Youth digital innovation programme
Digital Villages initiative (DVI)
Description
As part of the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) in Uzbekistan, FAO, working in collaboration with IT-Park, has supported the implementation of a special digital innovation programme aimed at mobilizing young talents in Fergana valley to co-develop digital solutions aimed at resolving the challenges faced by their rural communities. The programme was launched with a “Digital Villages Camp” – a skill development programme – and culminated with a hackathon aimed at accelerating the development of digital innovations. The Camp introduced 25 participants aged between 16 and 30 to the fundamentals of the Internet of Things (IoT) in smart farming, and over the following five weeks, the young talents gained knowledge and hands-on experience in programming IoT devices through the use of open-source solutions. Away from the IT-Park classrooms, the students spent significant time in the field, devising and testing smart solutions tailored to the unique needs of smallholder farmers in the Fergana Valley. The Hack4DigitalVillages innovation challenge was hosted in partnership with OSCE and the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform, and attracted 244 applicants, and 36 teams were ultimately selected to prototype their digital solutions with the active participation of smallholder farmers. The winning teams received awards totalling USD 13 000 and mentorship packages. More information is available at www.fao.org/countryprofiles/news-archive/detail-news/ru/c/1670036/ and www.fao.org/europe/events/detail/hack4digitalvillages-innovation-challenge/
Technology
During the Digital Villages Camp, students were given the opportunity to experiment with the Internet of Things (IoT), robotics and open-source technologies. The innovation lies in the use of development boards with Wi-Fi connectivity, based on Arduino or Espressif chips (ESP8266 or ESP32), to which various environmental sensors are connected for the measurement of air temperature, humidity, soil moisture and light intensity. The devices are housed in water-resistant enclosures, either adapted from locally available materials or 3D printed, ensuring durability and suitability for the greenhouse environment. The devices communicate with the farmer via a Telegram bot, providing them with real-time updates and alerts about the greenhouse conditions through a familiar interface. The winning teams in the “Hack4DigitalVillages” challenge experimented with various technologies addressing the main agricultural challenges. The “Smart Greenhouse” put forward by Everest introduced an automated system that makes use of IoT and automation for the remote control of ventilation, watering and heating. Curved's “Green Guardia” took the form of a data management system that supports the use of telemetric IoT data and plant photography by beginners in farming. RoboGroup investigated the remote control of temperature and humidity in greenhouses, making use of an automated approach to reduce heating costs. Upgrade's "Smart Farm" made use of artificial intelligence and soil sensors to carry out complex analyses in support of informed crop selection based on soil conditions.
Target
The Digital Villages camp was open to young talents aged between 15 and 30 years, with foundational knowledge of electrical principles, an intermediate level of computer science knowledge, familiarity with data types, logical operations and looping functions, and an understanding of passive/active components and types of signals, including PWM signals. Hack4DigitalVillages was open to individuals or teams of two or three participants aged 16 years and above, and entry was free.
Business model
All activities were implemented with the financial support of FAO under the Flexible Voluntary Cooperation mechanism FVC/GLO/171/MUL “Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia”. The Hack4DigitalVillages innovation challenge was implemented also with financial contributions from the OSCE Project Coordinator in Uzbekistan (PCUz), as part of the Support to Economic Development project. The winners of the hackathon received mentorship and support from IT Park for six months, allowing them to develop their ideas into real business ventures, backed by solid business models.
Impact
The Digital Villages Camp and Hack4DigitalVillages initiatives have had a profound impact on technological innovation, while also addressing the agricultural challenges faced in the Fergana Valley. The Digital Villages Camp provided essential skills and hands-on experience to the young talents, supporting them in the development and implementation of digital solutions for smart farming. The subsequent Hack4DigitalVillages challenge showcased the tangible outcomes of the skill development programmes, with the winning teams presenting innovative projects integrating technologies such as IoT, automation, data management systems, and artificial intelligence with a view to enhancing agricultural practices. Such initiatives not only demonstrate the potential of digital solutions, but also encourage the active involvement of smallholder farmers in the co-creation process, ensuring that the technologies developed are tailored to the real needs of the local community.
Partners
IT Park, OSCE, CGIAR
Four Betters
Better production
Better life
