DevGlobal

Creating #AI that works for #agriculture means addressing real-world constraints: spotty connectivity in rural areas, diverse local languages, and the need to respect farmers' knowledge. These factors determine whether technology becomes a practical tool or just another barrier. Our team explored these challenges while developing the 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶-𝗟𝗟𝗠𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 for AGX 𝗔𝗜 [https://lnkd.in/dCfM_dXV] - a collaboration between @DevGlobal, Dev-Afrique, and Athena Infonomics, supported by the Gates Foundation. This initiative brings together diverse stakeholders to build AI tools that actually work for small-scale producers. And when we joined the unconference-style gatherings in #Nairobi and #Bengaluru, we heard directly from farmers, researchers, technologists, and policymakers exploring responsible AI implementation in agriculture. Farmers' experiences reinforced what our technical research was showing: 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝘼𝙄 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨. "The future of agriculture won't be built by more AI, but by the right AI: localized, low-cost, and designed for the realities of small-scale producers," as Malcolm Durosaye, AI and Ethics Researcher at Dev-Afrique, and co-author of the paper, put it during the discussions. Our paper examines how AI models can be adapted to work offline, support multiple languages, and integrate farmers' knowledge - making them truly useful in diverse agricultural contexts where 86% of India's farmers operate on small holdings. We're continuing this work alongside our partners to ensure AI development focuses on farmers' actual needs rather than just technical possibilities. Learn more: https://agx.community/ #DPI #AIinAgriculture #DigitalPublicInfrastructure #SmallholderFarmers #LocalizedAI Ridwan Sorunke | Shuko Musemangezhi| Femi Royal | Femi Adekoya | Matt Manning | David Bergvinson - BeSustainable_io| CGIAR Digital Transformation | International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) | Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH | Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains Initiative | The Agri Collaboratory

DevGlobal is on the road – first up, Seamus Geraty attended SatCamp Boulder this year. Read his reflections, which cover embeddings, foundational models, and why better UI and fine-tuning matter for last-mile use. Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/dnCnPtdS 

Are you working on health data systems in Niger State? Submit your proposal to The Umbrella Fund | Geospatial Interventions latest funding opportunity. Applications close on Friday.

How might we restore soils, protect wildlife, and strengthen food security as one system? Across Africa and beyond, growing nutrition security needs and threatened biodiversity are interdependent and often present trade-offs. But those trade-offs aren’t inevitable. Explore two recent DevGlobal pieces on what systems-level collaboration can look like in practice: 1️⃣ Senior Advisors David Gadsden and David Bergvinson - BeSustainable_io in conversation on soil as the foundation linking food security and biodiversity: https://lnkd.in/dSZMj9Wc 2️⃣ An in-depth look from David Bergvinson at how regenerative practices, geospatial insights, and farmer-led innovation can reinforce both people and planet: https://lnkd.in/gMUbmsRE We’re continuing these conversations this week at the Mercy Corps AgriFin ALE 2025 in Nairobi and later this year at World Agri-Tech Forum. If you’ll be at either, we’d love to connect and exchange ideas on bridging #agriculture, #conservation, and technology for a more resilient future.

New blog on the DevGlobal site, “Turning convenings into communities”. We share a before, during, and after approach that turns a single event into a durable network, with examples from NASA Lifelines, AGX, PepsiCo Greenhouse Accelerator APAC, GeoField, and Geopalooza.  Read the post here https://lnkd.in/gDKCQkG6 

Are we measuring what really matters in rainwater harvesting? While RWH has expanded across Sub-Saharan Africa, most evaluations still focus on short-term crop gains, missing the bigger picture. Our partners at GeoField explore how Earth observation can help assess long-term resilience and guide smarter climate adaptation. A worthwhile read for anyone working in sustainable water, agriculture, or climate:

We're looking forward to Mercy Corps AgriFin 9th AgriFin Learning Event (#ALE2025) where we'll join DevGlobal and other partners exploring emerging technologies in African agricultural systems. 📅 14 Oct 2025 | 📍 Radisson Blu, Nairobi A highlight of the event will be Emmanuel Makau's session on "𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶-𝗦𝗠𝗘𝘀", examining how #AI and digital innovations can strengthen agricultural value chains across the continent. AGX AI [https://lnkd.in/dDsvEEsa] will also be exhibiting at the event, showcasing approaches to digital public infrastructure in agriculture that connects with our recent work, including our contribution to the discussion papers on localized agricultural models [https://lnkd.in/dWGHhwMR]. Recent data shows AI-related agricultural deals have increased from 9% to 15% (AgBASE, INc., 2024). As these technologies gain momentum, insights from diverse African farming contexts become increasingly valuable for effective implementation. Registration is still open for those interested in attending: https://lnkd.in/dyVBKy-v #DigitalAgriculture #AIinAgriculture #AgTech #EmergingTech Ridwan Sorunke Matt Manning David Bergvinson - BeSustainable_io David Gadsden