At Whitesmith, sustainability and agriculture are two passions that drive our team forward. These passions, coupled with our expertise in technology and innovation, inspired us to conceptualise AgriRegen – a digital solution designed to support small farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture. Our aim is to provide small-scale farmers with AI-driven tools that optimise productivity, sustainability, and accessibility, thus making a positive impact on the planet we all cherish.
The idea for AgriRegen was developed as part of a grant application, as a testament to our commitment to leveraging technology for sustainable change. Here’s a glimpse into our plan to transform this idea into an actual product, applying the same processes we use with our clients. And as this project progresses, we will share more of this journey with you.
Discovery Phase: Laying the Groundwork
Just like any other project, the journey of AgriRegen will start with a discovery phase. Our goal was to unearth insights, validate needs, and ensure that our solution was both impactful and necessary. We always look to foster an open-minded, cross-functional team approach to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased exploration of potential solutions.
Even though we know the problem firsthand - some of us are small farmers ourselves, getting our hands dirty trying to produce fruits and vegetables with regenerative agriculture - we know better than to only rely on our own experiences. We must step outside our bubble by interviewing other farmers and relevant stakeholders, and by analysing the market and potential competitors.
Our interviews with different stakeholders like farmers and agronomists will be designed to collect insightful data about the biggest challenges in adopting regenerative farming practices, the level of awareness about this type of agriculture, tools and processes currently in use and so on. As for market research, we want to identify the gaps in the existing solutions for this type of agriculture (digital or not, for this target audience or not) and spot opportunities where AgriRegen could really make a difference.
The discovery phase is not without its challenges. Whitesmith’s insights into common issues, such as the risk of internal biases skewing the discovery process or the pitfall of working in silos, were instrumental in steering the AgriRegen project away from these obstacles.
AI in the Field
One of the specifications of this grant was to use AI, which was something that we were keen to explore, especially in relation to agriculture.
As you can see here or here, we have been developing some projects with different uses of AI, so this would be one more possibility to increase our capabilities in this area.
In the discovery of a project that includes AI, the main goal is to prove feasibility. In general terms, this involves technical validation to select the best model and methodology for this use case, evaluating how the AI solution can be integrated to ensure a good user experience and running a cost analysis to understand the financial feasibility.
From Discovery to MVP: Sprouting Ideas
The next stage will be to define our MVP, based on the insights we obtain from the discovery phase. That also includes understanding if the core value proposition of the project - empowering farmers with knowledge and tools to adopt regenerative practices more effectively - is still relevant or not.
At this stage, we will be:
- Defining the core features: based on the discovery findings, we will prioritise the features that address the most pressing needs, which in this case might include curated educational content, community engagement tools, and AI-driven insights.
- Designing and developing iteratively: adopting an agile development approach, we build, test, and refine our MVP in cycles, incorporating user feedback at each stage to ensure the product remains aligned with their needs.
- Establishing performance metrics and KPIs: define clear metrics to measure the success of the MVP, for example, by focusing on user engagement, the accuracy of AI recommendations, and the measurable impact on regenerative farming practices.
Conclusion: Cultivating Future Growth
We’re just at the very start of this project, but even though it’s an internal one, we always follow the same rigorous process as we would for a client. By initiating with a discovery and then outlining and constructing the MVP, we’re laying the groundwork for a better and truly impactful product.
If you’re in search of a team to navigate the complexities of bringing innovative ideas to life, Whitesmith just might be who you’re looking for. We excel at transforming concepts into tangible realities, leveraging our tech expertise across multiple sectors. Let’s start a conversation about your project and explore how we can collaborate.
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