A mobile app developed by the International Potato Center (CIP) in partnership with RESONANZ Group GmbH is revolutionizing agriculture in Kenya by offering essential data for tracking crop varieties, supporting breeding programs, and enhancing seed systems. Known as VarScout, this cloud-based mobile application is transforming the way crop varietal data is collected, enabling farmers, extension agents, researchers, and policymakers to record, monitor, and visualize crop information in real time.
VarScout empowers farmers to make smarter crop decisions, supports productive breeding efforts, helps governments craft better agricultural policies, and aids funding agencies in making informed investments. The app comes at a crucial time, as many smallholder farmers in Kenya and other developing countries struggle to identify the specific varieties of crops they grow. Weak seed certification and regulatory systems, along with underfunded agricultural extension services, contribute to the lack of knowledge among farmers about crop varieties, their benefits, and optimal growing conditions.
As a result, many farmers rely on informal seed systems, saving seeds from previous harvests or exchanging them with neighbors. This practice leads to local crossbreeding and the renaming of varieties, creating a gap in understanding the origins, distribution, and benefits of new crop varieties, including climate-smart technologies.
VarScout addresses this issue by providing real-time access to a public database that maps the locations of different crop varieties. This data is invaluable to farmers, agripreneurs, seed producers, policymakers, and funding agencies, helping to improve seed selection, quality, and agricultural systems. By improving seed systems and facilitating better connections along the value chain, VarScout boosts overall farm productivity and resilience, especially in the face of climate change.
The app allows users to collect GPS-specific data on where various crop varieties are grown and upload that information to a public map. This is a game-changer for optimizing breeding programs, enhancing seed systems, and improving smallholder productivity. With insights into which crop varieties are favored by farmers, researchers can identify seed supply gaps and address the urgent needs of farmers adapting to climate change.
Initially focused on potato and sweet potato varieties, VarScout has since expanded to include common beans, maize, and even bananas. The app has already uncovered valuable insights, such as the identification of the popular but unregistered “Steven” potato variety.
These discoveries are critical for preserving agrobiodiversity, adapting to climate change, and uncovering hidden agricultural gems that might otherwise go unnoticed.
