An IoT Course Program to Foster the Adoption of IoT Driven Food and Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)

The Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, together with other technological advances such as big data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation, and unmanned electrical vehicles (e.g., self-driving vehicles and drones), are currently being used to transform the food and agriculture industry to increase yields significantly with minimal damage to the environment. These recent advances in Information and Communication Technologies and advances in biotechnology are driving the transition into the fourth agricultural revolution or agriculture 4.0. Some research studies on the adoption of IoT in the agriculture sector in Sub-Saharan Africa concluded that some of the reasons the rate of adoption of IoT in Africa is still very low are gaps in knowledge, skills, finance, and infrastructure. The knowledge and skills gaps are partly a result of an educational curriculum that is not up to date with current advances in the food and agricultural industry. To foster IoT adoption in the food and agriculture sectors and other sectors or industries in Sub-saharan Africa, we propose an IoT course program consisting of lectures and laboratory modules. The course is accompanied by textbooks, video lectures that are freely available on Edx, and remote online laboratories with the hardware resources hosted in some European countries but accessible through the Internet. These courses can also be adapted by vocational training schools, Higher Institutes, and universities in Sub-Saharan Africa or could be used by professionals and enthusiasts to improve their skills.