During the Agribusiness Expo held at Kibabii University, Alex Mugane, director of Customized Aviation Solutions Limited, called on farmers to use drones for accessing real‑time crop and weather data as climate change drives unpredictable rainfall and temperature patterns.

Mugane explained that drones can detect early signs of disease, pest infestations and plant stress, allowing timely interventions that limit spread across fields.

Targeted aerial spraying, he said, reduces the volume of chemicals applied, lowering farmer exposure, water use and environmental risk compared with conventional blanket applications.

The company can map farm topography and generate contour data, information that helps farmers decide where to construct water‑harvesting structures such as small dams.

A single drone sortie can cover up to 1,000 acres in a day, and processed data are typically returned to farmers within two to three days, enabling rapid decision‑making on large holdings.

To broaden uptake, Customized Aviation Solutions has partnered with Kibabii University to train farmers in crop‑health analysis and drone operation, focusing on early disease identification and stress monitoring.

Kibabii University Vice‑Chancellor Professor Joshua Ogendo highlighted that the expo, organized with the Eastern Africa Grains Council and Bungoma County Government, aims to link academic research with practical innovations for climate‑smart agriculture.

EAGC representative Paul Ochuna noted that such expos give smallholder farmers a platform to interact with technology providers, learn about new tools and adopt practices that can mitigate climate‑related yield losses.