The DIPPER Lab at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) has initiated discussions with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) to explore areas of collaboration in agricultural research, technology testing and innovation.

The engagement formed part of a meeting between a DIPPER Lab delegation led by its Scientific Director and Head of the Department of Computer Engineering, Prof. Eric Tutu Tchao, and the Provost of CANR, Prof. Dadson Awunyo-Vitor, alongside faculty members of the college.

The meeting was facilitated by Mrs. Patricia Amoah Yirenkyi, the Office of Grants and Research, KNUST representative at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

During the discussions, the DIPPER Lab team presented a number of agricultural technologies developed by the laboratory, including GalamSense, SmartNitro, FarmSense and the Smart Indigenous Weather App (SIWA).

The team highlighted the need for field-testing opportunities to validate innovations developed by the laboratory and assess their performance under real-world conditions.

Prof. Tutu Tchao noted that “collaboration with CANR would provide access to farmlands, greenhouses and agricultural environments needed for testing sensors, data-driven systems and artificial intelligence solutions developed by the lab”.

The discussions also explored opportunities for joint research and publications, particularly in the areas of smart agriculture, soil monitoring, AI-powered analytics and precision farming technologies.

Prof. Awunyo-Vitor welcomed the proposed partnership and expressed CANR's readiness to support the laboratory's initiatives.

"I am so grateful that you're here. We're also willing to support you," he said.

He indicated that “the college would engage further with the laboratory on the proposed areas of collaboration in Artificial Intelligence, IoT for smart precision farming deployment and facilitate discussions on the next steps”.

The meeting forms part of ongoing efforts by DIPPER Lab to strengthen interdisciplinary partnerships within KNUST and promote the development and deployment of technology-driven solutions to address challenges in agriculture and other sectors.