Tech4Agri

Tech4Agri is a social enterprise that uses media journalism and communication services to support the agri sector & related fields.

Tech4Agri started as a blog in 2011, became a registered business entity in 2014, and by 2016, began offering services in mobile video production, journalistic work, social media consultancy training & facilitation services.

Tech4Agri is the first entity to innovatively use mobile tech, media & info sharing, being able to connect with ground level stakeholders as we seek to meet their developmental needs, locally, within our Caribbean region & internationally as per the nature of our fields. 

We have been building the much-needed space for agrijournalism and related fields as a career choice within the region.

 Tech4Agri also continues to advocate or agriyouth, ensuring they are a part of our agrivalue chains and food systems.

Vision: Tech4Agri will facilitate a healthy agribusiness ecosystem through the use of media, journalism and communication technology & services. In doing so we will enable a multitude of new fields of work for the Caribbean region.

Our mission is to utilize the power of digital media & web 3.0 technologies to agribusiness then not only secures our future food but ensures our agriyouth can enter the sector sustaining their livelihood.

Keron is an agri journalist, mobile content creator and creator of Tech4Agri. He facilitates all business activities and leads in service delivery. He provides Tech4agri with over 10 years of experience in digital agriculture.

We operate as needed and by skillnset for each job

Tech4Agri 360 represent our effort have a stable revenue stream with team members operating as needed to build capital towards full time employment

Deston Pope—Administrative Support & Graphics with a background in Environmental Studies & Natural Resource Management; assists with administration and provides operational support towards service delivery.

Jamala Alexander – Blogger & Lifestyle writer with a background in Geography & Geoscience: assist with content production both video and writing

Kheron Morris – Agriyouth Energizer facilitates ground level engagement with stakeholders, in particular youth: assists with logistics, and field interviews 

Outsourced:

Keron Joseph - co owner Carigamers, 360 videographer & editor

Enricka Julien—Digital Marketing Strategist, owner of Ebites Virtual Services Ltd.

Krystle Gay – STEM Facilitator with experience in agribusiness, biology as well as accountancy and laboratory work: 

Brent Eversley - Owner of Bare Caribe, Founder of Green Farm Foundation, farmer, agro processor market & agribusiness specialist

Daryl Knutt - owner of Santa Flora Farms, agroecologist & sustainable livestock producer

Tech4Agri 360 immersive media series uses 360 video & agri journalism to create a unique learning & visual experience. 

In our country, our youth are suffering from a lack of equity in & access to quality online education. Sector stakeholders suffer from a low level digital literacy. Critically the current situation shows a lack of change or adaption which is now necessary to remain resilient in today's world.

At the same time vulnerable communities suffer due to economic and COVID effects. While our agriculture sector itself continues to be in disarray. It is clear that a solution is needed.

As we all know the resulting effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic have been devastating upon global economies. In Trinidad & Tobago as a result of dependency on imports & foreign exchange for business activity, our already energy dependent, declining economy worsened immensely. 

Immense pressure has been placed on our agricultural sector which already faces severe structural issues with most of our country’s food supply suffering from global ripple effects. These negative effects have also been felt in the education sector making social distancing a norm and limiting education to the household. 

For both sectors the lack of digitization pre covid has resulted in a severe learning curve as every aspect of our society has been forced to digitally transform. Rising from these problems now compounded is the need for agri knowledge as a means to ensure household food security and the need to facilitate digitally enabled education tools that are accessible & equitable. Tech4Agri 360 is a solution that allows users to ‘go outside, inside’ ensuring their safety while enriching their learning & overall development through immersive experiences

Our solution is Tech4Agri 360 is an immersive media series that uses 360 video & journalism to create a unique learning & visual experience.

It provides a knowledge tool to support quality education delivery while simultaneously presenting the subjects & fields of study in a completely new light, transferring knowledge no matter the disruption.

This knowlege product is made affordable and comes in three parts: An accesible VR headset, 360 video content and last your own mobile phone.

See our market ready sample of 2022:

https://tinyurl.com/Tech4agri3...

Our final product has much improved since then

Tech4Agri is not verse in the field of learner variability however our solution by its very nature is related to this concept.

We seek students to be active and able to access quality education. Thus its ease of use and affordability are kwy. Additional we  intend to work closely with teachers to assit them in their education delivery, crearing needed content to support their efforts.

The MIT solve presents an avid opportunity to learn more.

other beneficiaries 

Agribusiness owners, SMEs, farmers/food producers 

Foundational research 

Given the nature of immersive video, users will access series content via their mobile device and utilize a VR headset to view the video in a 360 degree immersive environment. Tech4Agri 360 employes the low cost & recyclable Google cardboard, an open source system which provides manufacturing guidelines freely to all to ensure an “immersive experience for everyone”. 

This means, while viewing the video users have a tactile experience as they physically interact with the video. While following along, visual storytelling and limited text based prompts are included to facilitate learning experiences within the immersive space. Reframed video i.e. 360 edited video will also be included.

Tech4Agri 360 is a solution that allows users to ‘go outside, inside’ ensuring their safety while enriching their learning & overall development through immersive experiences

The project benefits from lengthy primary research and testing. In 2017 Tech4Agri 360 was conceptualized. A sample was created using travel video & an app to simulate a 180 degree format. This was then used in a field test at UWI, St. Augustine’s agri expo event in 2017. At these events users were first introduced to the technology receiving a 100% positive response as a “first time user of this type of media” 

In 2018, a full 360 video sample of a visit to a beekeeper’s hive was created then used in field testing for the 2018 expo. When asked to rate this form of agrimedia on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best, 95% of respondents give it a rating of 4 or more.

In 2019 we began a structured pilot test using an updated sample while serving as facilitators in the National STEM Program administered by Sacoda Serv and sponsored by the SHELL, energy company. On introducing the sample to students of 5 secondary schools we received 100% positive feedback that they would use the google cardboard and share with their teacher or a friend. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, the STEM program was placed on hold. 

From Dec 2021 to April 2022, through pitching & raising capital Tech4Agri was able to reiterate our protype and then from May to July 2022 we filmed & produce market samples of our immersive media. Then, in August 2022 with the help of our partners Tech4Agri 360 was launched at the Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy and then exhibited at the Agri Investment Expo hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture.

In December 2022, Tech4Agri was selected as 1 of 5, for the Digicel Foundation Media Transformation Grant. This grant would not facilitate business costs of any kind, thus we provided the service of our Tech4Agri 360 platform to six Primary Schools, delivering 90 VR headsets inclusive of a 3 month subscription to our immersive education content.

Tech4Agri then extend this initiative in 2023, visting an additional nine schools. Thus Tech4Agri now seeks to service all 15 primary schools including 5 Secondary Schools within our first cycle 

The timing of our innovation is critical. In T&T alone educational disruption takes the form of; 2000 school dropouts at secondary school, 49% of students have failed primary school leaving exams, thousands are not ready & unable to sit exams and the threat of flash floods closes school at any time.

These are just some of problems then sector faces and yet there has been no change in thw structure of our education. Our Ministry has yet to establish an digital platform of any kind to support our school system and our vulnerable youth. This lack of action threats the futurecof our country. 

Our solution Tech4Agri is timely as it:

-Encourages physical movement via immersive edutainment

-Adapts to future pandemics by digitizing experience, "going outside inside"

-Stimulate local agriculture & education sectors currently suffering from a lack of digitalisation 

-Facilitate a stewardship role, necessary for digital transformation

-Transfer knowledge needed to build resiliency in today's world 

What effect does weekly use of Tech4Agri 360 have on the  attitude to learning of 7-11 year-olds?

What impact can Tech4Agri 360 have in supporting educational delivery by primary school teachers in Trinidad & Tobago?

Our main outputs are delivery of Tech4Agri 360 package (inclusive of VR headset and subscription) to 300 primary school students. 

Wr will also Develop 360 immersive educational content, at least 5 lessons through teacher & student feedback & engagement

These outputs will be focused at 2 primary schools located in vulnerable communities currently sufferinf the most from increase in crime due to job loss & a limited economy.

Our research will thus be in a set environment for the duration of the Leap.

We seek to find a sponsor to continue their subscription after data has been collected. We expect the results to be a winning direction in securing such support.

Outcomes are as follows

Vulnerable youth, directly disadvantaged due to inequitable access to online learning tools will be supported

Facilitate a stewardship role, that which is necessary for digital transformation. This is achieved via ease of use of the technology

With attention focused on our agricultural sector, our food security, the educational status of our country’s youth Tech4Agri 360 timing of implementation bolsters both the sub sectors through innovation.

Utilize project data & activity for a stregthen Tech4Agri capacity and the tool itself