The KNUST College of Engineering Innovation Centre organised a stakeholder engagement with KNUST local farmers towards a responsible precision and cooperative farming method on 8th December 2023 at the Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi (RWESCK) Auditorium. The session sought to foster dialogue and collaboration between the University and its local farming community and unite all local farmers within and outside the university community under one umbrella for meaningful engagement.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Project Lead, KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP), congratulated the farmers present for their significant contributions to Ghana's economy. He mentioned the role of food in people's lives and the paramount importance of food security. He discussed integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in precision agriculture to enhance productivity.
Prof. Kponyo shared the University's ongoing research efforts in developing technologies to support farmers. While some of these innovations are still in progress, he assured their potential to boost productivity significantly.
“The university is collaborating with local farmers to cultivate a vast farmland in the university's vicinity. The produce from the farm would serve various sectors within the food chain, benefiting market sellers, food vendors, and the university community at large,” he added.
He hinted that the stakeholder engagement is just the beginning of a series of engagements to foster collaboration with local farmers for future advancements.
Dr. Rose Karimi, Education, Training and Research Manager, International Cooperative Alliance, Africa (ICA- Africa), delivered an insightful virtual presentation on cooperative farming, shedding light on the pivotal role of the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). She explained how the ICA serves, unifies, and represents African member organisations, actively promoting and fortifying autonomous and sustainable cooperatives throughout the continent. Dr. Karimi detailed the objectives and multifaceted benefits associated with ICA membership.
Highlighting the essence of a cooperative union, she underscored its ability to foster collaborative efforts among stakeholders. Within such a unified framework, members gain collective strength, facilitating initiatives such as project funding and accessing loans. She emphasised that this unified approach empowers individuals to achieve their goals and objectives more effectively than individual efforts.
A brief video showcasing precision agriculture machinery was presented to the audience, sparking discussions on its applications in farming. Some farmers expressed strong support and eagerness to embrace this technology to enhance their agricultural practices.
