Agriculture
The Future of the Nigeria Agriculture Lies with the Infusion of ICT in the sector
EXCLUSIVE: AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION IN NIGERIA
An Exclusive with the Project-A (A for Agriculture) team through the head of Marketing and Liaison was an eye opener towards knowing that indigenous ‘Agriprenure’ are coming up with innovations that will spur food sufficiency in Nigeria and Africa. The team of Project-A who have been working together on their software for the past two (2) years did acquire an incorporated status under the company name Beicraft Limited on the 25th day of April, 2016. Our discuss (opinionnigeria crew) with Alivionote Edwin I. whose portfolio in the team is as described above, we got to understand what their intervention in the sector was all about.
Plate 1: The Project Agriculture Team with some professors of its Academic Board during the Software review presentation.
What is project Agriculture all about?
Project Agriculture is made up of a team of four (4) scientists who major in the field of Agricultural and Environmental engineering with an academic board of twelve (12) professors of agriculture who serve advisory roles for the projects of the team. The team has the vision to evolve an Information Technology system for African agriculture and by extension the world that will become the platform for sustaining agricultural practice as well as advancing better innovations for boosting agricultural know-how.
Before this interview, I learnt that the team has been together for the last two years, what has been your engagement for this period of time?
The team which started via telephone conversion among what we now refer to as the project-A team, saw a need to coalesce and spin up innovative projects that will become tools for solving agricultural challenges. The Four team players who had engaged in research and other works on individual and team basis right from the undergraduate days came together under the auspices of Project-A on February 20th 2015 to put forward their first major innovative effort- the software development for Farm simulator. The time period thus far, we have engaged in research for developing the software, coordinated testing for the efficiency of the software as well as reach out to the academia (Academic Board) to get relevant input from them. The software which has evolved through changes in the bid to bring about a user friendly interface has got a better outlook for optimal functionality but in all, we have managed our limited resources and personnel to get to a 55% development status.
What is the difference between Project-A team and the Beicraft team, I am in a loss understanding the need for the two umbrella of operation?
Thanks for that question, the team started with the working name Project-Agriculture with the mission statement thus: The standardization of agriculture can only be achieved by bringing the research of our institutions and professionals to bear on the field where the real farming is done, and ensure that the challenges on the field is known to regulators responsible, almost at the real time the challenges arise. We are poised to ensuring that the information gap between respective stakeholders in the African agricultural sectors is closed by the technology we offer as solution.
The idea we had on incorporating Beicraft Limited was to idealize and incubate new projects under the auspices of Project-A and by the time we achieve full development and perfection of the works, the project which is now ready for marketing is modeled, packaged and propagated under the auspices of Beicraft Limited. Thus, Project-A is the developmental arm of Beicraft Limited implying that Project-A feeds the Beicraft Limited Company with raw materials with which we make a product brand.
So what problem does the FarmSim attempt to Solve in the Agricultural Sector?
The Nigeria Agricultural sector has been thriving on mechanical effort and organic knowledge based on residual generational practices and cultures, devoid of the leverage of ease of access to basic information which sustains growth. The agri-courses in our tertiary institutions have been limited in research and innovation owing to lack of consistency in obtaining realistic data due to the huge gap between the theory of the academic professionals and the practical of the engaged farmers. Also, the agri-industry operates with uncertainty for raw materials, as there is no organized (consistent) system of tracking the prospects for produce quality and quantity.
Can we get an idea of the technicality and operation of the Farm Software?
ICT has been utilized across several sectors to bridge knowledge gap as well as ease the burden of operations. We are providing a software with the capability of simulating the farm environment (from pre-planning, operations and management) with a view to coordinating the farm, while simultaneously affording the farmer the opportunity to create a local database linked to our central database that can be used for enhanced planning. Likewise, providing handy consistent records for researchers, agri-service providers, farm consultants and agripreneurs; utilizable in comparative study, to engender the adoption of more viable choice and sustainable practices across the agri sectors.
Can we get to meet your team through you?
The team of four (4), all with background in Agricultural and Environmental Engineering had been working together under designated portfolios, based on areas of optimal efficiency. Christopher Anajemba Ugochukwu as project initiator is head Design and Coding. Aloy Ozue Nathaniel the Assistant programmer, is the head Coding and Modeling while Emmanuel Arome Nelson provides support services as head Research and Web Management. Alivionote Edwin Itarakhe as the business and logistics strategist of the team is head Marketing and Liaison. Our Academic Board of twelve (12) professors drawn from the Federal Universities of Agriculture across Nigeria are presented thus;
PROJECT A- ACADEMIC BOARD PROFILE FROM UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE , MAKURDI BENUE STATE
Name: Prof J. A. Ayoade
Area of Professorship: Small Ruminant Animal
College: Animal Production
Name: Engr. Prof. Simon V. Irtwange
Area of Professorship: Agricultural Processing and Storage
Department: Agricultural and Environmental Engineering
Name: Prof Bernard A. Kalu
Area of Professorship: Farming Systems Agronomy
Department: Plant Breeding & Seed science
Name: Prof Fabian Gyizaka Kaankuka
Area of Professorship: Monogastric Animal Nutrition
Department: Animal Nutrition
PROJECT A- ACADEMIC BOARD PROFILE FROM UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA OGUN STATE
Name: Prof Chryss F. I. Onwuka
Area of Professorship: Animal Nutrition
College: Animal Science & Livestock Production
Name: Prof B. A. Adewumi
Area of Professorship: Food Engineering
Department: Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering
Name: Prof A. M. Bamgbose
Area of Professorship: Agric. Biochem & Animal Nutrition
Department: Animal Nutrition
Name: Prof J. A. Olanite
Area of Professorship: Pasture Agronomy & Forage Science
Department: Pasture and Range Management
PROJECT A- ACADEMIC BOARD PROFILE FROM UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE UMUDIKE ABIA STATE
Name: Prof Victor I. O. Ndirika
Area of Professorship: Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering
Department: Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering
Name: Prof Francis O. Ahamefule
Area of Professorship: Animal (Ruminant) Production & Management
Department: Animal Production & Livestock Management
Name: Prof V. E. Osadeke
Area of Professorship: Soil Science
Department: Soil Science and Meteorology
Name: Prof Ike Nwachukwu
Area of Professorship: Agricultural Extension and Rural Development
Department: Rural Sociology and Extension
Have the software been used or tested anywhere in Nigeria?
Well, the idea of Farm Simulator started as a poultry modeling software, which has since its change from poultry based into embracing other aspects of Agricultural areas, has been very tasking in demand. When we developed the poultry modeling software, we had it tested in two of the three Federal institutions of Agriculture (School Demonstration Farms) from where we got feedbacks that necessitated the remodeling of the software into what it is now.
Plate 1: Project-A Team Presentation at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta Ogun State Nigeria.
Finally, when are we expecting the software to be out in the farms for use?
Hopefully we are working round the clock to ensure that the software captures almost every noteworthy aspect of the farm operation hence the creation of the research unit in the team and more so the academic board. The inputs and findings we’ve got thus far have helped shaped what we have of the software. To push the pace of the software development as well as get the product into the waiting market, we are working assiduously from the marketing unit of the team to secure funding which will help us meet our financial shortfall in reaching the marketing stage.
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Interview by: Prince VintageSam Okoroafor
For OpinionNigeria
