In rural Chencha Wereda, smallholder farmers like Abayneh Bekele struggle to make a living from their crops. Despite their hard work, they often face significant challenges, including crop diseases that can devastate their yields and unable to satisfy their subsistence let alone to generate income.

Abayneh Bekele is one of many farmers in Chencha district who have faced this challenge. He has been farming for over 20 years, but has always struggled to get better yields and improve his life due to the high incidence of crop diseases. “I was always worried about my crops,” he said. “I didn’t know how to control the diseases, and I was wasting my energy and losing a lot of money.”

That’s when Abayneh discovered PlantVillage, a mobile application that helps farmers diagnose and manage crop diseases through PlantVillage team on 25, November, 2023. With PlantVillage, farmers like Abayneh can quickly identify diseases and receive personalised advice on how to control them. In addition to using the AI enabled mobile application, the project connects farmers to a group of young people called the Dream Team. Dream team members university graduates trained in disease diagnosis and plant science. They serve as a first point of contact in an event that farmer needs additional field visit and agronomy advise.

Since using PlantVillage, Abayneh has seen a significant improvement in his yields. “I was able to identify the diseases affecting my crops and take action to control them,” he said. “My yields have increased by 25% and I’m now able to earn a better income.”

But; Abayneh is not alone. Over 1,000 farmers in the district are benefitting from PlantVillage, with an average increase in yields of 25%. This has not only improved their livelihoods but also contributed to a more sustainable food system.

The impact of PlantVillage goes beyond individual farmers. By empowering farmers to manage crop diseases, the project is contributing to a more sustainable food system and improving food security in the region. “PlantVillage has been a game-changer for us,” said Alemnesh, Local agricultural officer. “It’s helping our farming community to improve their agricultural productivity and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.”Picture taken by Fekadu Tafesse,

“PlantVillage has been a blessing for me,” said Abayneh. “I am now able to earn a better income and provide for my family. I’m proud to be a part of this project and I look forward to continuing to use PlantVillage to improve my farming practices.”