“Technology should not replace farmers but empower farmers!”
This was the central message delivered by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, during his opening address at the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) Annual Meeting hosted by the Kenya National Farmers’ Federation (KENAFF) at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.
In his remarks, the Cabinet Secretary emphasized the importance of practical, farmer-centered innovation. He noted that research and technology only create value when they reach the people who need them most:
“Research conducted and stored away on shelves has no use to farmers.”
At Strathmore Agri-Food Innovation Center (SAFIC), we strongly share this belief. Our mission is to develop solutions that translate data, research, and innovation into actionable knowledge that helps farmers thrive.
SAFIC at the WFO Annual Meeting
From 8–9 June 2026, SAFIC participated in the WFO conference, which brought together farmers, agricultural leaders, researchers, and innovators from across the region and beyond. The event created an important platform for dialogue on the future of agriculture, digital transformation, and farmer empowerment.
One of the highlights for SAFIC was the strong interest in our recently launched platform, AgriIntel. Farmers and stakeholders were particularly interested in how the tool delivers reliable, verifiable, and up-to-date agricultural data and insights to support informed investment and farming decisions.
What AgriIntel Offers
AgriIntel is designed to strengthen agricultural knowledge systems and improve access to trusted information. The platform helps:
- Strengthen access to reliable agricultural advisory
Provide timely and trustworthy guidance for farmers and agribusinesses. - Support farmers, extension officers, and institutions
Equip agricultural stakeholders with actionable insights for better decision-making. - Improve the use of trusted data and knowledge systems
Turn complex agricultural data into practical, usable intelligence. - Enable more responsive and inclusive advisory services
Make agricultural support services more accessible and relevant to diverse farming communities. - Support better discovery and use of agricultural insights
Help users identify trends, opportunities, and evidence-based strategies across the agri-food sector.
A Call to Collaborate
The conversations at the WFO Annual Meeting reinforced a simple truth: technology is most powerful when it works alongside farmers, not in place of them. By combining trusted data, local knowledge, and digital innovation, we can build more resilient and productive agricultural systems.
We invite farmers, agribusinesses, researchers, and development partners to explore AgriIntel, access fresh agricultural data, and share feedback on how the platform can become even more reliable and effective.