Launch of the CroME Initiative-Kenya’s Agricultural Intelligence Backbone

Kenya has launched the Crop Measurement and Evaluation (CroME) Initiative to help improve agriculture using space technology and artificial intelligence. The launch took place at Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Headquarters in Nairobi on 10–11 February 2026. The project uses satellite images and AI to create reliable national agricultural data that helps farmers and leaders make better decisions.

CroME will provide important information such as crop maps, crop growth monitoring, field boundaries, and yield predictions. It will also help detect crop damage and support early warning systems during disasters.

The initiative is a partnership between the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Microsoft AI for Good Lab, NASA Harvest, and other public and private stakeholders.

During the event, Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Ambassador Philip Thigo, MBS, noted that by using advanced Earth observation data and AI-driven geospatial models, Kenya will produce cropland maps, identify crop types, define field boundaries, and forecast yields to support farmers, agribusinesses, insurers, and government agencies in making better decisions.

Similarly, the Chairman of the Kenya Space Agency Board, Maj Gen (Rtd) Amb. Joff Otieno Makowenga, highlighted the importance of space data and artificial intelligence in supporting the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. He emphasized that space technology plays a key role in improving decision-making across critical sectors, particularly agriculture, by providing timely and accurate information.

The initiative builds on ongoing work with NASA Harvest, Microsoft AI for Good, RCMRD, and the Ministry of Agriculture to supports better disaster risk management and improve national food security.

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