Entitled «The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and perceptions of it among female smallholder farmers in Kenya», this study analyses the uptake and perception of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies amongst smallholder farmers in Kenya. It focuses in particular on women farmers and the factors that influence their knowledge, perceptions and uptake of AI-related technologies in the agricultural sector.
Directed by Eucabeth Majiwa, Angella K. Ndaka, Harriet Ratemo and Evans Agembo, the study is based on interviews conducted with 100 smallholder farmers from farmers’ groups in Kiambu County, Kenya. The researchers used several analytical methods, including descriptive analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), cluster analysis and ANOVA, to investigate farmers’ perceptions and the factors associated with the adoption of AI and digital technologies.
The results show that 62 % of the farmers surveyed were aware of AI technologies applied to agriculture. The media are their main source of information, followed by other farmers. Overall, respondents have a positive perception of AI and digital technologies, particularly because of their contribution to access to information, loans and markets, as well as to increased agricultural production and household incomes.
The study identifies seven main factors related to perceptions of and adoption of these technologies: economic benefits, access to productive resources, women’s access to digital technologies, decision-making and trust in AI, skills and cultural aspects, technical constraints of AI, as well as knowledge gaps. The analysis also highlights the role of factors such as age, level of education, household size, distance from markets and farming experience.
The study thus highlights the importance of developing AI technologies tailored to the realities and needs of smallholder farmers, particularly women. It also emphasises the need to raise farmers’ awareness and improve their skills in relation to AI and digital technologies. The authors point out, however, that the findings are limited by the sample size and by the fact that the study was conducted in a single county in Kenya.
The data collection received financial support from the Gender and Responsible Artificial Intelligence Network (GRAIN).
Authors: Eucabeth Majiwa, Angella K. Ndaka, Harriet Ratemo and Evans Agembo
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