African farmers are using private satellite data to improve crop yields

After a devastating crop loss in 2023, Olabokunde Tope turned to technology to help run his cassava farm in Nigeria. He decided to work with EOS Data Analytics, a California-based provider of satellite imagery and data for precision farming. EOS’s models and algorithms deliver insights on crops’ health weekly through an online platform that farmers can use to make informed decisions about issues such as when to plant, how much herbicide to use, and how to schedule fertilizer use, weeding, or irrigation. In many developing countries, farming is impaired by lack of data. As harvest time draws nearer this year, Tope reports, the prospects of his cassava field, which now spans a thousand hectares, is quite promising. This is thanks in part to his ability to anticipate and counter the sudden dry spells. He spaced the plantings better and then followed advisories on weeding, fertilizer use, and other issues related to the health of the crops.