CropGuard: Harnessing AI to Protect Crops and Empower Farmers in South Sudan

By Mum Mayiik Kiir, with colleague John Aliir, Computer Science student at Starford University.

Agriculture is the backbone of South Sudan’s economy, yet year after year, farmers lose a significant portion of their harvest to birds that feed on crops before they can be harvested. Traditional methods — from scarecrows to manual guarding — have proven unreliable, costly in time, and unsustainable. For many families, these losses translate into food insecurity and financial instability.

The Birth of CropGuard

As a Computer Science graduate and former MasterCard Foundation Scholar at the African Leadership University, I have always been passionate about leveraging technology to solve real-world problems. With a background in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), I sought to design a solution that was cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable for local farmers.

This vision led to CropGuard — an AI-powered system designed to protect farms through 24/7 surveillance and automated deterrence. The system uses frequency-based signals to repel birds safely, without harming them, and without requiring farmers to constantly patrol their fields.

By automating this process, CropGuard not only protects crops but also frees farmers to focus on other productive activities, leading to higher yields, reduced losses, and improved financial stability.

Building from the Ground Up

The idea was not built in isolation. Together with my colleague, John Aliir, we began by engaging with farmers — family members and community farmers — to understand the realities they faced:

• Which crops were most at risk?

• At what times did bird attacks occur most frequently?

• Which bird species caused the most damage?

These conversations shaped the design of CropGuard, ensuring it addressed real pain points and avoided the pitfalls of earlier failed methods.

Recognition: Youth Innovation Award 2025

In August 2025, CropGuard was awarded the Eden Foundation Youth Innovation Award for the Most Outstanding Innovation of the Year during International Youth Day celebrations in Juba.

This recognition not only celebrated our work but also affirmed the importance of youth-led innovation in tackling South Sudan’s most pressing challenges. Winning the award has given us visibility, mentorship opportunities, and renewed determination to bring CropGuard to scale.

Challenges Along the Way

Like many grassroots innovations, our journey has not been without hurdles. From technical setbacks to financial constraints and limited access to resources, progress has often been slower than we hoped. Our first on-site tests have been delayed, but every challenge has provided valuable lessons — pushing us to refine the system, make it simpler, and prepare it for practical deployment.

Looking Ahead

The dream for CropGuard goes beyond just one community. Our vision is to scale this innovation to serve farming communities across South Sudan and East Africa, where crop losses to birds remain a serious challenge.

In the future, we hope to build a team of passionate innovators committed to promoting sustainability and creating technology-driven solutions for local problems. CropGuard is only the beginning.

A Future Built by Youth and Technology

For us, technology is not just about coding or algorithms — it’s about solving problems that matter to people’s daily lives. CropGuard represents how innovation, rooted in community needs, can drive sustainable development and empower farmers.

Our journey continues with hope, resilience, and an unwavering belief that sustainable solutions can transform communities from the ground up.