Precision Agriculture is gaining traction in Africa with an active conference and society present on the continent. However, information relating to precision agriculture in Africa is still scarce and scattered, particularly its relevance and application to small-holder agriculture. This book brings together experts who are driving the precision agriculture evolution in Africa to address the technical, innovation, societal and educational opportunities and needs of precision agriculture in an African context. In doing so, it generates a baseline of precision agriculture activity in Africa and forms a key reference text to support technical and further education in precision agriculture across the continent. The target audience for the book is industry personnel and technical and tertiary level agricultural teaching courses. The book will also be a valuable resource for early adopters and innovative producers in Africa.
Steve Phillips Steve is the Nutrients for Life Foundation Professor of Crop Nutrition at Oklahoma State University, USA and President of the International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA). He earned his B.S. in agriculture from Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, USA and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University. He has over 25 years of experience in leading applied agronomic research and educational outreach programs aimed at improving the performance of diverse cropping systems worldwide through enhanced crop nutrition and precision agriculture (PA) technologies. He began his academic career at Virginia Tech as a soil fertility research and extension specialist, where he developed the first crop sensor-based nutrient management algorithms for the eastern USA. He later served as North American Director for the International Plant Nutrition Institute, leading global research and education programs for 12 years. Most recently, he was Principal Scientist at the African Plant Nutrition Institute, based in Morocco for four years, where he led PA research and extension activities across the continent. He is the founder of the African Association for Precision Agriculture and the African Conference on Precision Agriculture and has been an active ISPA member since 2010. Steve has authored over 200 scientific and extension publications and delivered keynote lectures in more than 20 countries. His research focuses on spatial and temporal drivers of crop yield response, fertility management in cropping systems, and multi-layer precision management effects on nutrient dynamics.
Kwame Agyei Frimpong is a Senior Scientist at the African Plant Nutrition Institute in Morocco. He has also been a Professor of Soil Fertility at the University of Cape Coast for over 20 years with a research focus on biochar, precision agriculture, and integrated soil fertility management. Kwame holds a Ph.D. in Plant and Soil Sciences from The University of Aberdeen, Scotland. And M.S. in Physical Land Resources from Ghent University, Belgium, an Executive M.S. in Precision Agriculture from Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco, and a B.S. in Agriculture from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Ghana. Kwame has collaborated with various national and international organizations and led or co-led several international and locally funded projects and consultancies. Kwame has served as the chair of the African PA community within the International Society of Precision Agriculture and was the inaugural President of the African Association for Precision Agriculture.
James Taylor is a Directeur de Recherche (Senior Scientist) at INRAE and has been involved with precision agriculture research globally (Australia- USA - South America - Europe - China) over the past 25+ years. He is part of the Decision and Modelling (DeMo) team working within a group researching information technologies for the agriculture of tomorrow (UMR ITAP). His reseach focuses on precision agriculture issues in France with a strong emphasis on farmer-centric technical innovation.
