Mr. Jonas Owusu Yeboah, the Chief Executive Officer of Hadad Drones Technologies (HDT), has called on agriculture tertiary institutions in the country to integrate the study of drones and their application in their curriculum.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of Hadad Drones Technologies, the acquisition of drone knowledge and expertise would empower the graduates to assist farmers to be efficient and increase yield.
Mr Yeboah, speaking at a seminar for students at the Department of Agriculture Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, noted that the potential of drone usage is yet to be explored to improve the agriculture sector and that the time is now. “Drones are providing services to many leading industries. It is being used to save lives and inspire the next generation of scientists and technologists,” he said.
Mr Yeboah indicated that the main objective of his Company is to help create awareness and demonstrate the relevance of drones to transforming the local economy, adding that, “flying a drone is not for everybody. It is a profession”.
Mr Yeboah noted that the use of drones supports crop intensification, precision, plant health monitoring, and effective farm management, leading to increase yields.
“Ordinarily, farmers monitor their field physically, which is time-consuming with difficulties in detecting any challenge. Drones come in handy to identify potential problems. It is the best for large-scale farming operations.”
Mr. Jonas Owusu Yeboah
Importance of Drones to Farmers
Professor Irene Egyir, the Dean of the School of Agriculture at the University of Ghana, and Principal Investigator for the Project, on her part, noted that drones could help farmers identify areas of their fields that required more attention, allowing them to focus their resources where they are needed most. “In that case, the farmer can specifically apply fertilizer to that area rather than apply it across the entire field. This can result in cost savings on inputs and increased yields,” she said.
Professor Egyir averred that drones could be used to treat infected plants much safer and more efficiently than manual labour and using land-based machinery. “Smart drones also come with autonomous flight modes, this will allow farmers to plan flight paths only around areas that need to be treated,” she added.
Professor Egyir asserted that agri-business is a chain that demands technology, hence the introduction of agriculture students to drone applications would enhance productivity and impact positively the chain.
The seminar which was initiated by the Institutional Framework to Enhance the Agri-Innovation Ecosystem within the University of Ghana (IFEA-Eco) project saw the participation of many stakeholders.
Meanwhile, drones are equipped with special imaging equipment called the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The NDVI indicates the plant’s health with detailed color information. This helps farmers monitor crops as they grow so that any problems can be dealt with quickly enough to save the plant.
