Smart farming: Bahati, Nessuit farmers using digital app to enhance crop development
A farmer in a potato field in Kuresoi South Sub-county.
Farmers in Bahati and Nessuit wards are getting more targeted support on crop production as farmers use digital data to guide them on suitable varieties, seasonal practices and what to do at every stage of crop development.
For Rahab Mburu from Bahati Ward and Frederick Ruto from Nessuit Ward, the VarScout app has become a practical tool in their day-to-day engagement with farmers, helping them collect field information while also improving their knowledge and delivery of extension services.
Through the VarScout App, the agripreneurs are gathering information on the varieties farmers grow, while using the app to access and record information that can support farmers from planting through to harvesting.
Rahab says working with VarScout has enabled her to learn more about extension services and how to advise farmers depending on the season and varieties suitable for different areas.
“I have learned so much about extension services with the farmers. I have also learned how to deal with different varieties according to the different type of the season and the best varieties in our ward,” says Rahab.
Rahab Mburu from Bahati Ward who is a farmer working with Varscout App
She adds that the VarScout app has further enhanced her ability to support farmers by providing information on what should be done at different stages of crop production, from planting to harvesting.
“I have also learned about the VarScout app and how it has helped us as farmers doing extension services to farmers. It helps farmers understand the different stages and what to do at each stage, as well as how to record the data,” she said.
Similarly, Ruto is using the platform to engage farmers while collecting information that can help establish the adoption of different crop varieties in Nessuit Ward.
The initiative is being implemented by the International Potato Center (CIP) and partners as part of efforts to generate reliable information on the adoption and performance of crop varieties.
Agricultural scientist and consultant with the CIP, Dinah Borus, says VarScout was developed to help understand the impact of crop breeding programmes.
“VarScout basically means variety scouting. The whole idea was to see the impact of the breeding programme because you develop varieties, but you cannot tell the adoption rate, where they are adopted and why farmers adopt certain varieties,” says Borus.
She explains that the application was first piloted in Nakuru County in 2022, followed by Phase One and Two in 2024 and 2025 in Nakuru, Meru and Bungoma counties.
The current Phase three is focused on scaling up data collection in Nakuru County.
Borus notes that the app enables extension officers to establish where varieties are adopted, estimate yields and identify hotspots for specific varieties.
“It is like a survey which you do without using questionnaires, so it is a cheaper way of getting data,” she says.
She adds that the quality data generated through VarScout can support county-level decision-making by showing farmers’ preferred varieties, their distribution and seed replacement patterns, while also helping research institutions assess the impact of breeding programmes.