Nigerian Ministry of Communications Selects 10 Startups for N10 million Grants in 4IRTA Program
The Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy in Nigeria has recently unveiled its shortlist of 10 startups set to receive grants as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application (4IRTA) in Agriculture program. These selected startups are poised to receive funding of up to N10 million each, aimed at advancing the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies within their agricultural initiatives.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, the supervising minister for the ministry, emphasized that the chosen startups align with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to cultivate 500,000 hectares of land across Nigeria to bolster food security. To facilitate scaling and sustainability, the Ministry of Agriculture will extend support to the identified pilot farms.
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The diverse array of projects among the 10 selected startups includes groundbreaking solutions like Integrated Aerial Precision (APrecision) for smallholder maize farming, an IoT-powered livestock management tool, precision farm management utilizing drones and sensors, an Automated IoT-Based Irrigation System, and a Geospatial Intelligence model for crop yield prediction. Other innovative projects involve blockchain technology to instill trust in agricultural supply chains, an AI-driven app for livestock disease reporting, a climate-smart IoT device designed for poultry and fish farms, and intelligent solutions for pond and fish farm management.
The overarching objective of the 4IRTA in Agriculture program is to elevate productivity in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as UAVs, IoT, AI, and Blockchain. The Ministry meticulously reviewed 2,329 applications during the selection process, shortlisting projects that demonstrated alignment with program objectives, solution readiness, and overall quality through two rigorous rounds of evaluations.
Expressing enthusiasm about the collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Minister highlighted their commitment to supporting the selected projects on their journey to scale and sustainability. This initiative signifies a significant stride in utilizing technology to address challenges within the agricultural sector, fostering innovative and tech-driven approaches for sustainable practices and enhanced food security in Nigeria.