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Using Artificial Intelligence to transform agriculture in Africa

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Using Artificial Intelligence to transform agriculture in Africa

Fatoumata Thiam (from Senegal) talks about her groundbreaking research that assessesÌýenergy efficiency in irrigation networks.
From Africa Renewal: 
26 March 2021
An irrigation channel in Chad.
Fatoumata Thiam.
Fatoumata Thiam
Fatoumata Thiam

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Dakar, the capital city of Senegal. I grew up between the city and my village, Diofior, about 150 kilometres away.

What inspired you about science and this specific discipline?

I interacted with science from a very early age because my father is a computer scientist. When I was young,he wouldÌýto take me to his officeÌýwhereÌýhe allowed me toÌýmess around —Ìýdraw,Ìýwrite,ÌýprintÌýand play — onÌýthe computers.ÌýHeÌýalsoÌýhad access to theÌýlatestÌýtechnologyÌýgadgets, which were at my disposal,ÌýasÌýlongÌýas I wasn’t destroying them, of course!ÌýAs a result, I choseÌýto studyÌýcomputer science at university.Ìý

My mathematics teacher in secondary school influenced my interest in mathematics and sciences because he taught us with patience and passion.

How did your early path in science progress?

I obtained aÌýBScÌýin computer engineeringÌýin 2013 at Université de Thiès, Senegal. I then proceeded to theUniversity Cheikh Anta Diop still in Dakar,Ìýfor anÌýMSc in Distributed Information Systems,Ìýwhich IÌýobtained in 2015.

I worked on a distributed architecture of Voice over IP (VoIP), which areÌýnetworksÌýthatÌýdoÌýnotÌýrely heavilyÌýon centralized server nodesÌýtoÌýfacilitate communication.ÌýFor myÌýMScÌýthesis, I worked on real-time storage techniques for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN).Ìý

I consider my greatest achievementÌýto be aÌýtwo-yearÌýtenureÌýas an engineer of telecommunications networks and servicesÌýinÌýtheÌýDepartment ofÌýInformation ServicesÌýat ThièsÌýUniversity in Senegal.ÌýOurÌýmission was to set up a distributed authentication system for theÌýuniversity. It was a veryÌýchallenging project that we managed brilliantly.

What is the focus of your PhD research?

In 2018, I commenced my PhD studies through the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), registered at theÌýUniversity Gaston Berger in Senegal. My research focus is onÌýtheÌýInternetÌýof ThingsÌý(IoT)Ìýand Artificial Intelligence (AI), asÌýapplied to agriculture and farming.ÌýI amÌýassessingÌýenergy efficiency withinÌýirrigation networksÌýand clean energy withinÌýsolar-poweredÌýsystems.Ìý

The aim is to develop anÌýautomated irrigation systemÌýthatÌýwill computeÌýtheÌýright amount of water for overall crop growth,Ìýensuring thatÌýonlyÌýthe required amounts ofÌýwaterÌýareÌýsupplied toÌýthe plants. TheÌýgoal is toÌýpropose a solutionÌýthat willÌýoptimize and automate the irrigation paradigm inÌýtheÌýNiayesÌýareaÌýin north-western Senegal.

Niayes has exceptionally favourable climate for farming and represents a natural base of agricultural production in Senegal. However, the region is experiencing increasing salt intrusion and destruction of the strip of Casuarina trees [that help prevent erosion], caused by speculation and irregular sale of land.

So far,ÌýIÌýhave beenÌýable to establish a mathematical model of reliability and accessibility based on energy efficiency. IÌýalsoÌýhave an Internet of Things testbed andÌýseveralÌýprojects are being built from itÌýfor novel publications, in the context of our research focus.Ìý

How does your research contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals?

My research has a cross-cutting impact on several SDGs. TheÌýneed to regulate and optimizeÌýwater resources, as well as the move to more sustainable farming systemsÌýisÌýa shared concern in many developing countries and across the globe.ÌýThis research will contribute much-needed knowledge towards this goal.

What are the broader implications of yourÌýresearch?

The COVID-19 pandemic has elevated the importance of IoT beyond the traditional focus ofÌýindustrial applications. More human-centricÌýapplicationsÌýof IoTÌýhaveÌýemerged, for example, in making visible the web of human connections as a critical part of the track and trace strategy to monitor and contain the spread of the virus.Ìý

Although our research focuses on agriculture, we are also assessing IoT in a more generic format, with extensive potential for broad transfer of the applications that we will develop.Ìý

Overall, this study provides strong evidence of theÌýtransformative potential ofÌýtheÌýFourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)Ìýin AfricaÌýand the need for the continent to invest heavily in the necessary infrastructure, capacity and policies.

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