[Audio] Good day Today we will be discussing The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying an (A-I ) and IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence farmers in South Africa The authors of the paper are Taryn Wilson Hafeni Mthoko Yusra Adnan Sarina Till. 

Scene 1

The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying
an AI and
IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence
farmers in South Africa

Authors: Taryn Wilson  Hafeni Mthoko  Yusra Adnan  Sarina Till
 IIE Varsity College

[Audio] Background South Africa's subsistence farmers face increasing challenges due to climate change, which affects food production and livelihood. Hydroponic farming—growing crops in water without soil—offers a solution, but it requires technical expertise and consistent monitoring. (A-I ) and IoT technologies have been tested in controlled environments but rarely in field deployments. This study aimed to fill that gap by involving rural farmers in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape regions. 

Scene 2

South Africa's subsistence farmers face increasing challenges due to climate change, which affects food production and livelihood. 
Hydroponic farming—growing crops in water without soil—offers a solution, but it requires technical expertise and consistent monitoring.
 AI and IoT technologies have been tested in controlled environments but rarely in field deployments. This study aimed to fill that gap by involving rural farmers in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape regions.

[Audio] Methods Put In Place The researchers used a co-design approach,
Deployment of six (A-I ) and IoT-enabled hydroponic grow tents, two of which served as control tents.
The study involved focus groups, on-site observations, and WhatsApp group communication to gather data on farmers' experiences.
The (A-I ) system monitored environmental factors like temperature, humidity, pH, and nutrient levels, adjusting them automatically based on real-time data. 

Scene 3

The researchers used a co-design approach,

 Deployment of six AI and IoT-enabled hydroponic grow tents, two of which served as control tents.

 The study involved focus groups, on-site observations, and WhatsApp group communication to gather data on farmers’ experiences.

 The AI system monitored environmental factors like temperature, humidity, pH, and nutrient levels, adjusting them automatically based on real-time data.

[Audio] Main Findings Extracted From The Paper Human-Technology Symbiosis: Despite (A-I )'s role in monitoring environmental conditions, human intervention was crucial for crop success, particularly for tasks like manual inspection and maintenance
Environmental Challenges: The system encountered failures due to weather conditions such as storms and extreme temperatures. Equipment malfunctions, like fans disconnecting, also led to crop failures.
Pest Infestations: The tents were not immune to pests, and mismanagement (such as spraying plants without removing them) caused additional crop loss.
Co-Growing Experience: Farmers viewed the system as a co-grower, learning to integrate technology with traditional methods. The study also fostered a sense of community among the farmers.
Recommendations: The farmers suggested remote monitoring, better storm protection for the tents, and translations for the mobile application into local languages to improve usability.. 

Scene 4

Human-Technology Symbiosis: Despite AI’s role in monitoring environmental conditions, human intervention was crucial for crop success, particularly for tasks like manual inspection and maintenance.

 Environmental Challenges: The system encountered failures due to weather conditions such as storms and extreme temperatures. Equipment malfunctions, like fans disconnecting, also led to crop failures.

 Pest Infestations: The tents were not immune to pests, and mismanagement (such as spraying plants without removing them) caused additional crop loss.

 Co-Growing Experience: Farmers viewed the system as a co-grower, learning to integrate technology with traditional methods. The study also fostered a sense of community among the farmers.

 Recommendations: The farmers suggested remote monitoring, better storm protection for the tents, and translations for the mobile application into local languages to improve usability.

References:. The IIE 2024. [ITPP5112/o Module Manual]. The Independent Institute Of Education: Unpublished. Wilson, T. Adnan, Y. Mthoko, H. Till, S. 2024. The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying an AI and IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence farmers in South Africa. New Delhi. ACM. ACM. 20244. Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession. [Online]. Available at: Association for Computing Machinery (acm.org) [Accessed 9 October 2024] GeeksForGeeks. 2024.Most Demanded Job Roles In Artificial Intelligence.[Online]. Availabe at: 10 Most Demanded Job Roles in Artificial Intelligence - GeeksforGeeks [Accessed 13 October 2024]. 

Scene 5

The IIE 2024. [ITPP5112/o Module Manual]. The Independent Institute Of Education: Unpublished.    Wilson, T. Adnan, Y. Mthoko, H. Till, S. 2024. The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying an AI and IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence farmers in South Africa. New Delhi. ACM. 
 ACM. 20244. Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession. [Online]. Available at: Association for Computing Machinery (acm.org) [Accessed 9 October 2024]
 GeeksForGeeks. 2024.Most Demanded Job Roles In Artificial Intelligence.[Online]. Availabe at:  10 Most Demanded Job Roles in Artificial Intelligence - GeeksforGeeks [Accessed 13 October 2024]

Good day  Today we will be discussing The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying an (A-I ) and IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence farmers in South Africa The authors of the paper are Taryn Wilson
 Hafeni Mthoko 
Yusra Adnan 
Sarina Till

avatar

Background South Africa's subsistence farmers face increasing challenges due to climate change, which affects food production and livelihood. 
Hydroponic farming—growing crops in water without soil—offers a solution, but it requires technical expertise and consistent monitoring.
 (A-I ) and IoT technologies have been tested in controlled environments but rarely in field deployments. This study aimed to fill that gap by involving rural farmers in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape regions

Methods Put In Place The researchers used a co-design approach,
Deployment of six (A-I ) and IoT-enabled hydroponic grow tents, two of which served as control tents.
The study involved focus groups, on-site observations, and WhatsApp group communication to gather data on farmers' experiences.
The (A-I ) system monitored environmental factors like temperature, humidity, pH, and nutrient levels, adjusting them automatically based on real-time data

Main Findings Extracted From The Paper Human-Technology Symbiosis: Despite (A-I )'s role in monitoring environmental conditions, human intervention was crucial for crop success, particularly for tasks like manual inspection and maintenance
Environmental Challenges: The system encountered failures due to weather conditions such as storms and extreme temperatures. Equipment malfunctions, like fans disconnecting, also led to crop failures.
Pest Infestations: The tents were not immune to pests, and mismanagement (such as spraying plants without removing them) caused additional crop loss.
Co-Growing Experience: Farmers viewed the system as a co-grower, learning to integrate technology with traditional methods. The study also fostered a sense of community among the farmers.
Recommendations: The farmers suggested remote monitoring, better storm protection for the tents, and translations for the mobile application into local languages to improve usability.

 The IIE 2024. [ITPP5112/o Module Manual]. The Independent Institute Of Education: Unpublished.    Wilson, T. Adnan, Y. Mthoko, H. Till, S. 2024. The Devil is in the deployment: Lessons learned while deploying an AI and IoT-enabled hydroponics grow tent with rural subsistence farmers in South Africa. New Delhi. ACM. 
 ACM. 20244. Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession. [Online]. Available at: Association for Computing Machinery (acm.org) [Accessed 9 October 2024]
 GeeksForGeeks. 2024.Most Demanded Job Roles In Artificial Intelligence.[Online]. Availabe at:  10 Most Demanded Job Roles in Artificial Intelligence - GeeksforGeeks [Accessed 13 October 2024]
