JL Plantations, an innovative agro-tourism institution, and WES Trade Limited, a company based in Malta, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to enhance commercial agriculture in the country.

The partnership has also brought together key stakeholders in the agricultural value chain, including the Ministry of Agriculture. "We have already interacted with the Ministry and all the divisional directors of the country to showcase what we have, and they were enthused."

"I have also had a one-on-one meeting with the Minister of Education, and he was delighted. For that matter, he has given us two STEM schools to adopt, where the students would be taught the IRRIGOPTIMAL system as part of their curriculum," he stated.

Another prominent university involved in the collaboration is the University of Ghana.

Per the agreement, the parties will collaborate in setting up Living Labs at three farm locations, while WES Trade will provide the integrated systems, IRRIGOPTIMAL, to furnish the Living Labs.

WES Trade will also provide expertise in technological sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and deep machine learning capabilities.

Dr. Daniel Opoku Mensah, a Development Planner and Management Expert who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of JL Plantation, said that, per the agreement, his outfit will support the logistic setup of the Living Lab, training, and its maintenance.

He explained that the universities' role will be to contribute high-level research experience, laboratories, equipment, and personnel. The CEO added that the parties will define one Pilot Research Project to be implemented jointly with UCC, making use of the Living Lab.

WES Trade, JL Plantation, and UCC will monitor national and international calls/research opportunities to present research projects on agriculture.

Establishment of living Labs

Touching on why setting up the Living Lab is relevant, the CEO of JL Plantation said it will be used by the parties to refine project ideas based on data collected.

He said it will also create an open lab for joint studies, better refinement of current solutions implemented by the parties, preparation of project ideas based on data monitored, and subsequent presentations for national events in Ghana.

Dr. Opoku Mensah said the aim of JL Plantation is to build an agricultural and tourism ecosystem in Ghana using proven technologies.

He added that specific services offered by JL Plantations include agro-tourism resort, aquaculture value chain, aqua-sports and recreation, plantation crop development, afforestation development and land reclamation, agricultural value chain, and manufacturing of natural mineral water and food processing.

"The business seeks to create an agricultural value chain cum creative tourism that brings measurable benefits to key stakeholders and establishes a sustainable business environment for the enhancement of agro-tourism productivity and rural development," he stated.

Innovative Commercial Agriculture

The CEO of JL Plantation said the intention is "to disrupt the Agric sector... we think that we need to innovate, and we believe in commercial agriculture."

"We think that small-scale agriculture cannot propel the agriculture revolution that we have in mind for Ghana and particularly Africa. Therefore, because of this vision and mission, we have always tried to look out for technology that will formulate us, and for that matter, we got engaged with a Maltese company - WES Trade," Dr. Opoku Mensah stated.

He said WES Trade is involved in several sectors, most especially in the agricultural sector, as they employ the use of AI, algorithms, and machine learning.

"...it helps us to track disease and pests, and most importantly, efficient use of irrigation water; water is most critical for even human beings and, for that matter, the plants that cannot move to new water sites, it is absolutely essential. Effective use of irrigation is so important, and we decided to go into partnership with them."

"Let me add that JL Plantation also believes strongly in R&D; we think that investment in R&D is directly proportional to the development of an institution or a country," he explained. "We advocate for more investments in R&D."

He added, "We decided that instead of setting up the trial center at our own farm, it was better, and even prudent, to rope in certain key stakeholders in the Agric sector and the value chain."

"One such key stakeholder is the universities, so for the three Living Labs that we are setting up, we shall allocate one to the University of Ghana at their Research Center located at Okumaning, which will look into more of the forest plantations and cocoa farms."

"In the case of UCC, it is setting up the export crops such as pineapple, vegetables, and so forth. We believe that with these three Living Labs, we can prove beyond doubt that the technology works."

"We want to prove that IRRIGOPTIMAL works PERFECTLY on the farmers' farms, as well as on research stations in the universities."