How can agribusiness leaders effectively manage technology and innovation?

In the last decade, Rwandan agribusiness leaders have effectively utilized technology and innovation to transform agriculture. They've embraced mobile technology for market and weather information, invested in smart farming including drone usage, and supported agritech startups. Precision agriculture using GPS, IoT, and AI has improved yields. Government policies and training programs have fostered a tech-savvy agricultural community. Collaborations with international organizations have facilitated technology transfer. Sustainable practices and digital financial services have been prioritized, optimizing supply chains and making transactions accessible.

Agribusiness leaders gave applied direction for Technology and innovation for the Agri-economic industry and related crop farmers in keeping the prospective of consumer preference. Here leaders explore the new opportunities. Like 100-50 years agribusiness community revolving around a few major cereal, pulses, oilseed, and nonedible crops. But in recent decades many new agribusinesses started and booming as new markets. For example, kiwi fruit, dragon fruit, avocado, apple, plum in fruits, then many vegetables spreading in local global markets while 2023 millet year creating hundreds of new startup. bla, bla, bla........

Para isso é necessário realizar uma análise abrangente dos fatores internos e externos que afetam o desempenho em tecnologia e inova??o, como capacidades, recursos, processos, cultura, concorrentes, tendências e riscos existentes. A partir dessa análise, os líderes do agronegócio podem identificar gaps e oportunidades de melhoria e priorizar projetos de tecnologia e inova??o mais relevantes e impactantes para seus negócios. é importante lembrar que a tecnologia e a inova??o s?o fundamentais para o desenvolvimento do agronegócio, pois permitem que os produtores rurais aumentem a produtividade, reduzam custos e melhorem a qualidade dos produtos oferecidos aos clientes.

Technology and Innovation both are/can be disruptive in exponential growth. Finding the gap between agribusiness stakeholder needs and fulfilment of those needs through research and experiments can play pivotal role.

Technology and innovation go hand in hand, and more so for agribusiness. Gaps need to be identified inside out and also from a customer needs perspective. True essence of a leader is to successfully identify the unsaid and unmet customer needs and then overlay the technology solutions or the innovations needed to fulfil those.

In my opinion Tech partner should be the one who has (or willing to) engaged with the target community by means of dedicated time for - research (to deliver bespoke solution), - tech introduction, training, troubleshooting - and be there all time together afterwards (like a life partner)

Most of the agribusiness leaders are working with a mission of developing solutions to maximize yield, increase famers income and reduce cost and increase quality for end customers. Once you are clear about your idea that needs to be validated through Primary Market research .Choosing the right technology,choosing the right partners is critical for successful implementation and integration of new systems. Today these innovations are well supported by triple helix model of innovation where Academia, Industries, Incubators and Universities and supporting these Agribusiness leaders to Validate, enable early test trials and certifications .Evaluate potential partners based on their Domain expertise, track record, compatibility ,infrastructure

Follow a structured approach: 1.- Assess Specific Needs (Specific tech gaps or opportunities) 2.- Define Criteria for Partnerships (Consider factors such as expertise in the ag-sector, a proven track record of successful results, and a commitment to ongoing support and collaboration with a Long-Term Vision) 3.- Scalability and Integration (Prioritize technologies that are scalable and integrable into your existing Op's) 4.- Innovation Compatibility (Look for partners who commit to continuous innovation) Carefully considering these factors you can navigate the complex landscape of technology and innovation partnerships, ensuring that you choose the right partners who contribute to the sustainable growth and success of your company.

To make best use of technology & innovation , first thing is to understand the need followed by making understand that to all stakeholders . At times the technology intervention& its importance remains at the top level & its imperative that its importance is understood & imbibed at all levels

To create a culture of technology and innovation in an organization, the most important aspect is to recognize both successes and failures in technology and innovation projects. It implies a mindset shift where failures are not stigmatized but seen as valuable learning opportunities. Celebrating successes and learning from failures contributes to a culture of continuous improvement, reinforcing the organization's commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

Culture of technology needs a long term view and the drive of the senior leaders. Teams need to be motivated to visit customers and understand their needs first hand. Evaluate the unmet needs and try to find solutions that can fulfil those needs.

Para fomentar uma cultura de tecnologia e inova??o dentro da minha organiza??o, é necessário criar uma vis?o e uma estratégia para tecnologia e inova??o, e comunicá-las efetivamente a todas as partes interessadas. Além disso, é importante fornecer os recursos, ferramentas, treinamento e incentivos necessários para que os funcionários se envolvam em atividades de tecnologia e inova??o e criar um ambiente seguro e de apoio onde eles possam compartilhar suas ideias, feedback e desafios. Celebrar os sucessos e aprender com os fracassos dos projetos de tecnologia e inova??o, além de reconhecer e recompensar as contribui??es de funcionários e parceiros também s?o importantes.

There are many unknown during the every phase of product creation .There will more failures than success but every failure will give enough refection and learning. Personally worked along with few Agri business leader and really appreciate their passion ,agility and perseverance to solve a new problem which is affecting the society at large .A culture of innovation is essential for long-term technological success. Encourage creativity, experimentation, and learning among employees by providing training, workshops, and participation in innovation initiatives. Create a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas, even if they are unconventional or challenging. Recognize and reward innovative contributions.

Implement frame works like Technology Readiness Level and find the intersection of Market readiness Level .Regular monitoring and evaluation are crucial to ensure that technology investments are yielding the desired results. Track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as productivity gains, cost savings, product quality improvements, or market share growth etc . Conduct regular reviews to identify areas for improvement and make refinements as needed

Product market fit is very crucial that the intervention or innovation or services is making revenue and customer adaption is increasing .This very crucial to see the traction is beyond expectations and Return of Investment is the Key .Customer Money is the best testimony .Protect and manage your IPR, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, to maximize the value of your technology investments. Explore opportunities to license or commercialize your innovations to generate revenue and expand your market reach. Measure the impact of product or solution write blogs articles ,share knowledge and expertise .

Ao realizar o benchmarking, é fundamental selecionar indicadores de desempenho relevantes para o agronegócio em quest?o. As empresas podem buscar referências tanto dentro do setor quanto em setores relacionados que possam oferecer insights valiosos. O benchmarking n?o se trata apenas de copiar práticas, mas de entender as raz?es por trás do sucesso de outras empresas e adaptar essas li??es ao contexto específico da organiza??o. Isso implica em um processo contínuo de aprendizado e melhoria.

7, Take into consideration wider aspects The multiplier effects and social impacts of agricultural innovation are also significant. Innovations in agriculture lead to a cascade of benefits, playing a pivotal role in sustainable development, economic growth, poverty reduction, and environmental preservation. In rural areas, these innovations contribute to societal well-being by improving living standards and providing better access to education, healthcare, and social services. They enhance livelihoods, thereby reducing poverty and disparities between urban and rural areas. Furthermore, the transfer of knowledge contributes to education and capacity-building, empowering communities and strengthening self-governance.

Studying successful cases within and beyond the Agribusiness provides crucial insights; Benchmarking against industry leaders helps set performance standards, guiding informed decisions on technology investments aligned with sector trends. Example: Inspired by a leading fast-food company that streamlined its distribution processes using real-time tracking and logistics technology, the Ag-leader decide to adopt a similar system; This approach helps them optimize routes, reduce post-harvest losses, and enhance overall profitability. Participating in conferences and engaging with peers ensures a continuous learning process, empowering leaders to make strategic, informed choices that drive successful technology adoption and foster innovation.

Create an Innovation Portfolio Management System Many organizations manage multiple innovations and innovation packages as part of their portfolio. With increasing pressure to show returns on investment and progress towards impact at scale, documenting innovations, monitoring them, and scaling investments in a standardized and systematic way becomes increasingly important. Always outline: 1. Expected contribution to SDGs 2. The region where the innovation will impact 3. Identified demand, innovation, and scaling partners 4. Amount of time and money invested in developing the innovation When leaders use standardized ways to document and describe innovations, they can compare different innovations and improve their processes.

The first step to define the direction of the organization and what all customer needs the organization aims to service. This will give an understanding of the intervention points in the consumer value chain. Accordingly the organization can decide of a future road map and the milestones for creating those interventions.

Os líderes do agronegócio podem gerenciar efetivamente a tecnologia e a inova??o por meio de uma abordagem holística que envolve a cria??o de uma cultura de inova??o que valoriza a criatividade, experimenta??o e aprendizado contínuo. Isso pode ser alcan?ado por meio da cria??o de uma vis?o e estratégia para tecnologia e inova??o, fornecendo recursos, ferramentas, treinamento e incentivos necessários para que os funcionários se envolvam em atividades de tecnologia e inova??o e criando um ambiente seguro e de apoio onde eles possam compartilhar suas ideias, feedback e desafios.