Until recently, these farmers depended entirely on government extension workers to provide agronomic tips, including how to manage pests and diseases. Extension workers and lead farmers use AI to conduct crop surveys. “This means advisory delivery systems must become faster, real-time, efficient and reliable,” says Department of Agriculture Extension Services (Daes) director Pearson Soko. Since 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Irrigation has been piloting the Malawi Digital Plant Health Services project. Joseph and Chimbalambe, who serve as lead farmers in their respective extension planning areas, have been using the PlantVillage app since 2023,.