How Arinifu Technologies is empowering Kenyan poultry farmers with climate-smart innovation
Arinifu Technologies Limited is on a mission to eliminate 1,000 tonnes of charcoal from poultry farming annually. The Kenyan-based company is reshaping how farmers provide heat for their chicks.
Led by Eddah Wanjiru, Arinifu Technologies is part of the 2023 YouthADAPT Challenge – the third edition of the YouthADAPT Challenge. Jointly organized by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), the YouthADAPT Challenge is a flagship initiative under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP). Supported by the African Climate Change Fund (ACCF), this competition’s third edition focuses on empowering young women entrepreneurs like Eddah Wanjiru, who are leveraging Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to drive climate adaptation solutions.
For small-scale poultry farmers, providing adequate heat to newly hatched chicks is a critical challenge. Chicks, especially in their early days, rely on external heat because their thermoregulatory systems are not yet developed. In many cases, farmers use charcoal stoves, a method that is both labour-intensive and environmentally harmful. Charcoal stoves require constant monitoring and rekindling, consuming farmers’ time and energy. This method is neither efficient nor sustainable, particularly as charcoal contributes to deforestation and carbon emissions.
Arinifu Technologies is transitioning farmers to cleaner and smarter heating solutions, offering them an environmentally friendly alternative that uses sensor technology to regulate the temperature in poultry brooders. These sensors adjust the temperature automatically to mimic the natural warmth a mother hen would provide, improving chick survival rates and reducing the need for manual intervention.
Smart brooding with Kuku Smart
To facilitate smart brooding, Arinifu Technologies introduced the Kuku Smart digital platform. The App monitors and adjusts the temperature of poultry brooders, ensuring optimal conditions for chick development. This digital platform also provides farmers with valuable insights on production, including recommended feeding and watering schedules, climate adjustments, and vaccine timelines. By integrating scientific knowledge with smart technology, the Kuku Smart App helps farmers optimize their practices, reducing costs and improving efficiency.
Ms. Wanjiru emphasizes that innovation is not always about creating new technologies but about using existing ones in new ways. “Innovation isn’t about new tech; it’s about using existing and proven tech in new ways. By combining these elements differently, we create fresh solutions for consumers. Understanding this is vital in today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape, encompassing AI, machine learning, IoT, robotics, and automation. I’m glad Kenya and Africa are not being left behind,” says Wanjiru.
Impact stories
Arinifu Technologies’ innovations are already making a difference in the lives of farmers. Ian from Ruaka, a poultry farmer with over ten years of experience, had been using red infrared bulbs to heat his chicks. This method came with its own set of challenges, including high electricity costs—up to Kenya Shillings 200,000 per month—and the inability to customize temperatures for different chicks. After switching to Arinifu’s Smart Brooder, Ian now saves up to Kenya Shillings 20,000 a month while providing better conditions for his chicks.
William from Tala, Kenya, was initially hesitant to enter the poultry business due to the stories he had heard about the challenges of brooding chicks, especially during colder months. However, after learning from Mama Grace, a renowned chicken farmer in Githurai who was one of the first to adopt Arinifu’s Smart Brooder, William installed the system in May 2017. Since then, he has seen significant improvements, with chicks surviving even during the coldest months, a period when many farmers would typically avoid brooding due to high mortality rates.
Looking ahead with the support from the YouthADAPT Challenge
With the support of the YouthADAPT Challenge grant, Arinifu Technologies is poised to scale their operations even further. They plan to enhance the Kuku Smart App, improving the user experience for farmers while expanding the platform’s capabilities. In addition, Arinifu is working on redesigning the Smart Brooder units to reduce costs and incorporate off-grid solar solutions, making their technology accessible to more farmers, especially those in remote areas.
Arinifu Technologies is a good illustration of how young African entrepreneurs are harnessing the power of technology to solve real-world challenges in the agriculture sector. By rethinking how technology is applied, Arinifu is not only transforming poultry farming but also contributing to the broader tech landscape in Africa, ensuring that the continent remains at the forefront of climate adaptation and sustainable development.
To learn more about Arinifu Technologies and their incredible work, visit https://arinifu.com/
