Professional association deploys AI system to boost agriculture

By Agency Report

The Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) has deployed the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to boost  agriculture and help achieve food security in the country.

Prof. Chinenye Anyadike, Department of Agric. & Bioresources Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) who is  Principal Investigator of the project disclosed this in Nsukka on Saturday during a policy dialogue on the Future of Agriculture.

According to Anyadike, participants were drawn from agriculture stakeholders, farmers and academia to analyse the effects of  AI in producing , marketing, and management of Nsukka Yellow Pepper, that is the project's pilot crop.

She said the aim of deploying AI system in agriculture, especially in rural areas was to ensure increase in yeild and bumper harvest that would help in achieving food security.

The don explained that many rural farmers have been trained on how to use the AI system on their crops to dictate diseases, real-time weather updates, and water management, among others.

"The aim of this project research is to boost agricultural output through the application of AI system that will increase yeild.

"We developed three systems that enhances early disease detection, water management, and e-extension service that supports farmers and provide real-time weather update,as well as a Smart Greenhouse.

"We target farmers especially those in rural areas, and that is why we have been training and retraining them on how to apply the AI system on their farms to enable them to monitor and intervene timely when necessary.

"The goal will be to draw from the evidence of inclusive and responsible implementation of the AI for agriculture and food system innovation research grants.

"We are using Nsukka yellow pepper as a case study in our pilot farm  at Eziani Community of Nsukka LG because of its uniqueness in terms of  yellow colour, special aroma and popular demand locally and internationally," she said.

The Principal Investigator said that the dialogue was organised by APWEN in partnership with the University of Nigeria Nsukka researchers, Educare Technologies  Lagos under the sponsorship of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) and International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada.

She explained that the objective of the dialogue was to showcase the benefits of AI in agriculture to enable government and interested organisations to key in and subsidise the AI system so that it will be accessible and affordable to farmers.

"This policy dialogue will help to generate a report that summarises the main findings and recommendations on the project that can serve as a reference and guidelines for policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and other interested parties," she said.

Anyadike commended the commitment of the National President of APWEN, Dr. Adebisi Osim for the effective way she had been piloting the affairs of the association.
She also commended  ATPS and IDRC for their continued sponsorship as well as UNN research team members for their contributions.

Speaking, Dr. Joel Nwakaire, an Associate Professor, at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, UNN who is currently on assignment in Nairobi Kenya, said that for researchers to be "a beautiful bride" to  government, they must make a positive impact in their chosen field.

He noted that positive impacts of  researchers would make government to know that they were contributing towards the overall development of the society.

Nwakaire who is ATPS representative and the Project Coordinator  said ATPS works across Africa with the vision of using science, technology, and innovation as a means for achieving sustainable development in core areas like agriculture, environment, health, and energy, among others.

In a remark virtually, Dr. Elizabeth Eterigho, former President of APWEN commended Prof. Anyadike and her research team for carrying out the project  of AI in agriculture diligently.

Eterigho assured association would continue to initiate projects and programmes that would provide platform for female students engineers and practicing ones to excel and attain an enviable height.

Responding on behalf of other farmers, Mrs Florence Enete commended APWEN for using  artificial intelligence to enhance the production, marketing, and management of Nsukka yellow pepper and described the initiative as a good one

"From AI system, we can now know when our crops are growing very well and when they are attacked by disease and so that we will call for help to cure the disease," he said

Mr. Ngene Afamefuna, Deputy Director in Enugu State Ministry of Agriculture was among present during the policy dialogue.
NAN