New Hungarian startup could help farmers in Africa
Smapp Lab, the startup that won the Vodafone Digital Award, has a new development. The digital trap is being tested in Kenya. The startup founded in June 2020 combines agricultural, pest control, engineering, and software development know-how.
Smapp Lab won the Vodafone Digital Award in the planet and sustainability category, writes napi.hu. The portal also wrote that the digital trap is being tested in Kenya to make agricultural production more efficient. The development gives real-time data to farmers. This helps them identify the proper dose of pesticide spray. Thus, they can optimise the amount and contribute to sustainable agriculture.
According to a statement from Vodafone, the data-based innovation from Hungarian developers helps farmers to effectively control pests. Testing began in October on the African continent.
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The test conducted in Kenya will focus on protecting plants and vegetables from worms. Origo writes that the test traps in Kenya are an agricultural breakthrough in the region. The invention is extremely important as 75% of the country’s population is engaged in agriculture.
The news site also mentions that people in the region have a smaller land to work on. It is usually one hectare. Therefore, their job is more difficult, especially without proper technologies to help them. Smapp Lab’s goal is to prevent serious damage, optimise the amount of used pesticides, and develop Kenyan agriculture.
Smapp Lab’s traps are used in many European countries, such as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia.
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The startup prides itself on receiving many awards. “The SMAPP LAB team has received multiple awards and acknowledgements. In 2019, it was the winner of NAK Techlab (by the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture). The team stood its place in many international competitions as well, winning first prize at EIT Food Innovation Prizes 2020 nationally and landing a spot in the European finals. SMAPP LAB was one of the top 10 contenders of the Startup World Cup Black Sea And Beyond regional competition. Aside from competitions, the project is trusted by some of the largest Hungarian and global agricultural corporations, such as Syngenta, FMC, Kite PLC, Bonafarm, and ‘Mezőhegyesi Ménesbirtok’,” they write on their website.
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Source: napi.hu, Origo, smapplab.com