Webinar On Smart Farming Tech In Africa: Key Takeaways

On July 01, EOS Data Analytics (EOSDA), a global provider of AI-powered satellite imagery analytics, together with Agroxchange Technology, a digital platform for farmers in Nigeria, hosted a webinar about various benefits of AI & machine learning application in smallholding farming.

Guest experts from Amazon Web Services, Precision Agriculture for Development, and Universiti Putra Malaysia discussed the power of precision farming technology to drive the socio-economic growth of small-scale farmers in Africa.

The webinar was created for the enthusiasts of agritech, science, and environment. Attendees from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, South Africa, Ethiopia, and other African countries, as well as India, USA, and Malaysia, took part in the event.

Among the presenters were:

• EOSDA Director of Strategic Partnerships Rim Elijah
• Amazon Senior Solution Architect, Aerospace and Satellite group Ajit Rajdeosingh
• Agroxchange Technology CEO and GIS expert Adewale Adegoke
• Precision Agriculture for Development Country Launch Manager Uzoamaka Ugochuchkwu
• Department of Agriculture Technology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) PhD-Associate Professor Siva Balasundram

We are delighted to have successfully conducted our first Co-Host webinar with Agroxchange Technology. We are witnessing a spike of interest in precision agriculture not only in Nigeria and West Africa but in other countries as well. We hope to turn joint webinars into a regular practice at EOSDA. We are certainly looking forward to replicating such successful use-cases of partnership all around the globe.

Rim Elijah

Director of Strategic Partnerships at EOS Data Analytics Position

During the webinar, the hosts defined the key agricultural challenges for small-scale farmers across Nigeria and other Western African countries:

• Low compliance with GAP (Good Agronomic Practices)
• Low uptake of precision ag tech
• Low capacity to interpret data
• High cost of agritech
• Integration of technology with extension services

Satellite-driven and AI-powered precision agriculture allows small-scale farmers to solve their daily farming challenges much faster and easier.

EOSDA and Agroxchange Technology have come up with a tailored approach of how to effectively deliver multiple digital solutions to smallholding farmers in Africa, improving their daily life quality and boosting the agro sector overall.

Applying smart farming technologies in smallholder farming requires a fit-for-purpose strategy that is systematic, to generate tangible and measurable outcomes that include food security and job creation. In the context of precision agriculture, insight is critical to achieving high yield and improvements to farmer livelihood. Satellite technology is pivotal to ensuring this.

Adewale Adegoke

CEO at Agroxchange Technology

In order for digital agriculture in Africa to flourish, technology owners require all the support of local partners. Through EOSDA’s example of partnering in Nigeria, we have proven in less than a year of cooperation, that the right kind of partnership can truly facilitate service delivery.

Rim Elijah

Siva Balasundram, PhD-Associate Professor at Department of Agriculture Technology, University Putra Malaysia (UPM) is confident that precision agriculture is a key enabler for a positive digital disruption in agriculture. The presenter went into details about the concept of precision agriculture and its power to optimize farm operations and resource allocation.

Professor Siva Balasundram also emphasized the importance, inevitability, and potential benefits of transitioning into Digital Agriculture by adopting the cutting-edge computing technology of today.

Smart farming is an important conversation the agriculture community should have. I’m glad the agriculture stakeholders of Africa, particularly smallholder farmers, have responded to this call! The topics covered were well sequenced, and I personally learnt a lot from the other speakers. Kudos to AgroXchange Technology and EOSDA for making this happen.

Siva Balasundram

Uzoamaka Ugochuchkwu, Country Launch Manager at Precision Agriculture for Development stressed the positive role of collaboration for the successful integration of digital agriculture in Nigeria:

Thank you for convening, and so expertly stewarding the seminar. As I said in my contribution to the event, we hope that this collaboration will be the first to expand the use of digital agricultural advisory services throughout Nigeria, to more fully integrate those services into governments’ existing agricultural extension systems, and to absorb these services into Nigeria’ long-term budgets.

Uzoamaka Ugochuchkwu

Africa is the land of great agricultural opportunities, boasting fertile soil and enjoying 300 days of sunshine per year.

EOSDA and Agroxchange Technology, in collaboration with local partners, is aiming to fully realize the agricultural potential of Africa, speeding up the digitization of the agro industry and driving local digital entrepreneurship, while at the same time increasing investor confidence in commodity trading.

Natalia Borotkanych

Project coordinator

Natalia Borotkanych has been working in the space sector for more than 15 years now. Her experience includes working in business, science, education, and government projects.

Natalia has a PhD in space history, Master’s Degree in Foreign Policy from the Diplomatic Academy of Ukraine, as well as Master’s Degree in Public Management and Administration from National Academy for Public Administration under the President of Ukraine.

Building upon her experience of working in the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Natalia now specializes in helping the state bodies and NGOs to implement the satellite monitoring technologies for solving real-world problems and for smart decision-making.

Natalia is an active science communicator. She is a scientific editor at The Universe. Space. Tech magazine. She also teaches a “Space diplomacy” course at the National Aviation University.

Natalia's experience in project coordination and scientific expertise in the space sector are much appreciated at EOS Data Analytics.