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AI FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION PRACTICE

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Nassib Mugwanya�National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)�Uganda Extension Week | April 20, 2026

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�Reflection

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Turn to the person next to you. What is one question a farmer has ever asked you that was difficult to answer?

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�The Reality: Pressure to do more, faster�

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  • Growing demand for extension

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  • Limited resources

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  • Slow information flow

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  • Farmers need timely advice

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How Did We Get Here?

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Traditional Extension�👩🏾‍🌾 Human, trusted�⚠️ Limited reach

Digital Tools (SMS, Radio)�📱 More reach�⚠️ One-size-fits-all

Platforms & Apps�🌐 More information�⚠️ Complex, low use

AI (Now)�🤖 Interactive�⚡ Fast�🎯 Personalized

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��What is AI? �A smart assistant—not a replacement��

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  • AI = Tools that can:

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    • Understand questions

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    • Generate advice

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    • Learn from data

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What AI is Doing

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  • Pest & disease detection

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  • Climate advisory translation

  • Market insights

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  • Digital extension assistants

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��Will AI strengthen or replace extension?�Roles will change—not disappear��

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  • Strengthens�✔ Faster advice�✔ Wider reach

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  • Risks replacing�⚠ Routine advisory roles

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Why Extension Still Matters

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  • Future = Human + AI

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  • AI cannot:
    • Build trust
    • Understand local realities fully
    • Drive behavior change

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Why AI Now?

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Before:�One message → Many farmers

Now:�Right advice → Right farmer → Right time

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What Would a Win Look Like?

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Farmers → timely advice

Extension → more effective

Researchers → better feedback

Policy/Private → scalable systems

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From Hype to Practice

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❌ AI will solve everything�❌ AI is dangerous

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✅ Start small�✅ Learn by doing

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Practical Workflows

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  1. Simplify research
  2. Create training content
  3. Diagnose problems
  4. Plan visits
  5. Translate advisories

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Prompting Hack: �Good prompts = better answers

Technique 1: Role + Task + Context

 

  • Example:

�“Act as an agricultural extension worker. Explain how to manage fall armyworm. For smallholder maize farmers in Uganda, using simple language.”

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Technique 2: The Upgrade Prompt

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 Start simple → Then refine

  • Step 1:�“Explain soil fertility management.”
  • Step 2 (upgrade):�“Now simplify this for farmers with low literacy and give 3 practical steps.”

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Risks & Guardrails�Need for capacity building + data governance

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  • Poor data → poor advice

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  • Over-reliance

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  • Inequality

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  • Loss of local knowledge

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Take Home

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  • AI will not replace extension.

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  • But extension that uses AI will replace extension that doesn’t!

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Thank You!

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