Kenya - Business creation project

Décrivez votre projet en quelques mots

We want to automate Hydroponics and Aquaculture, the rapidly growing technologies in Kenya, in order to increase access to these technologies, provide clean, better nutrition and medicinal value, and to expand and stabilize household incomes in Kenya.

01.01 Décrivez votre projet en détail

Hydroponics, popular for fruits and vegetables, and aquaculture, fish production in tanks, is now a popular endeavour in Kenya. However, most practitioners have adopted it at the basic level without automation. I see this as one of the most viable practices for automation, especially with the increasing accessibility of IoT. There are three ways in which I want to improve this production: 1. to help adopters to take up Aquaponics, which is to put together both fish and vegetables production in small spaces where the water will be circulated between the two units, thus take advantage of nutrients from fish to crops, and vice-versa; 2. develop calibration and data of types vegetables and fish which can be produced through Aquaponics. 3. Use the available data, and new data from this project, to automate the manual processes like provision of nutrients, sunlight and aeration. This will expand nutrition and incomes and bring on board non-specialist producers of all types

01.02 Quel est le problème principal que vous essayez de résoudre ?

Kenya has a host of problems around food security and production: Kenya is food insecure due to a) periodic droughts, b) most farmers rely on the unreliable, rain-fed agriculture, c) and the fact that food production is mainly in the hands of traditional farmers. While hydroponics is rapidly being adoped, it is practiced at the basic level, without automation. Therefore, a) there is manual labour and inputs, which is subject to errors and sometimes unpredictable results. b) it has not expanded to include lay people because it is seen as a practice that requires knowledge and hard labour c) it is only not integrated with aquaculture, which then misses the advantages of broader nutritional value and stabilized revenue It is also apparent that vegetables produced around Nairobi is grown along sewer lines or watered from the sewers

01.03 Dites-nous quels sont les principaux avantages et/ou bénéfices de l'utilisation du produit/service que vous souhaitez fournir par votre projet (au moins 3).

Automated Aquaponics allows any person to be able to take up the production of their own vegetables and fish. Our proposed automation is aimed at taking away the need for technical knowledge, eg, when to water, how much nutrient to supply and the variety of crops/fish to produce. We intend to develop scientific level database of each feasible variety for aquaponics and automate the manual processes so that anybody can buy and operate their own units at home. iTec Aquaponics will a) enable lay-people to setup up food production within small spaces, even in the siting rooms, roof tops and behind restaurants, b) expand household nutrition through clean, better quality and expanded options. c) expand growing of medicinal foods, and enable remote control of production even when in transit d) stabilize and expand household incomes by providing at least 2 channels via vegetables and fish, e) reduce expenditure on external and imported food sources

01.04 Veuillez décrire précisément à qui s'adressera le produit/service de votre projet. Quels sont les bénéficiaires visés ?

We target the following main groups: 1. Practitioners who have already set up hydro-, aqua- or aeroponics. Most of the setups, from the several farm visits that I have made, are not automated. This means they still have to use manual ways to monitor and manage the production, which is not optimal. 2. Lay-people (teachers, clerks, doctors, lawyers, stay-home parents, etc), who are not in the loop of producing their own foods. These people are either locked out because they don't have the knowledge of the production processes, or are not away they can produce their own food in the smallest of available spaces, like a 10x10 foot backyard or roof tops of their residents 3. Restaurants, Hospitals and Care homes where quality and freshness of food, variety and cost may be difficult to manage when they have to rely on external deliveries of food for their sensitive clientele 4. Schools and learning institutions. These will make huge savings by local food production and expand their options

01.05 Quand avez-vous commencé à travailler sur votre projet ?

01/01/2024

01.06 Combien y a-t-il de propriétaires sur votre projet en plus de vous ?

2

01.07 Parmi les autres propriétaires, combien sont des femmes ?

1

01.08 Veuillez décrire le profil des autres propriétaires de votre projet (compétences, expérience, etc.).

Hannington Mambo, 49, male, is a seasoned software developer who has won several awards in Kenya and globally for his innovative and development skills. He advises and customizes for me solutions for the proposed automation of the aquaponics. He is also a trained Agricultural Economist with practical skills on optimisation agricultural processes. Viola Onyango, 35, female, has a wealth of knowledge in design and execution of projects. She is trained in project management and has years of experience working as an M&E consultant with International NGOs. She is widely traveled and exposed to many different systems of production.

01.09 Si vous avez un site web, une page sur les médias sociaux (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin...) ou une application, veuillez fournir le(s) lien(s) ici :

01.10 Quel est le secteur d'activité qui décrit le mieux votre projet ?

l) Agriculture

02.01.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Pas de pauvreté'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.01.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

Through automation, we will enable lay-people to take up food production. This will free up incomes that would have been used to buy food for other uses like education and investment, thus ultimately contribute towards eliminating poverty.

02.02.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Faim Zéro'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.02.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

FAO projects that hydroponics is one of the major methodologies that will help achieve food security by 2030. Our contribution to the aquaponics is a means to end hunger by providing clean, nutritious and readily available food to the households. By automating the process, we make it possible to more people to engage in producing their own foods, thus significantly contribute towards zero hunger.

02.03.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Bonne Santé et Bien Être'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.03.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

By helping people to take control of their food production, we will be helping them to choose and control their own nutritional options. It is also a common knowledge that vegetables from around Nairobi are grown along sewer lines or watered by sewer waters. We will be able to reduce consumption of such sources of food.

02.04.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Éducaiton de Qualité'

4

02.04.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.05.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Égalité entre les Sexes'

4

02.05.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.06.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Eau Propre et Assainissement'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.06.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

The closed and polyculture nature of aquaponics has water purification (bio-processor) and maximizes water usage through circulation between the two systems. It is documented that disposed (waste water) from aquaponics can be as little as 10%

02.07.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Énergie Propre et Abordable'

4

02.07.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.08.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Travail Décent et Croissance Économique'

5

02.08.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

By bringing on board lay people into production through automated processes, new job will be created for those who will take up this for commercial trade

02.09.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Industrie, Innovaiton et Infrastructure'

4

02.09.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.10.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Réduction des Inégalités'

4

02.10.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.11.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Villes et Communautés Durables'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.11.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

Our goal is that urban dwellers will be able to use the smallest of spaces to produce their own foods, thus improve food security at the household and community levels

02.12.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Consommation et Production Responsable'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.12.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

When households produce food that they consume, they will control their nutrition and medicinal values by selecting what they grow and eat. They will always have access to fresh food, thus reduce carbon footprint of food transported or imported from long distances.

02.13.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Luttle contre les Changements Climatiques'

5

02.13.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

We will reduce carbon foot print by reducing distances food has to be transported, stored in fridge emitting gases, and reduce the need to warm up food with microwaves and gas cookers. Where plastics will be required for the components used in our systems, we will use recycled plastics. Examples would be in the growth towers, growth beds and packaging of our automation components.

02.14.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Sous-Marine'

4

02.14.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.15.01 Mon projetp contribue à l'objectif 'Vie Terrestre'

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

02.15.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

Aquaponics is a soilless production, therefore more food will be grown, and more fish will be harvested from tanks, which will leave aside more land for other uses. Use of chemical on lands and pollution by fishing boats will be reduced

02.16.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Paix, Justice et Institutions Efficaces'

4

02.16.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

02.17.01 Mon projet contribue à l'objectif 'Parteneriats pour la Réalisation des Objectifs'

4

02.17.02 Justification de la contribution de mon projet

05.01 Il existe un grand nombre de clients qui utilisent déjà un produit/service très similaire à celui que nous envisageons de créer.

2

05.02 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer représente un type de produit/service entièrement nouveau

6

05.03 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer pourrait être décrit comme une nouvelle technologie

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

05.04 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer est une amélioration d'un produit ou d'un service existant

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

05.05 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer pourrait être décrit comme une extension d'une gamme de produits ou de services

6

05.06 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer répond à une demande ou à un besoin qui n'a pas été satisfait par d'autres produits/services.

7 - Tout à fait d'accord

05.07 Le produit/service que nous voulons créer est une nouvelle version d'un ancien produit/service

5

05.08 Justification de mon projet

Hydroponics, aquaculture and aeroponics are practices that are now getting adopted widely in Kenya. However, the practioners have not automated them. We want to provide automation to improve quality production and help to bring on board lay people into the food production circle.

05.09 Qui sont vos principaux potentiels concurrents et qu'est-ce qui vous différencie d'eux ?

Other IT experts developing Internet of Things (IoT) that may be used for climate and weather measurements or automation of crop and fish production. Existing control/automation equipment providers for the agricultural sector

10.06 Menez-vous des actions au sein de votre communauté pour promouvoir le rôle des femmes entrepreneurs ?

Yes. We will pursue recruitment and training of female id development of our products, sales and distribution. Since we are targeting household levels, we believe more of our clients / adopters will also be majority female