Rural Malawian Farmers Turn to AI Chatbot to Boost Yields and Battle Climate Challenges

Lilongwe, Malawi — In the heart of rural Malawi, thousands of small-scale farmers are turning to an unlikely ally in their fight against climate change: an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot.

Developed by the NGO Opportunity International, the chatbot is helping farmers improve their crop yields, make informed agricultural decisions, and adapt to the growing impacts of extreme weather. The tool, designed to be accessible even to those who are illiterate, is now being used by more than 180,000 rural households across the country.

Among them is Alex Maere, a farmer who credits the AI tool with helping him transform his livelihood.

“When we joined the AI group, we rented farmland and cultivated various crops, including maize,” Maere said. “Even though there have been challenges, we’ve been harvesting enough. We sold the maize and I invested some of the money into growing tomatoes, which gives me hope for more success. We are grateful for the AI — it gives reliable advice, and we’ve benefited a lot.”

The chatbot is tailored for ease of use, offering responses through text, voice, and even images — making it accessible to farmers regardless of literacy level.

“The good thing with this chatbot is that it responds to text and voice,” explained Richard Chongo, Country Director for Opportunity International Malawi. “This is especially important for people who cannot read or write. They can interact with the bot using voice or even pictures to ask questions and get relevant answers.”

The rollout of the AI tool comes at a critical time. Farmers in Malawi are still reeling from the devastation of Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which wiped out crops and left many families facing food insecurity.

“Cyclone Freddy left us without food,” said Filesi Topola, a smallholder farmer. “We didn’t harvest anything because our fields were washed away. We have nothing to hold on to.”

Amid ongoing challenges from both drought and flooding, the Malawian government has stepped in to support the chatbot initiative, viewing it as a key component of national resilience efforts.

With climate change expected to further strain food systems across southern Africa, farmers and officials alike are hopeful that innovative, accessible technology like this can provide a pathway to recovery — and long-term sustainability.