BRINGING GROWTH & EMPOWERMENT TO
AGRICULTURE THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Nigeria focuses mostly on food production, thus neglecting the processing and manufacturing segment of the value chain. The chain reaction that arises from shortages of resources, lack of financing for small-scale farmers and inefficient transport systems, exacerbates the development of food production along the value and supply chain. This has given rise for a need for stakeholders to look towards proffering a lasting solution to this problem. With technological advancements all over, it will be great to look at providing set of robust solutions that is inclusive and sustainable.
There are thousands of farmers who are seeking platforms to showcase their skills towards solving real life problems. In a developing country, where learners and youths may not have the resources to facilitate and encourage innovation, Microsoft Agro-Tech Hackathon will not only provide the platform to showcase skills but will also provide mentorship from seasoned and experienced Agricultural and IT professionals nationwide. The Microsoft Agro-Tech Hackathon NG will deliver solutions that:
1. Include the use of Bing Voice search on Feature phone. This will allow farmers to use voice activation features to surf the web.
2. Empower farmers to gain more economic power and improve their profitability.
3. Facilitate consumer access to farm produce quicker and
4. Reduce the issue of waste especially on perishable items.
5. Provide a platform for Microsoft to add value to the Agro-tech ecosystem in Nigeria
6. Proffer solution to a major challenge facing Agriculture in Nigeria
7. Potentially create employment opportunities within the agriculture industry and inclusive platform that connects the rich and the poor
The major objective of this Challenge is to identify and produce solutions that bolster sustainable and inclusive platform(s) for Agro-products and services that is digitally accessible to farmers and customers by the Nigerian youths.
Agro-Tech Hackathon NG is an initiative of Microsoft African Transformation Office to select inclusive solutions that bolster sustainable and inclusive platforms, employment generation and agricultural value chain that is digitally accessible to farmers and Nigerians.
Each shortlisted applicant in the first phase shall be paired with another to form a team (from different fields) leading to 4 week Mentorship with world class Agro-specialists and Microsoft Team.
Solution Testing and Development Methodology
1. Virtual development of solutions by teams for at least 3 weeks
2. Submission of testable prototype with basic UI/UX
3. All programming languages are allowed
4. All open-source platform, APIs, design and development tools are also allowed
5. Integration of Microsoft Bing voice feature is mandatory
Judging Criteria for Solutions to be tested
In fairness and level playing field for teams during hackathon stage, below are some highlighted laid down rubrics that will measure score points.
1. Relevance: Does it solve any or all of the identified problems?
2. Understandability: Is it easily understood?
3. Value-sensitivity: Does it align with the values/ethics/morals of its users?
4. Usability: How easy is it to use?
5. Testability: How easy is it to test the solutions or verify modifications?
6. Changeability: How easy is it to modify or improve its functionality?
7. Documentation: Is the solution well documented?
