Lesotho’s government is developing an AI-powered chatbot to give farmers easier access to agricultural information and advice, Minister of Information, Communications, Science, Technology and Innovation Nthati Moorosi has said.
The chatbot is being built by her ministry with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. No launch date or technical details were given.
Moorosi announced the project while opening the third National Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Maseru, where she called for research to move beyond academic reports into practical use in agriculture, industry, business and public services.
She said the government is also upgrading high-performance computing infrastructure at the Mohale’s Hoek Data Centre to support scientific modelling, research, data analytics and locally relevant AI applications. A Research and Innovation Policy, intended to help turn research into commercial products and services, is moving through approval.
Moorosi urged universities, researchers and young innovators to focus on testing, refining, commercialising and deploying their ideas.
Matšepo Mosoka, acting director of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to science and technology as drivers of development.
The week-long event, themed “Exploring the Role of Science, Technology and Innovation in Improving Lives and Building a Better Future,” covers agriculture, healthcare, digital transformation and climate resilience.
Source: Government of Lesotho.
