Perfectly Engineered! May 9, 2013
Faculty of Engineering – University of the West Indies. Source: http://www.sta.uwi.edu
This week, another introspective event takes place as I interview Mr. Robert Birch PHd candidate at the University of the West Indies (UWI) at the Faculty of Engineering. Mr. Birch has completed his Bsc and MPhil in Agricultural Engineering at UWI, a program that has since been discontinued at the undergraduate level. However a much more extensive, specific and well structured program exists in the form of a Bsc in Material Engineering with a Minor in Bio systems Engineering.
Keron: Could you briefly tell me about the work of an Agricultural engineer?
Mr. Birch: Previously the agricultural engineer would be trained to solve problems in agriculture and food systems He/she is expected to apply technologies to the field. The sector demands someone who understands structures, materials, water management, soils and other areas. He/She should receive this training from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of the West Indies.
However the agriculture sector in Trinidad has over time been given a negative stigma, leading to a decrease in student application for the program. Therefore the Faculty in its wisdom restructured the Bsc program, re-branding it in order to ensure that when students leave the University that they are employed.
Keron: I understand, the undergraduate program became a special program called Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Biological Systems. Can you tell me about that programme? I’ve only heard about it once despite attending to this University for quite some time.
Mr. Birch: Students learn the basic engineering concepts in their first two years with courses in, Mathematics, Applied Mechanics, Dynamics & Design, Materials Technology, Instrumentation, Thermodynamics, Control System Technology and so forth. In their final year they branch off in an in-depth fashion into Mechanical Engineering with emphasis on Bio-systems. Environmental Engineering, Food Engineering, Soil & Water engineering, Electro-mechanical conversion, Engineering Management, Maintenance and Safety Engineering are compulsory courses whereas other courses such as Traction & Power hydraulics, Field machinery, Post Harvest Technology, Irrigation and Drainage Engineering and Basic Engineering infrastructure are electives.
This allows the student to function as a Mechanical engineer and as a Bio systems Engineer. Therefore, in addition to their Mechanical Engineering degree, they understand how living things work and how man made systems can interact with them. Students also work closely with professionals in the relevant industries and are given free range in their final year projects which tests much of their learning
Keron: Therefore if students are truly learning and the program is catering to the needs of the real world of work, won’t they be of great benefit to the local agricultural sector?
Mr. Birch: Yes they can function as agricultural engineers as well as engineers in other traditional fields such as the energy, construction, services and manufacturing etc. They are referred to as Mechanical engineers. So in fact just the name change from agricultural engineering to mechanical & bio-systems engineering has opened the door for our students simply due to the negative stigma on the agri sector.
Keron: In that case, how do these students make an impact on agriculture if they are primed for other industries?
Mr. Birch: Students have created some interesting designs such as food dryers and contraptions that can truly benefit the value added process. Machines such as the Cassava peeler, chataigne peeler and dasheen peeler have all been successful projects. We work with agri stakeholders such as the Trinidad and Tobago Agribusiness Association to see what are the needs. Remember students learn multiple skills making them suitable for multiple industries including agriculture.
Keron: Well, as I mentioned earlier Mr. Birch, I come from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, over at the Faculty of Food and Agriculture. I feel there is a disconnect between our faculties and even within the departments of my own faculty. What do you think of students like myself doing courses in engineering?
Mr. Birch: We welcome any student who wishes to learn the Mechanical and Mechanical with Bio-systems Engineering. However, the students should understand the requirements of the courses. These courses are carefully planned and involved certain concepts such as Calculus and linear Algebra, strengths of materials, dynamics, thermodynamics etc that must be learned gradually. Basic Engineering builds on itself and this must be understood to make a real world impact in which complex theories are needed. If they truly wish to learn, they should begin from year one.
If a student wishes to enroll in a course they should seek advice from our experienced coordinators as well as the course lecturer before enrollment But it will be a pleasure to see students from other faculties engaging in some of our courses especially our bio-systems courses. They could be allowed to do one or two Bio-systems courses, but they should find out from the individual lecturers and the Head of the Department first.
Keron: Mr. Birch thank you for the information. Much appreciated.
This brings us to the end of the interview. Much was learned, especially on my end, right here under my own University. Hope you did as well! Stay Dedicated!
Engineering Students at the University of the West Indies. Source: http://www.sta.uwi.edu
The AGRI LiNK Wall May 1, 2013
Sometimes local, regional and international structures in the agricultural diaspora can be overwhelming. Networks, Institutions, businesses, organizations and databases are spread everywhere. With our connected world, they may not be hard to access but it is a huge amount of information to sift through.
Finding the right resource is key for many persons interested in agriculture in anyway. And given the inter-connectedness of food as a necessity for all, it just about relates to every one. In this light tech4agri is proud to present the The AGRI LINK Wall!
This page is a brand new feature of the tech4agri blog and can be found to the top of the homepage as the first item on the menu. It provides valuable links to the global discourse in agriculture. Links are provided to research institutions, innovative agribusinesses, internet resources, powerful networks and influential organizations. Feel free to browse to find the agri information that you need!
While you’re at it, check out the new ‘Youth in Ag’ for the month of May. Idowu Ejere is a young professional at the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA). She functions as the communications officer and social media coordinator for the organisation. You can visit her blog where she writes her musings and experiences as a young diplomat.
Apeh Omede is an animal scientist, university lecturer and PhD researcher in poultry science. His interest lies in social change in Agriculture and Youth Development. He established and runs the Agro Youth Centre, a blog committed to helping youths venture into agriculture for development by sharing views and ideas about the potentials and the opportunities that agriculture presents to the youths of today.
Look forward to upcoming posts on agricultural engineering, insights into the small producer of the Caribbean and other pieces of investigative journalism! Stay dedicated!
The Misunderstood Stakeholder… April 20, 2013
Seconds ago I finished an article on the problems that young farmers, the challenges they face and how they overcome them. In that article an interview was undertaken with a successful young farmer. he indicated that:
“…most times there is a lack of technical support, which leads we young producers having to take risks with new technoques and technologies that we hope are innovative enough to better our enterprise”
Who is responsible for ‘technical support’? Most would say this is the job of extension officers. It’s almost a given that if one speaks to most small farmers, they would argue that extension officers are not very helpful. They lack in technical knowledge, they do not visit often and simply do not meet the needs the farmer – are common phrases. However is this the fault of the extension worker. Does he or she have the right tools and resources for the job? Are they experienced in face to face communication and mediation skills? How many small farmers do you think he/she has to cater to in one day or even in one week?
Fortunately previous interactions and investigation have provided great enlightenment. Here are some of the problems faced by local extension officers
- Limited rescources in terms of office equipment – Some offices share 2 – 3 computers making data collection and processing difficult and time consuming
- Issues with farmer communication – Officer must sometimes use their personal phones to keep in contact with farmers. Even so some farmers simply do not make effective use of mobile phones
- In some areas, there are too few officers to service the numerous small farmers.
- Extension officers often rival for the attention of the farmers with private companies promoting their products, most commonly chemical producers.
These a local issues faced in Trinidad however this is not the case in other Caribbean islands. Over in jamaica, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) recently distributed 124 computer tables to extension officers, in order to assist them in their data collection efforts and to assist in the effective service of jamaica’s 230 000 rural farmers. The initative is part of a computerization program that began since 1998 with emphasis on ICTs. Clearly the extension officers of that island are well equipped to fufil their duties.
Source: Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) - Images of the ceremony providing extension officers with a powerful ICT Resource – Jamaica
On the other hand, one should consider the attitude of some (not all) of the famers themselves. After a lecture from a visiting extension officer, a fellow student in agriculture indicated that farmers in the United States are quite up to date with smart phone technology, tech applications in agriculture and most important ICTs such as video calling. This, according to the guest lecturer, is because they actively seek out the help of their extension officers. Due to geographical location it is not possible for extension officers to meet with each farmer on a timely basis. Therefore in order to effectively communicate ICTs are used to the fullest.
In closing, it is worth taking a closer look at agricultural issues in every situation as more often than not there are unseen factors which would drastically affect the overall situation. The key is to educate oneself as much as possible before steps are taken to solve the issue.
Youth Empowerment seeing a New Frontier. April 9, 2013
In the global agriculture diaspora, several topics/issues are always relevant or rather more current than others. I’ve realized that youth in agriculture are one of these. With fewer and fewer youth becoming involved in agriculture each year many wonder what will happen to the future of the industry.
But if this is the case shouldn’t youth that are currently involved in agriculture in one way or another be considered as important? Unfortunately this is not always so. Many programmes and resources that are geared towards ground level agricultural development is created without the involvement of youth. Not only are these programmes unsuitable but they are poorly implemented.
Regardless there seems to be a change in the situation. Youth will always be youth and no matter were they are in the world, you cannot stop them from speaking out. Therefore, when given the opportunity to have an input into their futures in agriculture by indicating what resources they need to succeed, it is a given that they will have much to say.
Last year at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture, the Needs of Agri Youth were highlighted by the Caribbean Forum for Youth in Agriculture (CAFY) and the Caribbean Farmer’s Network (CAFAN). The conference was most beneficial, as the policy suggestions given by we youth, under guidance of our mentors, was submitted to the Alliance and the Council for Trade and Economic Development on Agriculture (COTED) here in the Caribbean. This means that policy specific to agricultural youth may be placed into existence; a meaningful step toward our development. See the full document here: Final Report – Regional Policy Forum for Youth and Rural Modernization
Caribbean Agri youth, that contributed to the Youth and Rural Modernization Policy Forum at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture
On the other side of the world, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Land Resources Division (LRD; www.spc.int/lrd), is working on youth projects which highlight youth empowerment. Despite this initiative a call was placed out to their network seeking insights from youth or those that work with them on a regular based.
Mr. Viliamu Iese, Research Fellow of the University of the South Pacific
Mr. Viliamu Iese of the University of the South pacific provided the following quote from Brian Tairea; Agriculture/Horticulture Science Teacher of the Cook Islands:
“In the Cook islands, we do not have an entomologist, soil scientist, plant pathologist etc. Get the students to think business wise. I also like to create a WOW! factor, by getting them to plant crops they are interested in. Watermelon, tomatoes, corn seems to get their interest.Students or the youth are asked to create a product from what they produce, like a watermelon smoothie or pop their own popcorn and try and sell it. One thing you must never do is be the boss, let them lead the way and let them take ownership.”
As you can see, opportunities for youth ag development differ as situations and the environment changes, however the response from youth in the same. They want to succeed. Some even know exactly what they need. But what we truly need is a solid opportunity and some guidance. Empower us!
Here are some great sources of how Ag-Youth can be empowered:
- Commentary via Global Food for Thought – Engaging Youth in Agriculture: Investing in our Future
- Tweet Chat via Storify - #Youth2Ag: steps youth take to kickstart a career in agriculture
- Article via SPORE Magazine – Engaging Youth in Agriculture
Odd but Brilliant – Agri Design March 29, 2013
Ingenuity knows no bounds when people try to meet their own needs. This is especially true when it comes to agriculture. Since agriculture of any kind provides all food in one way or another, one would come across powerful and effective agri food systems meant to meet the needs of those who design them.
These needs are based on their environment, resources, climate and geographic location. Therefore many of you readers may think these designs are not very effective. However, be reminded that they are based on the user’s needs. Situations differ around the world. Even so a random person’s creativity can inspire many others.
As a result you’d come across some extremely odd designs for food production. However due to the aforementioned factors they can also be seen as ingenious. Here are a few strange or rather superb examples of food production design: Odd but Brilliant – Agri Design. Click each picture set for more details.
Discover Rural Renewable Energy! March 19, 2013
NaRural Energy, online community based in Spain, with members from all over the world. Join the community find the most suitable rural renewable energy for your agri enterprise
Some time ago, via twitterI met Albert Campi creator of the blog Renewable Energy for Farmers based in Spain, Barcelona. His work on sustainable energies in agriculture and food processing seem boundless. Via the continued improvement and updates of the blog, Albert has started NaRural Energy an online website and community that links farmers and professional energy engineers.
Would solar panes work best with your poultry enterprise or would a bio-gas system be most suitable to a livestock farm? This week tech4agri takes a brief look at NaRural energy. Visit their website to have the answer to these and many other related questions. Click the picture link to the right for video interview!
Also don’t forget to join technology4agri on facebook
