The Department of Agricultural Research (DAR) was invited to a high-level four-day national stakeholder engagement meeting convened by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in close collaboration with the Department of Planning and Policy Analysis (DPPA) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. The meeting, held under the TCP project (TCP/LES/4002) Promoting Digital Agriculture under the Digital Villages Initiative, brought together a targeted group of technical experts to consolidate, validate, and refine content for a new digital agriculture chatbot initiative designed to revolutionize extension services across the two pilot districts of Berea and Mafeteng in Lesotho.
An extension specialist who was engaged by FAO had already conducted prior stakeholder consultations and gathered raw information. For three days, DAR researchers working alongside a core technical team which comprised of Department of Crops (DOC) – Agronomy specialists, IT experts from both FAO and MAFSN rigorously reviewed, consolidated, and tailored all collected information specifically for the chatbot’s architecture. DAR also led the scrutiny and provision of precise, scientifically sound information extracted from the larger body of collected data. Their responsibility was to ensure that every piece of agronomic advice, pest management protocol, and crop recommendation embedded in the chatbot met the highest research standards.
According to the lead DAR Researcher present at the meeting. “DAR’s role was to separate what is merely common from what is scientifically correct. We ensured that only validated, context-specific information moves into the digital tool that farmers will rely on daily.”
On the fourth and last day, a broader group of stakeholders such as Crops Officers from the 10 Districts of Lesotho and others from DOC in Maseru joined to review presentations, where the consolidated content was systematically critiqued and refined to ensure technical accuracy and practical usability. This cross-departmental attendance ensured that national agronomic standards and local district realities were equally represented.
With the consolidation and validation phase complete, the technical team will now proceed to chatbot development, followed by the recommended pilot phase in Berea and Mafeteng. DAR remains actively engaged in the next stages to guarantee that when the tool reaches farmers, the science behind it is unshakable.
Let us continue to work hand-in-hand ; researchers, extension officers, IT experts, planners, and farmers, to turn digital promise into practical impact. The fields are waiting, and so are the farmers. Together, we can grow a smarter, more resilient agricultural future for all Basotho.