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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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..

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 The Independent Institute Of Education: Unpublished.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].