Session Details

Session
Title: iDSA Workshop
Date: Thu Dec 10, 2020
Time: 6:00 AM - 7:35 AM
Moderator: N/A
Mapping African soils at 30m resolution - iSDAsoil - Eastern Time Zones

“iSDAsoil” combines remote sensing data and other geospatial information with carefully stratified point samples subjected to spectral analysis and traditional wet chemistry reference analysis. State of the art machine learning techniques were used to create digital maps of 17 agronomically important soil properties at 3 depths, including estimates of uncertainty.

iSDAsoil is designed to encourage sharing and we hope that the owners of other soil and agronomic data, in industry and academia, will share their datasets to help create ever more accurate maps. If you would like to access the resource ahead of the session, please visit the iSDAsoil website: https://isda-africa.com/isdasoil/

This interactive session will include a detailed demonstration of the resource, panel member feedback on use and prospects of iSDAsoil, answering FAQ received ahead of the session, and an open discussion with session participants on user experience and further developments. If you have any questions or feedback please send these to: info@isda-africa.com

The session will be structured as follows:

Demonstration

  • Matt Miller - Lead Data Scientist, iSDA

Feedback from panel members and Q&A with audience

  • Those who have already made use of iSDAsoil API in Africa
  • Fertilizer manufacturers and soil analysis companies working in Africa
  • Soil and agronomy researchers working in Africa

Q&A between participants and iSDA team

  • Matt Miller - Lead Data Scientist, iSDA
  • Jamie Collinson - CTO, iSDA
  • Keith Shepherd - Head of Diagnostics & Decision Science, iSDA
  • Jonathan Crouch – CEO, iSDA (session chair)
Christy van Beek (speaker)
iSDA
Monticello, IL, NA
US
Meklit Chernet (speaker)
- Dr.
IITA
Monticello, IL, NA
US
Step Aston (speaker)
Coordinator
One Acre Fund

Profile 8: Development Organization 

Matt Miller (speaker)
Lead Data Scientist
iSDA
GB
Jamie Collinson (speaker)
CTO
iSDA
GB
Keith Shephard (speaker)
Head of Diagnostics & Decision Science
iSDA
KE
Jonathan Crouch (speaker)
CEO
Innovative Solutions for Decision Agriculture (iSDA)
Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ
GB

Founding CEO of iSDA (Innovative Solutions for Decision Agriculture) a social enterprise spin-out from AfSIS (African Soil Information Service) with a mission to bring affordable and effective agronomic advisory to smallholder value chains across Africa. We combine new low-cost technologies, rigorous on-farm science and viable last mile delivery business models. Our primary goal is to increase the profitability and reduce the economic risk of smallholder agriculture. Our turnkey solutions provide a strong value proposition for various ecosystem players, including increasing productivity, operating efficiencies, and farmer acquisition and retention. Please see our website for further details: https://www.isda-africa.com

 

Jonathan has diverse experience in agritech R&D and agribusiness development in Europe, Africa, South Asia and Latin America including working for impact investors, incubators, agribusinesses and R&D organizations. He has a track record in building global R&D networks, regional technology platforms and incubators, and public-private partnerships for agricultural development across the Global South as well as mentoring start-ups and scale-ups across sectors. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-crouch-457a5620/

Thomas Terhoeven-Urselmans (speaker)
Head of Data Science, UK
Cropnuts Ltd
Limuru, AL
GB

I am a trained farmer and holding a PhD in agronomy. The last 20 years I am working with spectroscopic applications in the agricultural space. Since more than a decade I have changed the focus on bringing research to business and creating impact for farmers. Currently my team and I are paving the way for making analytical and advisory services for the big mass of African farmers available and affordable.

Length (approx): 80 min