ARUSHA: THE Internet of Things (IoT) has provided ways to improve nearly every industry imaginable. In agriculture, IoT has not only provided solutions to often time-consuming and tedious tasks but is totally changing the way we think about agriculture.
Students at Tanganyika Polytechnic (TANCOLLEGE) in Arusha have come up with an automated technology which bring solutions in agriculture and in business management system.
Sales management software and smart farming for irrigation system are the new technology using modern Information and communication technologies to increase the quantity and quality of products while optimising the human labour required.
“With sales management software (POS-Point of sale), super admin or a business owner can control the sales and monitor stock reports by using a mobile phone or tablet” said TANCOLLEGE ARUSHA Principal Martin Mhagama.
He said at his university, students have come up with different thinking in digital space saying they want to make difference.
“Our system in sales, the business owner can see stocks in stores from point of sale (POS) and can make transactions through mobile phone when she/he is away from the business premises” he said.
He said with smart farming for irrigation system, a farmer can irrigate his farm without visiting the farm. He/she can do irrigation while using a mobile phone from the farm’s premise.
“With this technology, a famer is alerted by his/her mobile phone with red-signal that crops need water” he said.
He said smart farming for irrigation technology saves time and optimise the human labour and has less cost saying Tanzanians must go for it.
“I call my fellow Tanzanians to seek for this technology especially those who have interests in agriculture. Currently, we have plans of taking this technology to rural area for small scale farmers” he said.
However, he posed major challenge of this technology as challenges in soil sensor and humidity sensor saying are expensive.
“We need soil sensors and humidity sensors so as to be effective in installing this technology, but the big challenge is that these sensors are expensive” he said.
According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, digital technologies are driving new ways of producing and consuming goods and services.
The digital transformation implies disruptive changes to business models across sectors thereby affecting the nature of jobs and the skills young people need to successfully entre the labour market.
Studies suggest that in the coming years many low and middle skilled jobs will be replaced by automation, advanced manufacturing and 3D printing, robotics, autonomous transport and artificial intelligence. Existing and new high-skilled jobs will therefore be driving innovation and the workforce demands.
