Microsoft will support a female-led software solution Kenyan startup the Bugslayers Group to assist farmers to predict the outbreak of crop pests and diseases.
Microsoft 4Afrika regional director Amrote Abdella while speaking at the end of a 16 week LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program said The BugSlayers founded by Ms. Clara Nashipai, Ms. Sylvia Achach, Ms. Rosianah Musyoka, and Ms. Bethany Jepchumba will be placed in an internship program where the software will be fine-tuned before its launch into the market.
Ms. Abdella said, “We are thrilled at the outcome of this year’s LEAP hackathon! As we continue to work to upskill and educate women across the continent – the endless opportunities and unprecedented innovations this brings is something we are excited to be a part of.”
The Bugslayers’ AgRight web application uses Microsoft AI (Azure Custom Vision) for pest and disease prediction thereby providing farmers with practical solutions for better farm husbandry. The app can also predict harvest time, connect farmers to buyers and monitor farm activities.
32 female IT enthusiasts participated in the hackathon aimed at increasing gender diversity within the Microsoft tech-space.
