Project Specific Aims
Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are powerful tools for monitoring and predicting
the quality parameters in agriculture. The project intends to apply IoT and AI in Cassava value chain,
because cassava is a root crop that is widely consumed in Rwanda and in sub-Saharan Africa in
general. The report by Pan-African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI, 2020) on the gap analysis and need
assessment has identified cassava as a poverty fighter capable of spurring industrial development
in Africa and open new markets globally. The same report recommended the use of Information
Communication Technology (ICT) tools to provide relevant information about the quality and quantity
of stocks available, their location and price in order to facilitate the cassava purchasing processes.
In addition, this crop is among the priority crops defined by the Government of Rwanda under the
Crop Intensification Program. Climate fluctuations and poor tracking of the crop challenges across
the value chain affect the quantity and quality of the produce.
This project has the main objective of establishing a new low-cost device that associates the IoT and
AI based Climate and Quality Monitoring System for Agriculture (ICQMSA) in order to provide an
ICT-based solution for cassava value chain. The Uniqueness of the project would be the
establishment of new system which can monitor and predict the quality and climate parameters
throughout the cassava value chain.
The specific aims are:
- To explore the current situation of cassava value chain such as challenges, strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, threats as well as the market situation.
- To improve the quality and safety of cassava value chain as well as the competitiveness of cassava on global market using low cost and efficient technologies.
- To mitigate the greenhouse gases related to cassava value chain.
- To establish a system for the remote monitoring of the cassava value chain.
- To increase the knowledge and skills about cassava value chain and emerging technologies applied in agriculture among students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers.
Approach
This study will start with the review of existing research and collecting information that will help to understand the cassava value chain and the use of ICT tools in Agriculture value chains. The field survey will follow on farmers and customer needs assessment as well as requirements for cassava farming, processing, transportation and storage. The findings from the survey and literature review will inform the specifications for prototyping and system model designing. The results of the project will be published for public review or awareness and validation
Outcomes and Impact
The outcomes of this project are (1) improved crop productivity and sustainability for cassava products in Rwanda, the monitoring of greenhouse gases and cassava quality parameters will contribute to the food security sustainability in Rwanda; (2) enhanced skills on the use of IoT and AI and their applications in agricultural value chains; (3) increased knowledge and skills at different levels in cassava value chain by students, entrepreneurs, and policy makers; (4) improved health and safety of cassava consumers; (5) improved partnership between academia, industry and international partners in providing solutions for real problems and in knowledge transfer. The expected impacts are to increase the cassava productivity, decrease cassava losses, decrease greenhouse gas emissions from cassava processing, enhance cassava exportation rate and the annual GDP growth. The total project budget is 90,000,000 RWF including in-kind contribution of partner industry for a duration of 18 months.