Strengthening water-wise agriculture through the PROTEA digital tools workshop

~ By Johan Coetzer, Upper Letaba Restoration Project Manager

In November 2025 and February 2026, more than 30 emerging farmers and several agricultural field officers from across the Mopani District participated in a series of PROTEA digital tools workshops aimed at strengthening water-wise farming practices and improving access to climate and agricultural information. The workshops formed part of the project “Digital Tools for Sustainable Water Use by Emerging Farmers in South Africa,” funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and implemented by the World Water Academy (WWA) with technical support from Hydrologic (Netherlands). The Kruger to Canyons Biosphere Region NPC (K2C) supported the delivery of the workshops as the local implementing partner.

The first workshop took place on 13 November 2025, followed by a second session on 26 February 2026. Together, these workshops brought farmers, agricultural extension officers, and government representatives into a shared learning space focused on practical solutions for climate-resilient agriculture. Key partners participating in the workshops included LandCare South Africa, the Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), the Department of Water and Sanitation, the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform, and the Mopani District Disaster Risk Management Department.

At the centre of the training was the PROTEA Chatbot, a user-friendly digital platform hosted on Telegram. The chatbot provides farmers with easy access to real-time rainfall information, rainfall trends, early warning alerts, water wise farming advice and practical guidance for climate-adaptive farming decisions. The tool is designed specifically for emerging farmers who often face limited access to timely environmental information.

During the workshops, participants were guided step-by-step through installing Telegram and setting up the chatbot on their phones. The sessions quickly became interactive and collaborative, with farmers assisting one another with installation, testing the chatbot’s features, and discussing how the information could support their day-to-day farming decisions. For many participants, it was the first time they had used a digital tool specifically designed to support farm management.

Beyond introducing the technology, the workshops also served as an important platform for learning directly from farmers and field officers about the information they need most. Participants shared insights about the practical challenges they face in crop production, livestock management, and responding to climate variability. This feedback played a key role in shaping additional content within the PROTEA platform.

As a result of these discussions, the project team incorporated a series of information guides and practical resources into the chatbot to support farmers beyond rainfall monitoring. These include guidance on intercropping practices, natural pest control methods, managing armyworm outbreaks, and information on livestock diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease. These additions aim to provide farmers with accessible, reliable knowledge that can support more resilient farming systems.

The workshops also highlighted several important knowledge gaps that are common across the farming communities represented. Participants noted a high reliance on chemical pesticides, often without awareness of alternative pest management approaches such as intercropping or natural biological control methods. Similarly, discussions revealed limited shared knowledge about livestock diseases, particularly foot-and-mouth disease and how it spreads between farms. In some cases, misinformation was circulating among farmers due to the absence of clear and accessible guidance.

By identifying these gaps, the PROTEA project is helping to ensure that the digital platform becomes not only a source of climate information but also a trusted knowledge hub for practical agricultural guidance. The workshops therefore played a dual role: introducing new technology while strengthening information exchange between farmers, extension officers, and project partners.

In the coming months, the project team will continue following up with participating farmers and extension officers to assess how the chatbot is being used in practice and to gather further feedback. Based on early user experience, there is also a high likelihood that the PROTEA platform will be expanded to WhatsApp, while maintaining its full functionality. This shift is expected to significantly increase accessibility, as WhatsApp is far more widely used and familiar within South Africa compared to Telegram, and it generally requires less data to operate.

K2C extends sincere thanks to the partners, farmers and field officers who participated in the workshops. Their enthusiasm, insights, and honest feedback are helping shape the PROTEA platform into a practical, relevant tool that supports sustainable water use and climate-resilient agriculture across the region.

If you would like to try the PROTEA tool yourself:
Install Telegram and search for:
@PROTEA_CHATBOT_BOT

Or scan the QR code provided below.

FUNDERS / PARTNERS:
Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), World Water Academy (WWA), Hydrologic (Netherlands), Limpopo Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (LDARD), LandCare South Africa