“I recently put into practice a tip that consisted of sowing corn in the first agricultural cycle and then replacing it with beans in the second, and the yield is much better… I harvested 270 kilos instead of the 123 before,” explains Monique. Muhaza, a farmer who lives in Goma, in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She cannot afford to pay an expert agronomist to give her technical assistance in her fields, but she regularly receives suggestions on agricultural practices by telephone, free of charge, through a project called Jambo-Lab.
In a context of armed conflict and extreme phenomena – torrential rains, floods, drought, hurricanes – this web platform, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and communicates by text messages, mainly in Swahili, tries to offer members of rural communities with practical information and recommendations on climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable management of natural resources, land rights, weather forecasts and, in addition, a disaster early warning system.
Inaugurated in 2023 in Goma, capital of the province of North Kivu, the website has 3,066 subscribers, including small agricultural producers, indigenous pygmies and those displaced by the intermittent war that ravages the east of the DRC. Between January and April of this year, 940,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in the country, which brings the total to 7.3 million, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The almost 2,400 subscribed users receive recommendations and alerts for free via text messages
Before accessing the tool, Muhaza, like other farmers, had difficulties growing certain foods, such as rice, beans and cabbage, due to climatic changes. “Thanks to Jambo-Lab I knew that it was going to rain in March and April. I took the necessary measures by planting my spinach seeds, and soon we will be able to eat fresh vegetables,” he values. “As farmers, we don’t have time to follow the radio or television, but with this new technology, I am aware of the new laws,” he adds, referring to those that give legal protection to the lands of indigenous pygmy people.
The platform is an initiative of the Congolese non-profit organization Jambo-RDC, and unites in its name the word jambo—“hello” in Swahili—with the abbreviated form of laboratory. Its founder, activist and community organizer Joseph Tsongo, sees it as a great community, as well as an alternative school of sustainable development destined to spread throughout the Great Lakes region.
“Jambo-Lab’s role in the sustainable development of rural areas in the DRC is to reduce the vulnerability of communities to climate disasters by strengthening their knowledge, adaptive capacity and sustainable environmental practices,” describes Tsongo. According to data from the platform, 69% of members, most of them small farmers, say that their income has increased thanks to advice on sustainable agricultural practices, and 1,058 users acknowledge that they are now aware of the specific risks they face in the region.
To subscribe to the platform, users, mainly peasants impoverished by the war in the east of the country, can register with simple mobile phones, sending a message to the number 440440, although if they have internet they can do it online. The information and alerts are received free of charge via SMS, because the bill is paid at source by the project itself, thanks to contributions from its members and donations from individuals.
Users can ask questions through short messages and immediately receive a response, thanks to artificial intelligence
In addition to messages related to agricultural activity and the climate, “they receive information and advice on the protection of fundamental human rights over land, water and other resources, as well as practical ideas for managing stress linked to climate anxiety,” explains Tsongo. In the research prior to implementing the project, 94% of the members of rural communities interviewed expressed feeling some anxiety and problems sleeping after unpleasant environmental events.
Users can ask questions through short messages and receive an immediate response, using the artificial intelligence associated with the platform. They can also request special advice through a phone call or even in person, when possible.
![A field agent explained the operation of Jambo-Lab to displaced women in Kanyaruchinya camp, Goma, on April 10.](https://imagenes.elpais.com/resizer/v2/FREQOEGEZJF5FJCAUWQJZ7E56E.jpg?auth=3df686e5b86791e00d6b68839c8ec6f63e7c56bf584d733d438770756bfe833d&width=414)
Artificial intelligence also collects and analyzes meteorological data to generate alerts and send subscribers who are in risk areas. This is the case of Alain Tumusifu, a farmer who fled the war in Rutshuru, North Kivu: “On March 30, I received an alert message indicating that it was likely to rain throughout the month of April and that it was necessary to take precautions . I live under a tarp in a makeshift camp, so this message was very important to me. It allowed me to prepare my small garden and reinforce the structure of my tent to avoid unpleasant surprises during the rainy season. Jambo-Lab knows that heavy rains often cause damage in the region, so it has given us basic information on disaster management and first aid.”
From the early stages of implementing this volunteer-led community project, efforts have been made to involve local communities in discussion groups and talks, to understand their specific needs, and to ensure that the digital platform addresses them. This collaboration has brought together experts in technology, agriculture, scientists focused on climate and environmental issues, policy makers and representatives of rural communities. Thus, the promoters of Jambo-Lab try to strengthen the social ties of the community and stimulate the local economy through sustainable agriculture.
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