From Software to Agric: Mfon Uwa's Journey to Revolutionise Poultry Farming in Nigeria with Yiieldy
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology and the stock market.
Poultry farmers in Nigeria face numerous challenges, including inadequate access to quality feed, high disease prevalence, limited veterinary services, poor infrastructure, fluctuating market prices and many others.
Mfon Uwa, the founder and CTO of Yiieldy Technologies Ltd., is helping to provide solutions to some of these challenges via basic scientific measures.
In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Uwa discusses how addressing these issues is crucial for improving productivity, ensuring food security, and boosting the local economy.
Source: UGC
Uwa, who has a rich background in software development and data engineering, has been deeply passionate about commercial farming since 2016. This passion has led him to establish Yiieldy, a technology company dedicated to agriculture.
He said:
"Yiieldy is committed to integrating AI into all our software products. This dedication ensures that our technological advancements align with the needs and challenges of the agricultural sector, promoting sustainability in a meaningful way."
Reducing production costs with Yiieldy Fiidz
Poultry farming is among the most common agricultural ventures and holds significant potential for generating substantial profit.
Uwa and his team developed the Yiieldy Fiidz app to help poultry farmers in Africa optimise scientific methods to boost production efficiently.
He said the app was developed with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by poultry farmers, particularly in Nigeria.
He said:
"I noticed that many farmers in this region need to use basic scientific approaches to farming. How feed is bought and distributed lacks a scientific basis, and most farmers do not keep farm records.
"So, the Yiieldy Fiidz app aims to help poultry farmers reduce their production costs by at least 40 per cent. In addition to cost reduction, the app features AI Staff, which serves as a knowledgeable poultry farming resource."
He added that the app can perform tasks and provide insights to help bridge the knowledge gap, which is a crucial step towards ensuring the sustainability and profitability of poultry farming in Nigeria.
Farmers can access the app by logging in to the website or downloading it from the Google Play Store.
Admitting that some farmers might have a little challenge utilising the app, Uwa notes that there are training videos on YouTube and the website demonstrating how to use the app.
Additionally, the AI Staff on the app serves as a co-pilot and can guide anyone through all the steps, ensuring they have the support they need.
Transferring the technology to rural farmers
Speaking on the ability to promote the new app amid many others in Nigeria and transferring the initiative to the rural areas where it is most needed, Uwa says a few strategies have been lined up.
According to Uwa, the Yiieldy Fiidz app's strategy includes partnering with local communities and engaging agricultural extension workers to reach out to farmers.
In addition to partnerships, Yiieldy is organising training sessions and workshops to provide farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills to use the app effectively.
He added:
"Furthermore, we will set up demonstration farms where the app is in use, allowing farmers to witness its benefits firsthand. We have also offered a 3-month discount code to all farmers who expressed interest before our launch date, emphasizing the importance of their early engagement and encouraging them to try out the app."
The role of technology and education
Despite Nigeria's vast and arable land, it's unfortunate that it can still not provide enough food for its populace and create employment opportunities for its youth via agriculture.
The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has previously raised concerns about the escalating challenges within the sector, which could jeopardise over 25 million direct and indirect jobs in the industry.
Uwa, however, suggests that farmers need to adopt modern agricultural practices and technologies and that more should be invested in agricultural training and education.
He said:
"Also, access to finance is crucial. Many small-scale farmers need assistance to access capital to start their agricultural businesses. Providing financial support or facilitating access to loans can help overcome this barrier."
He added that enhancing market access would increase farmers' incomes, making agriculture a more attractive career option for young people.
Challenges of food insecurity in Nigeria
Nigeria faces challenges related to food security and agricultural productivity. Uwa highlights some of the ways in which the government can intervene to resolve these challenges.
He said:
"The primary issues are insecurity and conflict, preventing farmers from returning to their farms. Additionally, addressing low productivity challenges, such as poor market access and post-harvest losses, requires government intervention to provide the necessary infrastructure."
According to Uwa, by leveraging research-based strategies, farmers can ensure sustainable practices, improve livestock welfare, and meet increasing demand, ultimately leading to higher profitability and a more resilient industry.
Four Nigerian agric-tech startups empowering farmers
In related news, Legit.ng reported how four Nigerian agricultural tech startups are empowering hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers.
In addition to empowering farmers, the startups have also provided avenues for ordinary Nigerians to invest and make money from agriculture.
They have been able to eliminate the fear of investing in the agricultural sector through the use of technology and reduce the dependence on government intervention funds for farmers.
Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng
PAY ATTENTION: Unlock the best of Legit.ng on Pinterest! Subscribe now and get your daily inspiration!
Source: Legit.ng
