Do you have an innovative project in ICT4D? Do you think that your project is supporting the SDGs with the ICT4SDGs? Do you want international recognition of your project and also want to share to others what you are working on? Then ITU invites you to submit your entries by the 14th of January 2018. The extension allows for time for interested projects to bid for this prestigious award. You can read the ITU Official Call for Submissions in all UN languages are available here [ AR ] - [ ZH ] - [ EN ] - [ FR ] - [ RU ] - [ ES ] Read the submission rules and guidelines here All nominated...
CTA publishes a policy brief that seeks to concertize policy makers on the need of smallholder farmers to be included (in technological innovations) and to empower them to leverage information and communications technology (ICT) innovations for greater productivity and efficiency. In the western world, farmers can now use their smartphones, and other emerging technologies, to remotely monitor their equipment, crops and livestock and better control farming practices and productivity. However, the typical African smallholder farmer is still unable to effectively use these technologies due to a...
Many smallholder farmers in many part of Africa produce fruits and vegetables alongside their stable food – such as cereals, tubers and roots. Yet farmers are losing more than 50% of their crops due to lack of cold storage. The Food and Agriculture Organization the United Nations estimates that one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption (approx. 1.3 billion tonnes) gets lost or wasted. Therefore, there is a need for post-harvest handling facilities for both horticultural produces and also for cereals. For ten years, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu has been producing radio shows for...
Highlights: AI use growing in agriculture AI is applied in some aspects of the farming practices Some examples of AI are offered by Thembani Malapela (FAO) When l reflected on the future of agriculture, l could not avoid thinking about the power of technology to solve problems bedeviling this sector. Climate change, population growth and food security concerns have pushed for innovative technological solutions to farming. Artificial Intelligence is emerging as part of the solutions towards improved agricultural productivity. In this item, l will look at what AI is, how it is used in...
Seeds and Chips recently published a piece by Marco Gualtieri who proposes that technology is combating climate change in African Agriculture. In Africa, due to climate induced changes the availability of fertile land shrinks and this has sparked rural to urban migration. Ballooning urban population has skewed allocation of funds to cities and support for farming is slashed even further with an impact of lowering food production. The article also notes that there is a need to find sustainable methods in food and rural agriculture; keeping young dedicated people on the ground and then...
Most farmers in developing countries face the challenge of marketing their produce and most often meet the unpredictable market prices. How can technology help these farmers? We came across the innovative The Maano- Virtual Farmers’ Market (VFM) which is an app-based e-commerce platform designed with farmers needs in mind. This app is the product of World Food Programme’s Innovation Accelerator, an initiative to support potential innovative solutions to solve hunger. In this case, the VFM seeks to provide a transparent, open and trustworthy space for smallholder farmers and buyers to...
Rwanda and Estonia are reported to have started to create a professional network between ICT entrepreneurs that could benefit these countries bi-laterally. This follows a working visit by the President of Estonia Her Excellency Kersti Kaljulaid who expressed interest in ICT oriented partnerships in Estonia and Rwanda. She held talks with Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and visited K-Lab (a center that provides an open space for IT entrepreneurs to collaborate and innovate). More information about the visit here ICTs in agriculture : The Rwanda situation This visit of the Estonian...
Digital Technologies for Resilience was the theme of a workshop organized by FHI 360 in Bangkok with funding and support from Rockefeller Foundation and USAID . The workshop intended to create a space and exchange mat for professionals who are using digital technologies to enhance resilience. The other objective was to help participants to scale up the digital technology for resilience efforts. “The workshop enabled actual collaboration… several actual project collaborations took place –with exchanging of MoUs and project proposals” noted one participant. The programme in retrospect The two...
The European Union avails 100 million euros funding for digital research and innovation that is made available under The Horizon 2020 work programme 2018-2020 which ( inter alia ) seeks to advance the development and uptake of digital technologies in agriculture and rural areas. Digital technologies in agriculture pitch very high on the European Union’s agenda, for example the European policy makers recently at the Digitising agriculture and food value chains conference outlined policy developments in agricultural research and innovation and stated how digital technologies can bring forward...
The latest edition of SPORE magazine focuses on COP23 , however it has an article focusing on precision agriculture entitled, ‘Precision agriculture: A smart farming approach to agriculture’. The ability to use smart technologies could make today’s farmers manage their farming practices remotely. For this to happen these technology need access to data usually collected by satellites and drones. The ability of implementing sensors in the field, on animals and in the soil which transmit real time data allows for cost-effective and accurate means to predict and protect the growth of agricultural...
