As the global agricultural landscape evolves, the role of women in farming is increasingly recognised as a vital force for sustainable development. In our “Stories from the Field” series, we seek to highlight the experiences of our farmers and agronomists across Africa. This article focuses on some of the women in Uganda who leverage Virtual Agronomist to enhance their agricultural practices, boost their maize yields, and improve their quality of life.
Halai Stella
Ugandan maize farmer Halai Stella with her daughter, lead farmer Namakanda Sharon
Halai Stella is a single mother who depends on farming to support her family. She grows maize to feed her household and earn money to cover her children’s expenses, including school fees.
Before adopting Virtual Agronomist in her farming practices, Stella’s maize field produced very low yields, typically only three to five bags. After selling the harvest, all the earnings were spent on her children’s education and household needs.
Now, with the help of Virtual Agronomist, Stella is anticipating a yield of nearly fifteen bags! She is thrilled and shared that once she sells this harvest, she will finally have enough money to start saving—something she has not been able to do before.
After covering school fees and household expenses, Stella will have enough money left to contribute to a SACCO (Savings and Credit Co-Operative Society), where community members come together to save money collectively.
Stella mentioned that she now plans to reinvest some of her earnings into ploughing her field, something she can finally afford. Grateful for the increase in yield and income, she expressed her appreciation for iSDA and the Virtual Agronomist advisor!
Nambozo Fat
Ugandan maize farmer Mrs Nambozo Fat with our Ugandan team leader, Monalisa Mutesi and field agronomist, Paul Chunga
After visiting Mrs Nambozo Fat earlier in the year, when her maize was halfway through its growth, our Ugandan team leader Monalisa returned to check on the progress of Nambozo’s field and observe how the guidance from Virtual Agronomist is enhancing her crops.
Despite experiencing a drier season than usual, Nambozo achieved an impressive yield of fourteen bags from just one acre. She was even able to donate one bag to Shangi George’s cooperative, the lead farmer who introduced her to Virtual Agronomist. Nambozo mentioned that her father, who planted maize around the same time, only managed to harvest five bags from his two acres, as the dry season caused his crops to suffer from sunburn. In the past, during dry seasons, Nambozo rarely saw good yields, and she recalls one year when her entire crop was lost to sunburn.
This year, Nambozo was so pleased with her yield and the results she achieved with the help of Virtual Agronomist that she plans to teach her father and introduce him to Virtual Agronomist as well!
For Nambozo, farming provides the independence to meet her own needs. Instead of depending on her husband, she can now earn her own income through farming. In rural areas like Bulambuli, where Nambozo lives, women are often expected to stay home, care for the children, and rely on their husbands as the sole providers. However, many women have turned to farming, allowing individuals like Nambozo to generate income independently.
Through her farming efforts, Nambozo has been able to purchase more land for additional maize plots, with the aim to increase her yield and profits. This has given her the financial means to support both her family and herself.
Haisa Grace
Ugandan maize farmer Haisa Grace with our Ugandan team leader, Monalisa Mutesi and lead farmer, Namakanda Sharon
Mrs Haisa Grace used to harvest only five bags of maize per acre with her previous farming methods. However, since adopting Virtual Agronomist, she has doubled her yield, harvesting ten bags of maize! Despite the dry season, her crops thrived, even as other nearby fields struggled with drought.
Haisa Grace is thrilled with the results from Virtual Agronomist and shared that the AI advisor has given her “freedom through farming,” enabling her to provide for herself and her children without depending on her husband.
Namakoye Josephin
Ugandan maize farmer Namakoye Josephin standing in front of one of her maize heaps
Namakoye Josephin, like Stella, is a single mother who depends on farming to support herself and her children. After integrating Virtual Agronomist into her farming practices, Josephin has been able to harvest several large maize heaps, which she can sell for a higher profit than before.
This increased income will help her provide for her family while also allowing her to set aside money for savings.
Namakoye Everlyn
Ugandan maize farmer Namakoye Everlyn answering questions about her experience with Virtual Agronomist
Namakoye Evelyn is equally impressed with the results from the Virtual Agronomist advisor. This season, she expects to harvest eight to ten bags of maize, a significant increase from the two to five bags she previously produced.
Evelyn has noticed that her family’s standard of living has improved since starting her own farm, providing an additional income alongside her husband’s earnings. With this extra income, she can now afford to send her children to school and save money, which was difficult to achieve before she began farming.
The stories highlighted in this article demonstrate the impact that Virtual Agronomist can have on agricultural productivity and farmer livelihoods. Our female farmers are experiencing higher yields, better income, and greater community support, all of which enhance their personal empowerment and quality of life.
We are excited to share more stories from our farmers across Africa and provide updates on Virtual Agronomist as we incorporate user feedback to continually enhance our AI advisory service.
