Sasini to start using drones for fertilizer application and chemical spraying on its Kipkebe tea farm
Sasini will soon start using drones for fertilizer application and chemical spraying on its Kipkebe tea farm. The firm has signed an agreement with Fahari Aviation, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways to offer these precision agricultural services.
Kipkebe farm will be used to benchmark the effectiveness of drone use with a possibility to expand the services offering to other Sasini estates.
Fahari Aviation will deploy high-capacity drones to cover over 3000 acres of tea plantation in less than two weeks, saving an overall 50% on cost and time efficiency in fertilizer spraying and spreading. Drone technology in agriculture also offers better accountability of product supply as well as improved accessibility of tough terrains.
Speaking on the signed agreement, Hawkins Musili, General Manager at Fahari Aviation said,” Agriculture forms the backbone of our economy and drones have revolutionized agriculture by offering farmers major cost savings, enhanced efficiency within the region. We are proud to announce this agreement as Fahari Aviation seeks to reach new heights for more precise applications within the agricultural sector.”
Fahari Aviation is responsible for launching and implementing future aviation technologies and is part of the airline’s strategy of contributing to the sustainable development of Africa by championing new dimensions within the industry with the use of drones and unmanned aircraft.
Silas Njibwakale, Managing Director at Kipkebe Limited said, “We are indeed very excited to partner with Fahari Aviation, who is a pioneer of the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology in the country, in the application of fertilizer on our tea fields using drones. As a leading agricultural enterprise, Kipkebe is uniquely positioned to lead our industry towards the future of sustainable farming due to a rich heritage, commitment to innovation, learning and continuous improvement. This technology will definitely reduce the time span for fertilizer application on the tea fields ensuring that application coincides with good weather conditions, enhance crop yields while reducing attendant costs, as well as adverse impacts on human and the environment.”
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