Vodafone Power Talks: Farmers and agric experts meet to dicuss ICT in Agriculture

Farmers and and agriculture experts will meet on30th July to discuss opportunities to leverage ICT to  improve agricultural production at the second edition of Vodafone Power Talks.   

Speakers include agriculture experts and farmers who have successfully used ICTs on their farms will share their experiences which will be useful for anyone intending to venture into farming or is already into farming but is struggling to integrate technology in farm operations.

Speakers include: Dr. Maggie Kigozi, farmer, former Executive Director of Uganda Investment Authority and  currently allow of the Africa Leadership Initiative of the Aspen Institute; Mr. Robert Kintu, the Principal Consultant and Managing Director, FIT Uganda; Victoria Sekitoleko farmer, former Minister of Agriculture, Food Agricultural Organisation Representative and the current Chairperson of the governing board of Uganda Agribusiness Alliance; Ronald Katamba, mobile application developer and founder of Afrosoft IT Sloutions; Stuart Oramire, a reserch fellowe and Director of Operations at Agency for Transformation.

“In Uganda, one major challenge is access to reliable and timely information. Inequity in access to information allows those with information to take advantage of those without it (often farmers), even though much of the information is technically within the public domain,” Mr Allan Richardson, CEO of Vodafone Uganda, aid. “This forum presents a unique opportunity for farmers and or anyone involved or interested in agribusiness to learn how to leverage ICTs to improve producation on their farms. We hope that this forum will be the start of the empowerment journey for agricultural entrepreneurs to enhance production, improve efficiency and profitability for their farms through technology,”

Over the past decade, Uganda has witnessed rapid expansion in telecommunication infrastructure and mobile technology which has enhanced the access, affordability, and adaptability of ICTs for development. While ICT is not a panacea that will solve all the issues related to the agriculture value chain development, it is important to exploit the value it offers in providing a better service.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) estimates that there are 19.5 million mobile phone subscribers in the country making it is easier to share and receive information today than it was in the past. As a result a number of innovations have come up that can help farmers to obtain markets for their goods, prices, and provide timely weather information via the mobile phones.

“With about 80% of Uganda’s the total population directly employed in agriculture, integration of technology to improve agricultural production would contribute greatly not only to Uganda’s economic growth but it will also improve the livelihood of millions of Ugandans involved in agriculture. We believe ICT can potentially create an agricultural revolution in this country,” Mr. Richardson added.

Taken from, PC Tech Magazine

CEPEP in agriculture will boost investment

The government’s plan to have CEPEP more involved in agriculture will have the effect of “supporting how people expand and invest more in agriculture,” said Marie Louise Norton-Murray, President of the European Chamber of Commerce of Trinidad and Tobago.

Interviewed about initiatives EUROCHAMTT has embarked upon both in Trinidad and in Tobago, Norton-Murray said she was aware of concrete opportunities for investment in the agriculture sector but lamented that most investors were concerned about labour availability. “They ask where will they get labour,” she reports, adding that the challenge of labour could be solved by having CEPEP more involved in the sector. 

Norton-Murray said was impressed with the CEPEP marine project and looked forward to its increased involvement in agriculture. Trinidad and Tobago should want to make agriculture more attractive, she added. 

One of EUROCHAMTT projects in Tobago is the Good Foods Project which she described as “really positive” and for which initiatives were being developed at the small and micro enterprise level using the development fund from the European Union. 

Said Norton-Murray: “We are getting really good results from this project.” She also noted that investors were specifically interested in cocoa sand tourism. 

“We are aware of people looking for investment opportunities in Tobago in tourism, in cocoa and in other agriculture areas.” EUROCHAMTT has collaborated with the National Rehabilitation Watershed Reafforestation Programme (NRWRP) to train persons in the rehabilitation of Charlotteville Estates Cocoa plantations, creating an access trail, pruning old cocoa trees and starting a nursery. 

“We have supplied them(workers) with health and safety gear. You have to change the culture and get them to wear it. When they get the gear they are smiling and happy. We are helping to upgrade agriculture,” she said of the Tobago project. 

“We are looking at the issue of productivity. Having the tools and learning new skills, even through CEPEP, would help support investment.” 

Norton-Murray is also advocating that the insurance industry take a look into the feasibility of medical insurance and life insurance for agriculture workers since it was another initiative was easy to implement.

Taken from Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday

Obama to visit African Union HQ in Addis Ababa

ADDIS ABABA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama will visit the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, where he will meet with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, and other AU officials.

Obama will also deliver a speech to the African continent from the Nelson Mandela Hall at the AU Conference Center in Addis Ababa, according to Erastus Mwencha, Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission.

Speaking to the press on Friday here in Addis, Mwencha said that the U.S. President and the Chairperson of AU Commission would discuss ways of strengthening trade relation between Africa and the U.S..

The meeting between the two leaders will also be an opportunity to discuss issues related to investment as well as cooperation on areas of AU's programs in infrastructure, information and communication technology (ICT), and agriculture, according to the Deputy Chairperson.

"But, beyond trade, we are looking at investment. And investment I should say the United States is one of the major investors on the continent. And we have a number of programs in the continent that we are looking at, mainly in the area of infrastructure but we are also looking at sectors like ICT and also agriculture," he said.

"There are also global issues that we are talking about concerning climate change and such like areas. The two leaders will have an opportunity first of all to look at how we strengthen this cooperation including peace and security which of course paramount of importance particularly looking at issues of terrorism and counter terrorism," he noted.

Taken from Global Post.

To read more, Obama to visit African Union HQ in Addis Ababa

iQor to Open New Contact Center in Trinidad and Tobago

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iQor will open its newest Contact Center in Trinidad and Tobago in September of 2015. The new site will be located in Trinidad’s Tamana InTech Park, a new 1,100 acre development.

iQor will be located in the ICT sector, sharing buildings with some of the largest technology innovators in the world. It has acquired space for over 300 agents, and has rights to expand to more than 750 seats.

“Trinidad and Tobago is the perfect place to expand our nearshore footprint,” says Gary Praznik, Executive Vice President of Customer Contact Solutions at iQor. “With its investment in infrastructure, highly educated, English speaking workforce and ease of travel from the U.S., Trinidad has terrific potential as a source of customer service talent.”

Tamana InTech Park is conveniently located 45 minutes from the Port of Spain and 20 minutes from the nearest airport, allowing easy access to the new site. Trinidad and Tobago is south of the hurricane belt, has a literacy rate of 99% and the primary language spoken is English (heavily influenced by Great Britain).

iQor is touring the island on a recruitment road show beginning in mid-July. The tour is scheduled to hit:

• The University of the West Indies: St. Augustine Campus in the Social Sciences Undercroft on Tuesday, July 28, 2015 from 9 AM – 2 PM
• The Community Center in Sangre Grande, located at Petunia Terrace, Duranta Gardens, Sangre Grande, on Thursday, July 30, 2015 from 9 AM – 2 PM
• The School of Business and Computer Science Fair on Friday, July 31, 2015, located at 53-54 Sagan Drive, Champs Fleurs, from 8 AM – 4 PM

Applicants will be able to interview on site during the tour. Other interviews and hiring are scheduled to take place on Monday, July 27, 2015 at InvesTT’s office, located at The Atrium, Don Miguel Road, El Socorro. There will be an additional opportunity held on Wednesday, July 29, 2015 at OJT Programme, St. Augustine Office located at 16 Warner Street, St. Augustine. Applicants can also submit their resume on a temporary recruiting site. To learn more about iQor, applicants are encouraged to visit www.iqor.com.

Taken from Business Wire

Ireland’s smart agriculture future is on a fertile plain

One of the biggest problems the world will face in the 21st century is food supply. This is where Ireland, with its expertise in agriculture and ICT, could be a world leader, according to WIT president and TSSG founder Prof Willie Donnelly.

Donnelly said that the world will need to increase food production by 70pc by 2025.

Ireland has the advantage of land, expertise and technology.

Researchers from TSSG, WIT and organisations like Teagasc are working on new technologies that will use the best of ICT, analytics and sensors to increase quality and quantity of dairy and beef production.

Last year, a €446,000 collaboration between major Irish dairy producers Glanbia and Dairygold and Irish researchers was announced that will see data analytics and big data employed to help boost milk production.

“Globally, agriculture and food security are the biggest challenges for society,” said Donnelly.

“One of the problems we have is the amount of land available for food production is decreasing because of overpopulation.

“So the real opportunity is for countries like Ireland who can produce safe food. Ireland is in a unique position because we are one of the leaders in ICT and we have all the big players here like IBM, Google, Amazon and Cisco.

“But on the other side our main indigenous industry is agriculture, so if you combine the two you really get a unique environment.”

Donnelly defines smart agriculture as the combination of ICT and agriculture, making use of computing power and analytics and applying it to managing the entire food production cycle.

Taken from, SiliconRepublic

Send pan to Cuba

THE Success Laventille Secondary School (SLSS) Steel Orchestra, Success Stars Pan Sounds, is seeking $500,000 to fund its visit to Cuba on August 22 to 30 at the invitation of the Cuban Institute of Music on behalf of the Government of Cuba.

Approved by the TT Ministry of Education, this will be an educational and cultural exchange for pupils to interact with their peers in Cuba and visit places of interest, so as to enrich their educational experience. Friends of SLSS, in a statement yesterday, said the school’s formula for success is to combine academics with co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. “Despite our geographic location and socio-economic challenges, SLSS has produced many graduates who have contributed and continue to contribute positively in Trinidad and Tobago and abroad.” 

These include persons who excelled nationally and internationally such as Jamila Harris (Economics), Nigel Austin (Molecular Biology), Andrew Hunt (Mathematics), Codrington Pan Family (Steelpan), Neisha Guy (Vocalist) and Kieron Pollard (Cricket). 

“SLSS is the main pilot school for the Pan in Education (PIE) software that incorporates ICT, animation, indigenous rhythms and instruments of Trinidad and Tobago for teaching a curriculum for developing Music industry professionals. The curriculum encompasses Music Literacy, Music Production, Technical English, Steelpan Manufacturing and Business modules, appropriately supported by the Social Sciences.” 

The group heading to Cuba will consists of male and female pan music students ages 12 to18, plus school officials, chaperones, pan tuner and other supporting adults. Success Stars Pan Sounds boasts a rich history of musical excellence over 30 years, having captured over 13 championship awards at Music Festivals and Panorama. 

An interesting outcome of this journey will be the production of a documentary which will capture the experiences during the planning and preparation such as conversational Spanish classes, fund-raising efforts, input and support from parents and the community, rehearsals, the events in Cuba as well as the daily life and socio-economic developments in Cuba. 

To make this trip a reality the group needs $500,000. “We are hoping that generous corporations and individuals will help us achieve this objective,” said the group. Deposits can be made to: 

“Success Laventille Secondary School Steel Orc”, Scotiabank Account #: 1202636. For more details call coordinator Nick Cumberbatch at 782-9328, or Chairman Local School Board chairman, Robert Hernandez, at 798-5887. Visit Success Stars Pan Sound on Facebook.

Taken from Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

Griffith boasts of ICT success

MINISTER of Science and Technology, Dr Rupert Griffith, tells a story about an 84-year old woman who attended one of the ministry’s ICT for Seniors sessions staged recently in Valencia. He says all her children and grandchildren live abroad and she writes letters to them but after writing the letters she has to wait for someone to take the letters to the post office for her, then wait for a response.

He told BusinessDay, “You know that lady came to me and said, ‘Mr Griffith, I want to thank you.’ ” He said he was puzzled about why she was thanking him but she rushed on to say that she had attended the session and was introduced to email. She said that during the session she had emailed her daughter and grandchildren and was determined not to write paper letters again. He said she said she was going to buy a computer and in future intended to email “everybody.” He added, “That woman was happy and crying. How do you measure those things?” 

Griffith said the ICT for Seniors programme is one of the flagship initiatives of the ministry. “And, you know people are living longer now. People are retiring now because they made their money, they want to enjoy the rest of their lives so it is not uncommon for people to retire at 50-55 years, even 60 years of age and they are still strong. He said while in this part of the world 55 and 60 might appear to be old, it is not the same in Europe and the rest of the world. In those places, age is just a number.” 

He said the first ICT for Seniors programme was held at the Hyatt Regency hotel on Wrightson Road and attracted about 400 people. The second one was in Central Trinidad and there the attendance was about 600. He said the ministry had to turn away people interested in participating in the programme. He added that at the third programme in Valencia there was chaos and security had to be summoned to stop people entering the venue. He said that one attracted more than 700 people. He said when the security officers stopped people from entering, the ministry was forced to promise another session. He said that session is already sold out with more than 800 people signed up and waiting. Another session was scheduled for Skinner Park, San Fernando, in July and Griffith said the ministry had written the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to take the programme to the Sister Island. 

“Why are we doing it?” he asked rhetorically. “Because everybody has to have access to the technology.” He said the idea of ICT for Seniors arose during a general discussion at one of the Commonwealth Connect meetings he chaired as Minister of Science and Technology. Its aim is to expand the use of all the new initiatives in technology so that no one gets left behind. He said there are programmes for women and girls, who are often bypassed by technology but there is nothing for seniors. He said the ministry has so far run two sessions of ICT for women and girls exposing them to all aspects of the technology. 

To read more, Griffith boasts of ICT success

Taken from Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday

Moruga bending under neglect

While it holds the potential to be the food basket of Trinidad and Tobago, Moruga also represents the slow progress which has been made in moving towards increased investment in rural agriculture as part of the solution to problems with food security. And as the international community moves to adopt a new set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in September, this issue becomes more relevant.

Though the agricultural sector has expanded within the last few years, positively impacting on the reduction in the food export bill, the development and expansion of farming lands in Moruga appears to have taken a back seat on the agriculture agenda. There is farming in the community, from coffee bean to cocoa, paw paw, rice, fruits, among other crops, but not on the scale that is possible. In fact, coffee and cocoa as well as overall agricultural production has declined, precipitated by the oil boom 30 years ago.

But while the economy was booming, the oil money was barely trickling down to Moruga though the community serves as an important access point for the large oil companies. The community was deprived of critical facilities such as hospital and fire station, and as residents observed, the oil companies often grumble when approached for sponsorship to assist community groups and grassroot initiatives. In fact, “The Prince of Mourga,” otherwise known by his birth name Eric Lewis, frankly stated that the oil companies are “sowing and reaping” in Moruga but not sharing the wealth with the community.

From Petrotrin to bbTT and the National Gas Company to Massy Energy, Moruga has been used as an access point and in other instances,Recently, A&B Drilling and Range Resources have moved into the community and according to Lewis, no major investments are going back into Moruga despite its role in the country’s economic stability. for oil exploration — a cross country pipeline also passes through the community.

What appears to be on the up in Moruga is the fishing industry, which is generating increased income for some in the community. Last year, a new fish landing site opened at La Ruffin, Moruga, amid controversy and plans to upgrade the fishing facility at Grand Chemin, which were disrupted after it was discovered that a portion of the land was privately-owned. This, among other issues, remains unresolved to this day but the State is negotiating to acquire the land, according to MP Clifton De Couteau.

The fishing industry has been doing well largely due to the efforts of the fisherfolk and the intervention of De Couteau. Some of the fisherman leading the sustainable drive in the industry have been in the sector for decades, and in other instances, fishing has been a family business that has passed down from fathers to sons and grandsons.

As a community, Moruga is self-sustaining and the people have long invested in their own economic advancement. However, they have been calling on the State for some time now to equitably distribute the nation’s wealth, and to make the necessary investments in the community, especially its infrastructure, and in health.

On June 29 when Newsday visited Morgua for the St Peter’s Day celebrations in the community. Residents spoke of the need for a more focused approach towards the community’s agricultural development and environmental health, the latter issue being raised with respect to the landslips which have occurred within Moruga for decades and counting.

Within the last five years, Moruga has had 93 landslips – from Princes Town to Moruga – which have disrupted travel and the free flow of traffic, and with obvious implications for economic development. While work commenced to stabilise the land and some of it was completed, a few contractors actually abandoned projects, resulting in delays.

In addition to these issues, unemployment, especially among the youth population and women, and challenges within the school system have been cited as serious issues which require urgent attention in Moruga. 

To read more, Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

T&T benefits from Commonwealth ICT Programme

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago, through the Ministry of Science and Technology, has championed technology-enabled development in Commonwealth countries via the recently-concluded Commonwealth Connects (CC) Programme. Established in 2006, the Programme advanced information and communication technology (ICT) development in Commonwealth Member States, particularly the developing Member States. Trinidad and Tobago was an active participant in the CC Programme from its inception and chaired the Programme’s Steering Committee from 2011 until the close of the programme in January 2014. Dr. the Honourable Rupert Griffith served as Trinidad and Tobago’s representative and Chairman of the Steering Committee from June 2012 to its conclusion.

The CC Programme aimed to support sustainable development through the use of technology by facilitating the sharing of ICT resources, assisting the development of ICT strategies and promoting private sector and multi-stakeholder partnerships. Under Minister Griffith’s leadership, the CCP implemented projects such as the Commonwealth Multi-purpose Telecentre Initiative, the Electronic/Mobile-Governance Strategy Development Toolkit and the Commonwealth Cybercrime Initiative which served to help developing countries overcome challenges encountered in bridging the digital divide.

Trinidad and Tobago has been a double beneficiary of the Programme. In 2013, under the aegis of the Multi-purpose Telecentre Initiative, £30,000 in grant funding was provided toward the establishment of the Ministry of Science of Technology’s first Star.tt ICT access centre in Penal. This first centre provided a template for three additional Star.tt centres located in Marac, Guayaguayare and Cumana and also served as the template for similar centres in other Commonwealth nations. Similarly, in 2008, Trinidad and Tobago was the recipient of a £50,000 grant for the establishment of a Computer Refurbishment Programme. In 2012, the scope of the project was expanded to consider the wider issue of e-Waste and the funding has been redirected towards the commissioning of a feasibility and scoping study for an e-Waste Management Programme for Trinidad and Tobago.

During a recent independent evaluation of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, Minister Griffith opined that “Trinidad and Tobago is economically and socially successful due in a large measure to ICTs. Therefore, it was a privilege to chair this Committee, whose objectives were relevant to the needs of the developing countries which comprise the majority of the Commonwealth’s membership.” In supporting the revival of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, he underscored, to the evaluators, the need for greater collaboration and coordination among members which would facilitate greater efficiency in the use of resources.

Taken from News.Gov.TT

PM: More for agriculture in second term

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has promised to engage in agricultural diversification if she is returned to office.

She was speaking to farmers shortly before she distributed compensatory cheques to 500 cane farmers at Enchanted Gardens complex, New Grant, last week.

The funds were allocated by the European Union to address the negative social and economic impact following the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd in 2003. Persad-Bissessar said even though the funds were long in coming, her Government was happy to finally facilitate the payment of the first tranche of $27 million.

Promising to advance agriculture into a strong, stable and viable industry, Persad-Bissessar said she hoped to use agriculture to provide good incomes and jobs to many people.

She said since the National Food Action Plan 2012-2015 was implemented over 38,000 metres of agriculture access roads were rehabilitated.

“Water management and availability have vastly improved, with over 213 ponds constructed and over 226,000 metres of river courses desilted. An enhanced Agriculture Incentive Plan was developed and by fiscal year 2013-2014, a total of 3,390 applications for agricultural incentives were processed,” Persad-Bissessar said. That, she added, was aimed at small farmers and amounted to $18.8 million.

“By June 2014, Cabinet extended this plan by approving a further enhanced Agricultural Incentive Programme to cater for large farms and by the end of April 2014, 391 loans, with a value of $100,728,608, were approved by the Agriculture Development Bank for agricultural service, agro processing, marine fishery, ornamental fishery, food crops, forestry and livestock,” she said.

With the establishment of the National Praedial Larceny Squad in 2013, Persad-Bissessar said 51 people were arrested and 75 offences detected.

She said the Commercial Large Farms Programme (CLFP) has also been successful as 12 large-scale farms were operating productively.

“This has no doubt helped us to reach the landmark achievement of a 5.1 per cent expansion in food production and a two per cent reduction in the food import bill by March last year,” she said.

Planning Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie said if Government returned to office, farmers would continue to get loans at preferential rates.

Taken from Guardian T&T

KVK Poonch celebrates digital india week

Jammu, July 05 (Scoop News)- Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Poonch under the patronage of Directorate of Extension, SKUAST-Jammu celebrated Digital India Week by organizing two days vocational training programme for rural youth on “Applications of ICT in Agriculture.”


While welcoming the participants, Dr. Sanjay Swami, Programme Coordinator of KVK-Poonch highlighted that Digital India is a flagshipprogramme of the Government of India that aims to “transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy”. The focus is on being transformative to realize IT (Indian Talent) + IT (Information Technology) = IT (India Tomorrow). He further emphasized that Digital India is not for urban population. It is mostly for rural areas. We have more than 65 crores of people using mobile now with data and 70 per cent population living in rural area. Use of Mobile technologies as a tool of intervention in agriculture is increasing day by day. Reach of smart phone even in rural areas extended the ICT services beyond simple voice or text messages. Several smart phone apps are available for agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry and farm machinery. Smart phone mobileapplications designed and developed by Jayalaxmi Agro-tech Pvt Ltd from India are the most commonly used agriculture apps in India. Their mobile apps are in regional language are designed to break the literacy barrier and deliver the information in most simple manner. Several thousands of farmers across Asia are empowered with these apps. He urged the young rural youths to take maximum advantages of the technology and start smart farming on their small land holdings to transform this hilly district in the most productive district of J&K.

Mohd. Qasim, Programme Assistant (Computers) also interacted with the participants and said that with the booming mobile, wireless, and Internet industries, ICT has found a foothold even in poor smallholder farms and in their activities. The ability of ICTs to bring refreshed momentum to agriculture appears even more compelling in light of rising investments in agricultural research, the private sector’s strong interest in the development and spread of ICTs, and the upsurge of organizations committed to the agricultural development agenda.
Dr. Muneeshwar Sharma, SMS-Plant Protection informed the youths that ever since people have grown crops, raised livestock, and caught fish, they have sought information from one another. What is the most effective planting strategy on steep slopes? Where can I buy the improved seed or feed this year? How can I acquire a land title? Who is paying the highest price at the market? How can I participate in the government’s credit program? Farmers in a village may have planted the same crop for centuries, but over time, weather patterns and soil conditions change and epidemics of pests and diseases come and go. Now, the Updated information through various ICT modes allows the farmers to cope with and even benefit from these changes. Providing such knowledge can be challenging, however, because the highly localized nature of agriculture means that information must be tailored specifically to distinct conditions. 

All the participants show keen interest in this new field of ICT and asked many questions while interacting with the experts. Ms. Rukhsar Tabassum, one of the active participants thanked the team of KVK Poonch for enlightening them with the latest applications of ICT in agriculture. She assured from participant’s side that they will make full use of the technology and will try their best to do smart farming.

Taken from Scoop News

RING supports 54 households with small ruminants in Tolon district

The Tolon District Assembly in collaboration with the Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) project has presented 165 small ruminants to 54 targeted vulnerable households in the Dimabi Community of the Tolon District in Northern Region. 

The RING intervention is implemented through a collaborative approach with the District Assemblies (DAs) in Northern Region and the Northern Region Coordinating Council (NRCC) to improve the livelihood and nutritional status of vulnerable households in targeted communities in Northern Region. 

The distribution of the small ruminants, which falls under the livelihood and agriculture component of the RING project, is to ensure increased access and consumption of diverse quality food among target households, especially among women and children under five.

Speaking during the ceremony to formally handover the animals to the beneficiary households, the Tolon District Chief Executive, Alhaji Siedu Abubakar, said the district has earmarked 2,500 vulnerable households to benefit from the RING interventions and one of which is the distribution of 768 small ruminants to six communities this year.

To make the project a success, Alhaji Abubakar said, beneficiary communities and households were sensitized and trained on disease recognition, prevention and control, farm sanitation and hygiene practices, improved housing and maintenance and supplementary feeding before receiving the animals. 


To read more, Ghanaweb.com

Agriculture meets ICT: Sejong Innovation Center for creative economy

Farming through your smartphone.

That's the idea at the center of Korea's 14th creative economy innovation center aimed at converging farming with information and communications technologies.

Located in Sejong, the center will turn conventional farms into so-called "smart farms" -- acting as a testing ground for the integration of the Internet of Things out in the field.

Through monitoring systems embedded in greenhouses, farmers will be able to remotely control conditions like temperature, humidity, and water supply through their smartphones.

SK Telecom is supporting operations for the center providing mobile network systems required for the project.

Strategically located in the country's administrative capital the Sejong center is also looking to create synergy with other regions.

"The Sejong center will work in tandem with biotech research centers in Daejeon, and with innovation centers in Jeollanam-do and Gangwon-do provinces to boost startups in the agricultural sector. (DISS)

 We aim to foster Sejong city as the mecca of smart farming, sharing its innovations across the country and overseas."

Taken from Asia Heartbeat arirang