Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Mitigate Bird-Induced Cereal Crop Losses for Enhanced Food Security in Ghana: A Review

This review examines the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in mitigating cereal crop damage caused by birds, highlighting its potential to enhance food security, improve agricultural sustainability, and support the livelihoods of farmers in Ghana. Food and nutrition security remain pivotal for sustainable development in Ghana, with agriculture contributing significantly to employment, food production, and economic growth. Among the pressing challenges facing Ghanaian farmers is bird-induced damage to cereal crops such as maize, millet, sorghum, and rice, which undermines productivity, food security, and farmer livelihoods. Traditional bird control methods such as scarecrows and manual labor, are often labor-intensive, costly, and increasingly ineffective at scale and raise social concerns, including child labor and school dropout. With advancements in technology, AI has emerged as a reliable solution for addressing these challenges. AI-powered systems, including drones equipped with bird detection and repellent technologies, offer innovative and sustainable alternatives to conventional with the potential of reducing 15-30% cereal crop losses caused by birds in Ghana while connectivity of Farmer Based Organizations to AI-based bird control systems increase accessibility and affordability for small scale farmers. Companies such as AiScarecrow have developed drones that mimic predatory birds, scaring away pest species through simulated threats while ensuring minimal harm to the environment, cutting down 90% field losses while saving an average of 8-10 hours a day of valuable time. These systems enable real-time monitoring, species-specific responses, and efficient deterrent mechanisms that significantly reduce bird-induced crop losses while minimizing environmental impact. This review synthesizes literature up to date on AI applications, bird deterrence technologies, and agricultural innovation in Ghana. The analysis identifies emerging approaches, key barriers to adoption, and directions for future research. The study highlights the urgency and feasibility in integrating AI-driven bird control into Ghana’s agricultural strategies to strengthen food security while promoting sustainable, technology-enabled farming.