Listed agribusiness firm Kakuzi Plc has stepped up its agricultural technology (Ag-Tech) adoption strategy and created a new Digital Agricultural Transformation Department to drive technology rollout across its operations, Managing Director Chris Flowers said in a statement dated August 14.

According to the company, the department will be headed by a Digital Agricultural Transformation Manager and is intended to accelerate Ag-Tech initiatives supporting Kakuzi’s shift toward climate-smart agriculture.

The announcement comes as Kenyan agribusinesses increasingly explore technology-led approaches to manage operational efficiency and climate variability, which continue to affect yields and input costs across key value chains. As a Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed company, Kakuzi’s investment direction is watched closely by investors and suppliers in the agriculture and food-processing ecosystem, including macadamia and other export-oriented crops.

Flowers said the department will coordinate technology adoption “across its operating fronts,” positioning digital tools as part of the firm’s broader sustainability and agronomy agenda.

“The Kakuzi Ag-Tech journey is firmly on course and is anchored on several sustainability initiatives and resilient agronomy practices that we continue to embed across all operations,” said Chris Flowers, Managing Director, Kakuzi Plc. “As we face more and more uncertainty and unpredictability in our traditional climatic patterns, it is essential that agriculture adapts and adopts new technology.”

Kakuzi said it is implementing artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and data analytics solutions to improve decision-making and operational performance. Flowers cited the Kakuzi Macadamia Processing Plant as one example, saying it already incorporates an AI-powered Intelligent Optical Sorting system that automates macadamia nut grading to improve production quality.

The company also said it is deploying new Ag-Tech tools in the field and has enhanced drone-based security surveillance systems, according to Flowers.

For Kenya’s agricultural sector, where productivity pressures intersect with climate risk and increasingly stringent quality requirements in export markets, wider uptake of data-led crop management and automation could influence competitiveness and traceability expectations in supply chains. In processing, tools such as optical sorting can reduce reliance on manual inspection and improve consistency, potentially affecting throughput and cost structures for processors.

However, the broader impact will depend on execution, including staff capability, integration with legacy systems and whether the technology deployments translate into measurable gains in yields, quality outcomes, and reduced losses. Kakuzi did not disclose capital expenditure or timelines for the department’s rollout in the statement.

Next steps are expected to include appointing the Digital Agricultural Transformation Manager and expanding implementation of AI, analytics and field technologies across the company’s operations as it pursues climate-smart agriculture goals, Kakuzi said.