Agriculture and the 4 th Industrial Revolution: How merging agriculture and STEMI can transform rural economy through innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation

9:00 – 4:30

Plant Science Seminar Room, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, Gauteng

Smart agriculture is a transformation in the agricultural industry that helps to guide actions required to modify and reorient agricultural systems to effectively support the development and guarantee food security during an ever-changing climate. Food demand is on an all-time high and the industry is under pressure to reach the demand, this is therefore a perfect boost for the demand of smart agriculture. This involves the adoption of advanced technologies such as Big Data, GPS, IoT and connected devices. Smart agriculture helps in automated farming, collection of data from the field and then analyses it so that the farmer can make accurate decision in order to grow high quality crop. The field data are collected with the help of sensors, cameras, micro controllers, and actuators. One example of this is prediction farming in the era of climate change. There are apps designed to collect climate data on rain and other associated data, this data is then used to help farmers predict when they can start planting so that their crops will get enough water through rainfall therefore leading to high yield. Pella village is a semi-arid rural and disadvantaged low-income community reliant on agriculture for income and food security. With the high unemployment rate in South Africa, Pella village community is not excluded in the number of those without jobs and any possible income. Pella, being a not so developed village with high potential of being the next big agricultural hub, is therefore the best to focus this event in the area as it will attract potential investors such as the Agricultural Research Council, Biotechnology Platform that already has a project in the community using animal genomic tools to improve livestock therefore improving the lives of farmers and also created employment. The agricultural sector is one of the fields that is overlooked by the youth especially in the rural communities due to lack of information and access to information. It is not hard to notice that this generation is a tech generation. Young people from all walks of life are hooked on technology in one way or the other. On the other hand, an average farmer in around 60years old. How do we bridge the age gap in agriculture? Through technology and entrepreneurship. This is one of the ways we can attract young people. If there are apps that can be used for crop measurements, livestock weight monitoring, irrigation and so forth, these are the things that young people will be more interested in. This event will also focus on young people and how they can be industry players. The event will incorporate industry players and universities to exhibit and showcase their scientific work as they use it on a daily basis as well as talk to youth about their future in science, career paths to follow and possible funding opportunities. The desired outcomes are firstly to bring agricultural awareness in the youth of the area and to show them that farming is not all about getting dirty and being on field. Through this workshop we will look at the tech and innovation skills in the area and see how we can work together to create employment and help alleviate poverty. This is also aimed at attracting industry players who are looking to invest and venture into new grounds to see how they can collaborate with the local leadership and stakeholders and unravel the scientific and business potential in the area. Finally, the main aim is to draft a paper on how smart agriculture can be used for community development, job creation and poverty alleviation.