Farmkonnect Inaugurates First Precision Farming Data Centre
FARMKONNECT, a Nigerian digital agricultural company has inaugurated a precision farming data centre which is said to be the first in Africa in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Codename FagEX meaning: Farmkonnect’s Agricultural Electronic Extension Service Centre, the centre would see to make precision farming more accesible and affordable to farmers anywhere on the African soil.
Speaking during the occasion, Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Azeez Oluwole, stated that:”Today, we are here to inaugurate Africa’s first precision farming data centre.
“To emphasise this pace setting step, it is important to note that countries like South Africa and Kenya have some high level of Information Technology penetration into agriculture, but as at this day, there is no one stop shop for precision farming on the African soil and the Mediterranean.
“I am not privy to such setup in America and Europe as well. The setup, inspired by the Nigerian Navy’s Falcon Eye, over horizon surveillance system for shipping, will not only serve the farms of Farmkonnect, but will make precision farming more accessible and affordable to farmers anywhere on African soil.”
Oluwole, further hinted that the centre would partner technology hubs from Netherlands, India, USA, UK, China, Russia, Sweden and Nigeria towards the provision of data-driven solutions to farmers. “We are willing to replicate the centre where necessary, but there is really need no need. FAgEX would create about 700 jobs in Nigeria alone.”
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who was represented on the occasion by his Chief of Staff, Bisi Ilaka, while speaking with journalists shortly after cutting the tape to inaugurate the centre said:”In Oyo State, we are suppose to be pacesetters and the state is also suppose to be a home of innovation and new ideas.
“We have a large amount of young people, so we expect our state to be dynamic, to be innovative and we want new ideas to flourish in the state. And we hope a lot of people can copy, replicate and build on this wonderful initiative by Farmkonnect.”
Also, the Executive Assistant to the governor on Agribusiness, Dr Debo Akande, while congratulating Farmkonnect for bringing the initiative to Oyo State stated that:”This is what we are all about, His Excellency, governor Oluwaseyi Makinde has chosen agribusiness and agriculture as priority for the state.
“By virtue of that, he has put in place right policy, we are developing infrastructure across board within the state and this is driving a good number of private sectors to come to the state to invest in agriculture. This is the explosure we would see and much of this is coming, we are profiling them and what we would do according to our model is to look at them as private sector developed but public sector supported.
“This would support the growth of the economy and support employment generation especially as it is coming from the youths. So, we just want to say a big congratulations to the CEO Farmkonnect and he should be rest assured of our support.”
