention recommendations, but it also alerts government agricultural officers to the presence of diseases or pests, contributing to broader agricultural management efforts.
Kimani revealed that her inspiration for the innovation stemmed from witnessing the losses incurred by smallholder farmers in her village in Tigoni, Nyandarua county, due to pests and diseases. This motivated her to develop a lasting solution to minimize losses and maximize production.
Utilizing computer vision algorithms and advanced machine learning, the solar-powered tool detects and identifies crop pests, pathogens, or diseases, along with the nature of the infection or infestation.
Farmers are then notified via SMS, providing an affordable alternative to traditional detection methods. Kimani offers device leases for just $3 per month, significantly cheaper than hiring drones or agricultural inspectors.
Currently, Kimani and her team are collaborating with approximately 5,000 farmers in central Kenya, with plans to expand to five more counties by the end of the year, potentially doubling their impact.
“My parents would lose up to 40 per cent of their crops each farming season, which affected our standard of living. We are empowering smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, to increase their income. We aim to scale to one million farmers in the next five years,” she said.
Esther Kimani expressed her commitment to utilizing her prize money to further enhance her innovation, aiming to reach more smallholder farmers and contribute to enhancing food production and security not only in Kenya but across the continent.
Kelvin Maina, another innovative mind from Kenya, secured Sh2.5 million to advance his invention known as ‘Eco Tiles.’ Maina’s innovation revolves around producing environmentally friendly roofing materials made from recycled plastics.
These tiles boast superior strength and lighter weight compared to traditional clay or concrete tiles, offering a dual solution to plastic pollution and high building costs.
Maina elaborated on the innovative manufacturing process, which involves a custom-made extrusion machine.
This machine blends different plastics at varying temperatures, eliminating the need for energy-intensive processes like kiln-burning and reducing carbon emissions. This approach underscores Maina’s dedication to sustainable and eco-friendly solutions in the construction industry.
“The tiles are enhanced with UV stabilisation chemicals and construction sand to improve durability and sturdiness,” he said.
Since its establishment in 2016, Maina’s firm has been processing approximately 20 tonnes of plastics daily to manufacture around 1,500 eco tiles. With a focus on expanding production capacity, Maina aims to meet the increasing demand for his innovative roofing materials.
To date, over half a million eco tiles have been utilized in the construction of approximately 348 houses. Despite the high demand, Maina remains committed to his mission of combating plastic pollution while providing affordable building materials and contributing to job creation.
Catriona MacArthur, the senior manager of the Africa Programme, highlighted the significant impact of the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.
Since its inception in 2014 by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the prize has supported nearly 150 entrepreneurs across 23 African countries. Through their innovative products and services, these entrepreneurs have generated over 28,000 jobs and benefited more than 10 million people.
The Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation, funded by the UK government, including the UK’s Global Challenges Research Fund and the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology Official Development Assistance funding, as well as charitable trusts, foundations, individual donors, and corporate partners, serves as a platform for African innovators to develop scalable engineering solutions to address local challenges.
