The Jamaican Education AgriTech (EAT) Initiative is a pioneering non-profit program whose mission is to equip the next generation of Jamaican with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead agricultural resilience through innovation. By offering hands-on training in hydroponics, Internet-of-Things (IoT), photovoltaic solar systems, and Computer-Aided Design (CAD), the program fosters technical expertise while promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education. Through this initiative, students will design, build, and refine automated hydroponic systems, with the goal of manufacturing and distributing them to high schools across Jamaica.
The program's objectives include raising awareness of climate change, increasing the number of students enrolling in AgriTech courses, and contributing to the development of AgriTech curricula in Jamaican universities and high schools. The program will expand student skills in the areas of Hydroponics, IoT, AI, Photovoltaic Solar Systems and Computer Aided Design (CAD).
The program's primary deliverable is the development of automated hydroponic systems for high schools. The hydroponic systems must accommodate 50 plants of lettuce, bok choy, or kale, with a four-week maturation period. The systems must also integrate solar energy and IoT hardware and software for automated management. The systems must be commercially viable, effective for high school training, and recyclable for multiple uses. Systems will be judged based on total crop yield, budget, materials, space, and training efficacy.
The initiative is structured into three phases. These phases span a two-year period and will culminate in the implementation of scalable hydroponic systems in high schools throughout the island.
The EAT impact will include but is not limited to the following:
Application details pending.
Location: University of Technology, Jamaica; 237 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6, in the parish of St. Andrew
The EAT Initiative is the collaboration of Jamaican and U.S. change agents across Technology, Agriculture, Education, and Manufacturing. EAT is designed to address the challenges of climate change and its impact on food security through innovative, technology-driven solutions.