Ethiopia Turns to AI and Digital IDs to Rewire Agriculture Advisory Services

Ethiopia is working toward the rollout of a new national digital infrastructure intended to reshape how farmers access advisory services, markets, finance, and government programs, as part of broader efforts to modernize an agriculture sector that remains central to the economy.

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The initiative, known as Ethiopia OpenAgriNet, is being developed by the Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Institute (ATI) in partnership with the Center for Open Societal Systems (COSS) and India-based Protean eGov Technologies, which has been contracted as the system integrator for the platform.

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Under the agreement, Protean will provide end-to-end technology, program management, and engineering services, covering the design, development, deployment, and ongoing support of the AI-powered digital platform. The contract, valued at Rs 25 crore (around $ 2.75 million), is scheduled to be executed over 17 calendar months, marking one of the most substantial investments to date in Ethiopia’s emerging digital agriculture infrastructure.

OpenAgriNet is being designed as a set of interoperable digital “rails” that would allow public and private actors to connect farmers with extension services, climate intelligence, markets, financial services, and government programs through a single, open network. 

At the core of the project in Ethiopia is the creation of unique farmer and farm identifiers, alongside the integration of data on crops, soil, and livestock. These datasets are expected to underpin AI-driven advisory services tailored to local conditions, supporting both farmers’ decision-making and government planning. ATI is expected to serve as the first implementing partner, integrating the platform with national systems and aligning it with Ethiopia’s Digital Agriculture Roadmap (2025–2032). Planned integrations include Fayda, the country’s national digital ID system, positioning OpenAgriNet as part of a broader push toward interoperable digital public infrastructure.

The DAR officially launched in February 2025 by the Ministry of Agriculture and ATI with support from partners including the Gates Foundation, World Bank, and Boston Consulting Group, provides the strategic blueprint for this transformation. Structured around three pillars, Solution Areas & Use Cases (with 22 prioritized actions, six in the initial phase), the foundational Digital Stack, and an Enabling Environment, the roadmap envisions an inclusive, affordable, and interoperable ecosystem that reaches an estimated 30 million farmers (including 14 million women), boosts average farmer incomes by 8% within five years.

By prioritizing high-impact areas such as AI-driven advisory services, market linkages, financial inclusion, and interoperable data infrastructure including integration with national systems like Fayda, OpenAgriNet could advance these ambitions as a core building block for nationwide adoption and long-term sectoral resilience.

Developers say the platform is being built around the realities of Ethiopia’s predominantly smallholder farming system. Planned features include voice-based access that does not rely on smartphones or broadband connectivity, local-language advisory services, and location-specific recommendations adapted to crop, soil, and climate conditions.

“OpenAgriNet is about making technology, especially AI and digital infrastructure, work for smallholder farmers, rather than expecting farmers to adapt to complex systems,” said Girum Ketema (PhD), Director for Technology and Digital Innovations at ATI.

Agriculture accounts for nearly 35% of Ethiopia’s GDP and employs more than 60% of the workforce, with over 15 million smallholder households dependent on climate-sensitive farming. Yet access to reliable digital advisory services remains limited, reflecting broader constraints across Sub-Saharan Africa. 

OpenAgriNet is intended to reduce fragmentation across institutions by creating shared digital infrastructure that lowers delivery costs, improves coordination, and supports evidence-based policymaking. Nationwide adoption in Ethiopia will likely depend on execution, institutional coordination, and farmer uptake.