Student innovators from the Department of Informatics and Information Technology (DIIT) recently joined Rural Livelihood Innovation Cohort3, organized by the Ifakara Innovation Hub, in a collaborative effort to uplift rural communities in Tanzania’s Kilombero River Basin. This initiative, led by Ifakara Hub, aims to use social innovation and entrepreneurship to create job opportunities and improve the lives of residents in the region, thereby expanding Tanzania’s rural innovation ecosystem.
The Ifakara Hub organizes bootcamps to train young innovators and to financially support promising innovations with the potential to scale up. This year’s event was held at Ifakara Hub’s main office, and it drew young innovators from all over Tanzania. Winners received funding tailored to their project’s requirements, allowing them to either expand their ventures or gain access to a larger market.
Representing the department were four students, organized into two teams. The first group, consisting of Jackson Ngowi and Glory Aloyce, developed “Agri-smart,” an AI-powered prototype combine harvester. The second group, comprising of Johannes Muhimbula and Deogratius Lyimo, created a solar tracking system. Both teams are mentored by Dr. Neema Sumari. These innovative projects were nurtured within the SUA ICT Innovation Hub, situated at the Solomon Mahlangu Campus in Mazimbu.
Despite the fact that our department’s teams did not win the competition, Jackson Ngowi, a Diploma in IT student involved in the Agri-tech project, remains optimistic:
While our group didn’t clinch the top spot, the competition was incredibly fierce. Our concept required substantial financial investment for the development of an AI-powered combine harvester, which the hub believed would take considerable time to yield returns. I don’t see this as a failure; I’ve gained a valuable lesson beyond simply winning a grant to advance our prototype.
~Jackson Ngowi, Agri-tech
Notably, a team of students from the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, under the mentorship of our DIIT staff, Dr. Alcardo A. Barakabitze, secured a $5,000 grant to further develop and expand their successful animal health platform, “Afya ya Mnyama Digital.” This digital platform assists livestock and fish farmers by providing access to registered professionals, market opportunities, and digital tools for monitoring animal health.
