‘VarScout’: The game-changing app that transforms crop data collection

VarScout is a cloud- and mobile-phone-based application that transforms how crop varietal data is collected and used. Initially developed by CGIAR’s International Potato Center (CIP) in partnership with RESONANZ Group GmbH, VarScout enables farmers, extension agents, researchers, and policymakers to record, store, monitor, and visualize crop varietal information in real time.

As Dinah Borus, is a Kenya-based scientist at the International Potato Center (CIP) and coordinator of the VarScout project in Kenya writes in this article, this data can enhance, at one and the same time, smart crop decisions by farmers, productive breeding work by scientists, judicious agricultural policies by governments, and sound investments by funding agencies.

What are the problems the VarScout application is helping to solve?

For crop farmers, extension agents and agripreneurs

Many smallholder crop farmers in Kenya and other developing countries do not know the specific variety of the crop they are planting (and growing, harvesting, selling, and consuming). There are several reasons for this.

First, the seed certification and regulatory systems of poorer countries tend to be weak, with much of the crop seed marketed unlabeled and/or poorly documented. And because the agricultural extension systems of developing countries tend to be underfunded or understaffed, many farmers are not given sufficient training in the differences among varieties, including their advantages and optimal growing conditions.

For these reasons, most small-scale farmers continue to rely on informal seed systems. For example, with the relatively high cost of improved seed varieties, many farmers save their seed from previous harvests or exchange seed with their neighbors, leading to local crossbreeding and the renaming of local varieties.

The result is little understanding of who is growing what crop variety and where and why, or how, where and why new varieties are being diffused, including climate-smart technologies, which stops farmers’ ability to fully realize any genetic gains in their cropping systems.

For crop breeders, policymakers and funders

The release and adoption data for major food crops in lower income countries is often scattered, infrequently updated, and inaccurate. The absence of reliable, varietal-level data on what, where, and for how long certain crops are grown reduces the effectiveness not only of crop breeding research but also of the government policies and donor investments that support better breeding.

Breeders, for example, lack information on the adoption of varieties and funders have limited insight into the impacts of their investments on breeding programs. VarScout aims to help close these gaps with its accurate and up-to-date varietal data.

In short:

• Farmers need to know what crop varieties to PLANT to realize genetic gains.
• Breeders need to know what crop varieties are being ADOPTED by farmers, and why.
• Funders need to know what the IMPACTS of their investments in crop breeding are having.

Achievements made possible by the Scaling Fund

With the support of the Scaling Fund, VarScout made significant advances this year, including:

• Improved app features: Improvements to the app, making it faster, more responsive, and more user-friendly.
• Expanded data collection: New functions, such as monitoring seed quality and measuring field sizes, were added, enhancing the app’s relevance to both extension services and policymakers. Over 20,000 data points have been collected.
• Inclusion of more crops: VarScout now includes major staple crops like maize and beans, which are crucial for Kenyan food security. This expanded focus has made it easier for extension officers to integrate VarScout into their everyday work.
• Capacity building: Over 150 extension officers are expected to use VarScout by the end of 2024, gathering data from over 2,500 farmers, with a focus on gender equity to ensure that half of the participants are women.

The Scaling Fund has allowed VarScout to think beyond just data collection. It’s now working on developing a sustainable business model and building partnerships that will secure its long-term future. By involving local stakeholders—including farmers, extension officers, and agripreneurs—VarScout ensures that the benefits of agricultural innovation are shared widely and equitably.

The road ahead

With support from the CGIAR Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi) Scaling Fund, VarScout is proving that even seemingly simple digital tools can enhance food security at the household, community, and national levels.

Source: CGIAR. Read the full extensive article here
Image: Extension staff in a potato field in Kenya testing Varscout. Credit CGIAR