MIT Solve

Solution overview

Our Solution

Control-D.

Tagline

Control-D is an online Platform that helps Cassava Farmers in Nigeria defeat Pest and Diseases.

Pitch us on your solution

Control D is solving the problem of Pre-Harvest losses experienced by Cassava Farmers in Nigeria, Caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of Cassava Crops.

How CONTROL-D Works.

1). We collate and analyze Data from Cassava Crop Farmers in Nigeria.

2). SMS $ EMAIL: We Notify and Advise Cassava crop farmers in Nigeria of Possible Disease Out-Break and Pest Infestation; Using information from our Data base in making Projections.

3). NEWS: Inform Local News Media.

4). Provide Extension Services and Advisory Support.

IMPACT:

1). Over 2,000 farmers in Nigeria will be served annually.

2). 60,000 Metric Tons of Pre-Harvest losses caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of the Cassava crops will be Saved annually.

3). $5,000,000 in Value will be saved by farmers in Nigeria annually.

Film your elevator pitch

What is the problem you are solving?

Control D is solving the problem of Pre-Harvest losses experienced by Cassava Farmers in Nigeria, Caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of Cassava Crops

60,000 Metric Tons of Cassava Tubers is lost annually in Nigeria at Pre-Harvest stage and this is caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of the Cassava crops; Imagine, if this huge loss is averted, and the 60,000 Metric Tons of Cassava Tubers fully harvested and processed into Garri, Fufu, Tapioka, Cassava Flour and/ or even exported. There will be enough Cassava food Variety for the over 190 million Nigerians to eat daily and also enough to be exported that will grow the economy of Nigeria.

Who are you serving?

At Control-D, We are serving Cassava Farmer in Nigeria; mostly, Small Holder Cassava Farmers which is made up of 48% Women farmers as against 52% men.

PREVENTION: CONTROL-D Provides Cassava Crop Farmers in Nigeria with Notification Messages, Analytics and Advisory Support to help them anticipate disease out-break for the Cassava crop on their farms and ways to prevent their spread.

QUALITY: We assist Cassava Farmers get Access to Premium Quality Stems of Improved Variety Cassava Stems dealers in Nigeria.

PROTECTION: CONTROL-D Intelligently advises Cassava Farmers on which best treatment measure to adopt for any Pest Infestation or Disease Out-Break in the Farm.

INCOME: Cassava Farmers in Nigeria, uses CONTROL-D Cloud Based Software to easily Manager your Farm and Save money.

What is your solution?

1). We Notify through SMS, Whatsapp and Email Platforms; where we Advise Cassava crop farmers in Nigeria of Possible Disease Out-Break and Pest Infestation; Using information from our Data base in making Projections.

We provide Cassava Farmers with Immediate Solutions and Measures to
adopt to control either Pest and Disease menace ravaging Cassava Crops
on their farms. Control-D is working with some Npower Agro Volunteers
who visit affected farms within 24 hours of report and then, provide
advisory support to the affected farmer.

2). Provide Extension Services and Advisory Support.

Select only the most relevant.

Demonstrate business models for extending the lifetime of products

Where is your solution team headquartered?

Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Our solution's stage of development:

Growth

More about your solution

Select one of the below:

New application of an existing technology

Describe what makes your solution innovative.

Control-D provides Notification Messages, Analytics and Advisory Support (Extension Services) to Chiomas Cassava Farm and Cassava Processing Center; to enable them control various pest and diseases such as Cassava Mosaic Virus affecting Cassava Crops on their farm. This services from Control-D have enabled Chiomas Cassava Farm and Cassava Processing Center increase the quantity of Cassava Tubers they harvested in their farms in Abia State Nigeria from 2 Metric Tons in 2017 to 12 Metric tons in 2018 where ordinarily, they would have again, experienced another Pre-harvest losses of over 10 metric tons of Cassava tubers in their usual procedure to Pest and Disease infestation that same year.

They successfully processed these additionally saved 10 Metric Tons of Cassava Tubers into Cassava Flour, Garri, Tapioka and Fufu to serve over 800,000 Low Income Families in Abia State in 2018 as against 250,000 low income families that they served in 2017.

Describe the core technology that your solution utilizes.

Control-D leverages on the use of Digital Platforms like Whatsapp, SMS and Email Platforms to excute its activities directly to Cassava Farmers accross the 36 States in Nigeria.

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

Social Networks

Why do you expect your solution to address the problem?

Cassava Farmers in Abia State were able to save over 5,000 Metric Tons Cassava Tubers from pest and diseases between November 2018 till present and we hope to register 15,000 Cassava Farmers on Control-D Platform by December 2023 so as to comfortable reduce to 0% Pre-Harvest losses caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of the Cassava crops in Nigeria.

Select the key characteristics of the population your solution serves.

Low-Income

In which countries do you currently operate?

Nigeria

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

Nigeria

How many people are you currently serving with your solution? How many will you be serving in one year? How about in five years?

Contrl-D is currently serving 2,000 Cassava Farmers in Nigeria.

By December 2020, we hope to Serve 4,000 Cassava Farmers and by 2023, Control-D hopes to serve 15,000 Cassava Farmers in Nigeria.

What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?

Our Major Goals are:

1). Build a Control-D App that is compatible with all device by December 2019 at a total Cost of $2,000 only.

2). Purchase on Lease, 2 Hectares of Land (30 Plots) in Aba Abia State
Nigeria; which will be leased out to Cassava Farmers who sign Up to
Control-D Subscription Model for Land Lease each Planting Season at a
total Cost of $18,000 by January 2020.

3). Register 15,000 Cassava Farmers on Control-D Platform by December
2023 so as to comfortable reduce to 0% Pre-Harvest losses caused by Pest
Infestation and Diseases of the Cassava crops in Nigeria.

What are the barriers that currently exist for you to accomplish your goals for the next year and for the next five years?

Control-D App used to work effectively with Android Phones and not Windows Phones and as such, most Small Holder Cassava Farmers using Windows Phones finds it difficult to On-Board on Control-D Platform. As a result of this, we have to shut down the App Completely and rely most on SMS, Whatsapp and Email for now; However, by December 2019, we are re-Launching a rebranded Control-D App that works well with all device when installed.

How are you planning to overcome these barriers?

Now, Control-D have Out-sourced, and a better App is currently been built by Greenmouse Technologies LTD Nigeria; this new re-branded Control D App will be 100% Compatible with all devices used by Cassava Farmers in Nigeria; and will be re-launched in December 2019.

If your solution has a website, provide a link here:

http://www.controld1.simplesite.com/

If your solution proposes an app that is available, provide a link to your app online or in an app store here:

http://www.controld1.simplesite.com/

If you have additional video, provide a YouTube or Vimeo link to your video here:

About your team

Select an option below:

Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit

If you selected Other, please explain here.

Nil

How many people work on your solution team?

Fig 1: Emelone Tochukwu Edwin (35 Years), Founder of Control-D, Full time. Fig 2: Okolo Donbosco Obinwa (24 Years), Co-Founder of Control-D, Full time.

Fig 3: Mrs Chioma Okolo JF (30 Years), Co-Founder of Control-D, Full time.

Fig 4: Miss Blessing Chizuo (26 Years), Head Extension Service, Full time.

Fig 5: Mr Chimuanya Ben-Victor (28 Years), Full time.

For how many years have you been working on your solution?

2

Why are you and your team best-placed to deliver this solution?

Fig 1: Emelone Tochukwu Edwin (35 Years), Founder of Control-D, a Madonna University Biochemistry Graduate, a Cassava Farmer with over 4 Years’ experience and in charge of sourcing for improved species of Cassava Stems from Agricultural research institutions in Nigeria.

Fig 2: Okolo Donbosco Obinwa (24 Years), Co-Founder of Control-D, a Bigard Memorial Seminary Philosophy Graduate in charge of Counselling.

Fig 3: Mrs Chioma Okolo JF (30 Years), Co-Founder of Control-D, University of Port Harcourt Marketing Graduate and in charge of providing marketing skills to Cassava Farmers in Abia State.

Fig 4: Miss Blessing Chizuo (26 Years), Head Extension Service, an Anambra State University Agricultural Science Graduate in Charge of Providing Extension Services to Cassava Farmers in Abia State.

Fig 5: Mr Chimuanya Ben-Victor (28 Years), Head Information, Communication and Technology Unit, a Nekede Polytechnic Computer Science Graduate in Charge of Registering Cassava Farmers on Control-D PlatForm and Delivering prompt Feedback to Farmers on their Questions and enquiry within 24 hours.

With what organizations are you currently partnering, if any? How are you working with them?

Npower Agro Volunteer Program.

we are also working with some Npower Agro Volunteers who visit affected
farms within 24 hours of report and then, provide advisory support to
the affected farmer.

Your business model & funding

Partnership potential

Why are you applying to Solve?

I want to be part of Solve, because I strongly believe that the Mentoring, Networking and FundingOpportunities designed with the program, will guide me towards making informed decisions that will enable Control D achieve it's Set goals of Registering 15,000 Cassava Farmers on Control D Platform by December 2023 so as to comfortable reduce to 0% Pre-Harvest losses caused by Pest Infestation and Diseases of the Cassava crops in Nigeria.

What types of connections and partnerships would be most catalytic for your solution?

Technology
Funding and revenue model
Monitoring and evaluation

If you selected Other, please explain here.

Nil

With what organizations would you like to partner, and how would you like to partner with them?

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

If you would like to apply for the AI Innovations Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If you are not already using AI in your solution, explain why it is necessary for your solution to be successful and how you plan to incorporate it.

Most Cassava Farmers in Nigeria are not advanced enough in the use of AI on their farms.

If you would like to apply for the GM Prize on Circular Economy, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

We will use the GM Prize at Control-D to Purchase on Lease, 2 Hectares of Land (30 Plots) in Aba Abia State Nigeria; which will be leased out to Cassava Farmers who sign Up to Control D Subscription Model for Land Lease each Planting Season.

If you would like to apply for the Innovation for Women Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

Nil.

If you would like to apply for the Innospark Ventures Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.

Control-D will use the Innospark Venture Prize to moblise our team more towards the collation and analysis of Data from Cassava Crop Farmers in Nigeria.