Posted on November, 16, 2022 at 03:06 am
Kenya is among African countries set to benefit from Microsoft's Digital Transformation Programme for the agricultural sector.
Microsoft, through its Africa Transformation Office on Tuesday, November 15, announced a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support digital transformation.
This programme is meant to help farmers access digital technologies that will provide real time data.
IFC will be responsible for financial management and corporations that will govern the digital transformation programme.
International Finance Corporation will also offer investment, advisory, and asset-management services to the programme.
In June 2022, Microsoft entered into another Memorandum of Understanding with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to co-create technology solutions in agriculture.
The new partnership will benefit 30 million farming households across 11 African countries.
The primary factor in the digital transformation is the use of big data and AI, which will be used to yield more food production in Kenya.
The programme embraced by Kenyan government is also expanding to Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi and Ethiopia.
Technical support is meant to improve their digital offering by exploring areas of use of big data and artificial intelligence in the digital transformation.
Partners will also provide necessary skills by leveraging on existing Microsoft programmes, including co-managing an internship programme.
Additionally, this partnership provides a co-design and development of technology solutions to support digital transformation programmes and processes.
Previously, National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK), East Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF), East African Grain Council (EAGC), Amtech Technologies and the Local Development Research Institute (LDRI) had benefited from such programmes.
On Tuesday, November 15, the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, visited Kenya and held a meeting with farmers and health workers in Makueni County.
Source: Kenyans.co.ke