High-tech agri apps

How technology is driving change within the agriculture sector.

By HANLIE DU PLESSIS

“The pace of change has never been this fast, yet it will never be this slow again.” These words spoken by Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau at the 2018 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos continue to ring true. Agriculture is experiencing tremendous change throughout its value chain. The obligation to feed a growing population and produce more with less falls squarely on the shoulders of this sector, an obligation that can’t be met without embracing the change that has come with the fourth industrial revolution.

Self-driving tractors, drones, satellites and apps are already part of a farmer’s world, bringing with them a renewed interest from a younger generation of farmers. As Grain SA CEO Dr Pieter Taljaard notes: “We have seen a massive increase in the number of young farmers attending our congress this year. Some 25 per cent of all attendees were 35 or younger.”

Cultivating skills

This data- and technology-driven sphere requires special skills and knowledge.

Marianne van der Laarse, CEO of Agrijob and AgriCAREERConnect, explains: “Each part of the value chain is experiencing its own challenges in acquiring appropriate skills.

Not only does the industry require agricultural science skills, but graduates also have to upskill to comply with the demand for skills in advanced technologies, from seed to plate. In addition to the specialised agricultural skills required, knowledge of computer programming and artificial intelligence is a necessity throughout the value chain.”

With this increase in the demand for data scientists, software engineers, and developers who can create sector-specific tools and technologies, are South Africa’s training institutions geared to facilitate this new generation of agri-programmers?

Dr Jan Greyling, head of Stellenbosch University’s AgroInformatics Department, is positive that tertiary institutions are proactively addressing the demand for data scientists in the country.

“Many universities and colleges have introduced programmes and courses in data science, agriculture and information technology,” says Greyling. “For example, our AgroInformatics Initiative aims to enable and advance data-intensive research and innovation in food, agriculture and natural resources. As the global population approaches 10 billion by 2050, deep expertise in natural systems and data science will be crucial for ensuring food security.”

The wrong kind of silo

While research and development of technology for commercial agriculture is progressing quickly, producers still experience gaps, leading to agricultural management solutions that do not meet all the requirements. Producers often have to use multiple systems ending up with siloed information that is difficult to consolidate.

Edrean Ernst, director of Allesbeste farm in Tzaneen, Limpopo, found himself in such a position. “We had to cherry-pick systems to address all our data requirements, resulting in a fragmented management system that meant it was difficult to make integrated business decisions.” He addressed the problem by developing a tailor-made platform on which existing systems could be integrated to provide a single source of truth for easier operations. Although the majority of food is produced by big commercial farmers who have cutting-edge technologies, small-scale and subsistence farmers who cannot afford the same technologies are not being left out. Three young entrepreneurs, Karidas Tshintsholo, Matthew Piper and Jackson Dyora, founded Khula four years ago to provide small-scale farmers with technology they can afford and a marketplace to grow their business.

“Our aim was to have a real impact on the lives of rural people,” says Tshintsholo. “Smallholder farmers have to cope with a lot of challenges, including access to inputs, marketing, selling and the transporting of their produce. Khula is a platform that aims to address all of these issues, providing farmers with access and liquidity.”

The platform is an ecosystem comprising three products: the inputs app that allows farmers to access inputs and services globally; the fresh produce marketplace where farmers can sell produce directly to local and international buyers; and the funder dashboard where institutional investors can connect with farmers. Together, these offer innovative and affordable technology designed to specifically address the needs of smallholder farmers.

With each technological improvement, the next innovation will follow faster. The agricultural data science field is blooming with opportunities; we are only limited by our imaginations