Lilongwe, MALAWI – Seed Co Malawi has encouraged farmers to embrace artificial intelligence and digital technology as it upgrades its Seedney mobile application with new features designed to bring farming information and technical support closer to farmers.
The upgraded Seedney App V2, launched in August 2026, introduces artificial intelligence powered tools, including a plant health scanner, alongside agronomic advice, weather information and other digital services aimed at supporting farmers in their day to day farming activities.
Seed Co Group Digital Officer Tapela Lungu said the application was initially launched in Malawi in June 2024 to put practical agricultural information at farmers’ fingertips, including information on crop production, seed varieties, pest and disease management and recommended farming practices.
“We want farmers to have access to information that can help them make decisions at the right time. With the upgraded Seedney application, we are using technology and artificial intelligence to make that support more accessible to farmers through a tool they can use on their mobile phones,” Lungu said.
The latest version of the application includes an AI-powered plant health scanner, which enables farmers to use their mobile phones to scan a leaf or plant and obtain information that can help identify possible crop diseases and pest damage.
Lungu said the feature will help farmers detect potential problems at an early stage, allowing them to seek appropriate advice and take action before crop problems become more serious.
“The idea is to give the farmer a smarter farming companion,farmers can use the information available on the platform to understand what they are seeing in their fields and make more informed decisions,” Lungu said.
Lungu said beyond crop diagnosis, Seedney provides farmers with access to agronomic advice and localised weather information, while its e-commerce feature is designed to allow users to purchase seed through the platform.
However, Lungu said the seed purchasing feature is currently active in Zambia but has not yet been activated for users in Malawi. He said Seed Co expects the service to become available to Malawian users in the coming months.
He said bringing farming information and digital services together on one platform is intended to reduce some of the challenges farmers face in accessing timely agricultural information and technical support.
Lungu further said artificial intelligence is not meant to replace farmers’ knowledge and experience, but rather to complement it by providing additional information when needed.
“AI should not replace the farmer’s knowledge and experience. It should complement it. The farmer remains at the centre, but now has another tool that can provide information to support decision-making,” Lungu said.
When Seedney was launched in 2024, Seed Co said the application was intended to make agricultural information readily available to farmers, including guidance on fertiliser use, seed requirements, pest and disease control and other recommended farming practices.
The upgraded version builds on that foundation by incorporating AI and other digital services into the platform, giving farmers an opportunity to integrate technology into their everyday farming activities.
Lungu said having such information on a mobile phone could benefit farmers by allowing them to access support while in the field, rather than only when they are able to reach an extension worker or another source of agricultural advice.
One of the users of the app Paul Gondwe said it is particularly useful this year, when the country is expected to experience El Niño conditions, as it provides farmers with relevant information to help them respond to changing weather patterns.
“For example, it provides If you want to plant maize, the app provides information on when and how to plant, as well as guidance on how to protect your crops from harsh weather conditions and which crops to plant.
He therefore encouraged farmers to embrace this Application for their crops particularly this season .