Kampala, Uganda: Smallholder farmers in Uganda and across Africa are set to benefit from advanced crop breeding tools that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile technology, following the official launch of the Artemis Project, a groundbreaking initiative designed to fast-track agricultural innovation.
The project, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, was unveiled on May 30, 2025, at the Alliance’s regional offices in Kawanda, just outside Kampala. Supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Artemis aims to revolutionize plant breeding by replacing time-consuming manual processes with AI-powered data collection and analysis.
At the center of the innovation is Bruno, an AI-enabled robotic cart fitted with high-precision cameras that scan crops for traits such as height, leaf area, and coloration. The data is processed through the ONA mobile application, short for “to see” in Kiswahili, using AI algorithms to generate real-time, actionable insights for crop breeders.
The Kawanda launch followed a two-day technical workshop attended by agricultural scientists, data analysts, breeders, and journalists. The training, led by the Alliance’s Arusha-based technical team, equipped Ugandan stakeholders with the skills to deploy the tools in real-world farming environments.
“This is an innovation that matters not just in research labs but in the fields where farmers face daily battles against poor yields and unpredictable weather,” said Roy Odama, a PhD researcher and lead scientist on the project. “With tools like Bruno and the ONA app, we’re putting data-driven decision-making into the hands of those who need it most.”
For a region where sluggish breeding cycles and inaccurate data have long slowed progress, Artemis offers a fresh, fast-track approach. Developing new crop varieties, a process that traditionally takes five to seven years, could now be completed in a fraction of that time, putting high-quality seeds into farmers’ hands much sooner.
Importantly, scalability is woven into the project’s design. “Our vision is to adapt and fine-tune the tools for various environments,” explained Beverly Agesa, a senior scientist on the project. “Uganda’s hilly terrain provides a new testing ground compared to the flat plains of Arusha, Tanzania, where we first trialed the system. Once perfected, we aim to scale this innovation across Africa.”
At its core, the Artemis Project reimagines agriculture for the 21st century, where science, technology, and local knowledge converge, and where smartphones evolve into essential tools for sustainable farming. No longer will smallholder farmers stand on the sidelines of agricultural innovation. Instead, they will be active drivers of change.
“This is just the beginning,” said Berta Crespo, a developer on the ONA app team at CIAT. “We see a future where this technology spreads from villages across Uganda to the rest of the continent. Through artificial intelligence, we’re not only improving crop breeding; we’re securing the future of Africa’s food systems.”
The launch of the Artemis Project signals a bold new era in African agriculture, one where tomorrow’s farmers will wield not just hoes but smartphones, equipped with AI-powered tools to feed the continent sustainably and confidently.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative anews platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp for realtime updates.
