“We are delighted to lay the foundation stone of the Digital Farming School here in Yamoussoukro, which will help open new perspectives for Ivorian youth in the field of AgriTech, strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship and digital transformation of agriculture in Ivory Coast and Africa. This was Mohamed Anouar Jamali, CEO of OCP Africa, who spoke in this way at the beginning of June during the laying of the first stone. Carried out in close collaboration with the Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INPHB-Côte d'Ivoire), this infrastructure constitutes the first branch of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in sub-Saharan Africa.
As part of the training announced as innovative, the first class of around a hundred AgriTech students will benefit from an experimental digital farm adjoining the school, as a research laboratory. This is to allow students to learn by doing (Learning by Farming) and by sharing their knowledge among peers (Peer Learning).
Startups at the heart of the system
The originality of the project also lies in the participation of around a hundred partner startups from the Farming Innovation Program, launched by OCP Africa in partnership with AgriEdge and UM6P. This will involve keeping an open door to the business world through the expertise of professionals and mentoring opportunities. With the aim of facilitating the creation of innovative businesses in the agricultural sector.
This project, which comes to fruition in this Year of Youth in Ivory Coast decreed by Alassane Ouattara, supports the ambitions of the powerful Moroccan group, OCP Africa. Develop the integrated agricultural ecosystem in Africa. And this, accompanied by UM6P, the flagship and showcase of research and innovation in the kingdom. As a reminder, the University recently inaugurated its new Data Center, certified Tier III and Tier IV by the Uptime Institute. Integrating the most powerful SuperComputer in Africa, under the name of the “African Supercomputing Center”. A major innovation that positions Morocco in the world's Top 100 smart centers.
“The Digital Farming School of Yamoussoukro illustrates the University’s ambition for Africa, focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and agriculture”
Beyond the young people who will be trained
Beyond the young people who will be trained, this innovation infrastructure will be reinforced by the participation of around a hundred AgriTech start-ups partners in the Farming Innovation Program, launched by OCP Africa in partnership with AgriEdge and UM6P. partners who will provide their expertise in mentoring for the creation of innovative businesses in the agricultural sector. The Digital Farming School's vision is to implement an innovative training concept in AgriTech, offering young Ivorians the opportunity to develop high-value skills in the field of digital agriculture. For Hicham El Habti, president of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, the Digital Farming School of Yamoussoukro illustrates the University's ambition for Africa, focused on innovation, entrepreneurship and agriculture. This innovative project, combining learning with practice, will allow us to support Ivorian youth for the development of the continent, particularly in AgriTech. Along the same lines, Mohamed Anouar Jamali, general director of OCP Africa, believes that the Digital Farming School will contribute to opening new perspectives for Ivorian youth in the field of AgriTech, strengthening innovation, entrepreneurship and the digital transformation of agriculture in Ivory Coast and Africa.
