With 45 countries in attendance, the International Conference on Precision Agriculture truly had an international feel to it. And many are hoping to take what they learn back home to apply to their agricultural operations. “We’re trying to promote farmers to work as scientists to help themselves,” said Rachel Nwakwasi, a poster presenter from the Federal University of Technology Owerri in Nigeria. In her interview with Chuck, Nwakwasi said her work has been with farmers taking pH soil levels and turning in that information for analysis.

Nwakwasi said she’s using the information gained at the conference for work back in her country. “Already, [I’m thinking about how] famine should be about exactness, which is what precision agriculture is all about,” she said, adding that solving problems through precision agriculture is the way forward for her country. “So when I go home, I go back to my school and take back the technologies I’ve seen today. I think the things I’ve seen and I’ve been to exposed to are things I’m sure will help my country to progress more.”

Listen to Chuck’s interview with Rachel here: Interview with Rachel Nwakwasi, Federal University of Technology Owerri in Nigeria

11th International Conference on Precision Agriculture Photo Album