Discussion Paper No. 331 of 2024 on The Adoption and Application of Drone Technology in Precision Agriculture in Kenya

Abstract

Precision Agriculture is one of the innovative concepts of the fourth agricultural industrial revolution (Agriculture 4.0). Precision agriculture entails practices that are aimed at improving yields and maximizing profits while lowering the inputs. The increasing population in Kenya is also leading to increased demand for food production. In addition, the increased cost of inputs and uncertain weather patterns affect food production. This underscores the need to embrace farming practices that enhance yields with reduced input costs. The study employed the futures foresight methodology that encompassed scanning drivers of change using the PESTEL framework, then using the Delphi technique to obtain expert opinions on the relationship between drivers of change with respect to the adoption and application of drone technology in precision agriculture. Finally, a cross-impact analysis was done using the MICMAC software to create the influence dependence map for building the future possible scenarios. The findings revealed that drone technology adoption is influenced by good governance, favourable policies, and subsidies that foster a conducive business environment. In a low adoption scenario, regulatory challenges and high costs of drones create significant barriers to the adoption of drone technologies in precision agriculture. In the high application scenario, drone technologies are widely adopted across the agricultural sector, driven by favourable influential factors including competition in the drone market leading to rapid technological advancements and cost reductions, which in turn accelerate the application of the rate of drone technologies. Both national and county governments need to provide incentives such as subsidies, tax breaks, and grants for farmers to access affordable quality inputs including drone accessories and other mounting devices, reduce the cost of drones to enhance access, and strengthen regulations governing the usage of drones in agriculture to ensure individual privacy and data protection.