A Kenyan software developer won the “Apps4Africa” competition sponsored by the US State Department on Wednesday.

Charles Kithika received Sh400m (USD 5,000) and an Apple iPad for devising a voice-based, mobile application that enables farmers to keep track of their cows' breeding cycles.

Mr Kithika's innovation, dubbed iCow, will “help farmers get the most of their cows and their farms,” the State Department said when announcing the awards.