How cool is my job? Using technology to transform potato farming

Tatenda Mutungira, an Agro Farming and Storage Operations Senior Leader in South Africa, works directly with farmers to advance PepsiCo’s Agro Technology agenda. His focus: identifying and implementing solutions that improve day-to-day farming operations, increase yields, and promote sustainable practices.

Supporting Farmers with Technology

At PepsiCo, we are actively seeking technologies and solutions that help farmers in their day-to-day operations. Tatenda leverages drone technology that provides growers with a field-wide view of their crops by turning aerial images into real-time insights. Farmers can then quickly spot issues, respond faster, and ultimately make better decisions that improve productivity.

From the Sky to the Soil

Here’s how the technology works:

• The drone is launched through the AgroScout app and follows a programmed flight path
• It captures images across the field, then uploads them to the platform
• The platform generates detailed reports highlighting issues such as pests or disease
• Farmers can go directly to the affected spot in the field, saving time and reducing input use
• Through PepsiCo’s Smart Agro program, data from the solution is also integrated across the supply chain—from farm to factory—helping to benchmark practices and share insights with other farmers

Shaping the Future of Agriculture

For Tatenda, solutions like AgroScout are not only transforming farming today but laying the foundation for a more sustainable future. By supporting farmers with precision agriculture, PepsiCo is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, optimize water usage, and meet consumer expectations for responsibly grown products.

How cool is his job!