Agile Technologies

Agile Technologies is a pioneering software system that supports both the planning and implementation of locust elimination operations. Powered by artificial intelligence, it ensures accurate implementation and quick feedback.

Learning from conversations with thousands of farmers, Agile Technologies seeks to accelerate the transition to an AI world that benefits everyone. We combine the locust observation data from FAO and satellite images and topographical maps and coupled with environmental and climatic data, gives us a dataset with locations referencing locust presence and absence points. Using Machine Learning, It assists farmers and provides an early warning of a locust invasion by predicting potential locust breeding ground locations ahead of time. 

In the Horn and East Africa, communities are battling huge, hungry swarms of desert locusts – the likes of which have not been since for generations. In one day, a swarm of locusts can consume 200 tonnes of vegetation. One tonne of locusts eats as much food in one day as about 10 elephants, 25 camels or 2,500 people. The most destructive locust species is the desert locust. Adults have a voracious appetite and can eat their own weight daily.

Desert locust outbreaks threaten the food security of large swathes of Africa and endanger the livelihoods of millions of people. 20.2 million people currently face severe acute food insecurity in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania – a number that could grow exponentially due to the combined impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the desert locust infestation. World Bank estimates that as much as damages and losses could amount to as much as US$8.5 billion in damages. 

 Agile Technologies unique approach to locust control not only uses less money, less energy, it also enhances the yield and quality of the food that is grown. Our process allows farmers to grow exactly what’s needed, eliminate crop loss, and maintain a sustainable food supply.

I selected the prototype solution because we are still building our algorithm 

Agile Technologies to use machine learning (ML) for locust distribution modelling which could assist in early warning of a locust invasion by predicting potential locust breeding ground locations ahead of time. Coupled with locust observation data from FAO, satellite images and topographical maps, it calculates areas high risk of producing a conducive breeding environment for the desert locust and manage the pest in a timely, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable manner.

The desert locust breeds extensively in semi-arid zones and countries in the horn of Africa, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia, are experiencing extraordinary swarms never witnessed during the past 25 years. The current swarm is estimated to consume ~ 1.8 million MT of vegetation per day across 123,200 km2, which represents 11% of Ethiopia's total land area. In Kenya, the locust has spread to approximately 107,000 km2 (20% of Kenya).

The mission of Agile Technologies is to offer a affordable, consistent, and sustainable solution that enables governments and farmers and other affiliated organizations to control the locust invasion from its breeding sites effectively. By using AI to identify desert locust breeding sites and optimize interventions, we can further develop predictions on potential areas for desert locust sites

We plan to to start serving 300 agriculture companies and a few assorted organizations that are dedicated to locust control. In one year, we will scale our reach and impact to 1,300 agriculture/farming companies with our product/service. In four years, we will reach and impact 150,000 people and 6,000 agriculture/farming companies.

3.3 million locust affected people are likely to require emergency assistance and 23 million people have been directly affected by the desert locust invasion. Agile Technologies theory of change is that by providing a low cost cross platform application, farmers will be able to fight climate risks, increase yields and eliminate desert locust breeding grounds with the use of digital technology.

The impact we create directly are poverty alleviation, climate action and food security directly, as well as quality of work and reduced inequalities indirectly. We measure impact through the below indicators:

1. # of companies successfully deploying our application

2. Increase in additional income, and number of potential breeding grounds eliminated

To achieve these impact goals, we have pioneered the Agile Technologies System™, a low-cost software system that is affordable, warns farmers and gives them instructions for them to implement in order to prevent breeding grounds and allows farmers to increase their yields with no worry of locusts. 

1. Measure process goals - determine the kind of goals you’re chasing. In my case, my goal is to improving the efficiency of desert locust elimination efforts through the use of digital technology. The outcome of those goals (complete elimination of desert locust breeding grounds) is something I strive for, not just something I do. A process goal to reach my outcome goal to collaborate and partner with municipalities, NGOs, and farmers and broadcast 10 success stories each week. 

2. Measure how far we’ve come - Example: Sam is a thirty-something who’s just started up a fairly successful farming company in Kenya. Partnering with Agile Technologies, he has successfully detected and eliminated four breeding grounds for desert locusts and diverted a crisis. 

Sam can instead concentrate on what’s been accomplished so far. They got the idea for the company while sitting at outside his home. Now they have high yield company, customers, a business model that works, money in the bank, and profit. By measuring progress based on how far we’ve come, not on how far we have left to go, Agile Technologies realizes we’ve made tons of progress, and can make sure it continues to unfold.

3. Measure distance to your goals - At some point our goal is within reach. Then, you can start measuring how far you are from our goal, and concentrate on closing the gap.

Currently, we face a few challenges to accomplish our goals:

1. Software System financing - while our greenhouse costs 90% lower than market, software system still need financing support. However, organizations and NGOS are hesitant to lend and COVID-19 has only exacerbated this. 

2. Advisory - Advisory support is critical for farmers’ success and our current advisory model is weak and needs to be re evaluated. We are leveraging technology and taking to account the end to end pipeline and all its ramifications. 

3. Building team 10x - Our rural and social impact context makes sourcing and retaining talent challenging. A 400 member team is needed to serve farmers in 4 years, and we are working on acquiring talent in specific sectors (AI, Software, marketing, sales), and increasing our online presence (social media, email campaigns). 

Funding from the SOLV[ED] prize will help us invest in technology for a scalable advisory model. 

Agile Technologies founding team has 40 years of experience in rural India. 

• Mariam, CEO had 6 years of leadership experience before Agile Technologies, where she she worked with a local community center to implement a vertical farming/hydroponics projects for low income residents.

• Ruban, COO, is from Ethiopia and provides unique and intimate perspectives on farming/agriculture companies to the board. 

This has been possible because of our values: Trust, Integrity. Passion. TIP.. Agile Technologies was formed after conversing with relatives and other farmers whose farms were devastated by desert locusts, and we proudly continue our tradition by making sure all our products and services have the farmers in mind and their approval. 

We are seeking to make a change that has lasting impact and to do that, we will cooperate with agriculture companies and farmers and work with municipalities to implement our product on a large scale as well. We will then branch to partnering with FAO (UN) and Desert Control Organization for East Africa, and collaborate on numerous projects and offer our assistance in combatting and eliminating desert locust breeding grounds across Africa. If the need arises, we may also partner with Google AI or IBM's Watson to tweak or train our algorithm to standards or collaborate with them on any datasets/algorithms they are working on that pertain to desert locusts.