Prof Rojanette Coetzee, an academic at the North-West University’s (NWU's) Faculty of Engineering, recently established a research forum that will use industrial engineering methods to help farmers.
Assisted by research assistants Herme Nel and Jorinda Marais, the Industrial Engineering in Agriculture (IE@Agri) Forum aims to apply industrial engineering techniques to address the everyday challenges faced by farmers, organisations, and the agricultural value chain.
The group's vision is to develop practical solutions using proven industrial engineering methods, with the goal of improving agricultural processes and increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and profitability of farms and companies.
Prof Coetzee believes that industrial engineers possess the necessary skills to enhance the industry for farmers and the entire value chain.
“The primary objective of IE@Agri is to have a positive impact on the agricultural sector by providing pragmatic solutions to common problems. Challenges faced in agriculture – such as low throughput, inefficient facility layouts, project management issues and quality management improvements – are similar to those encountered in other industries,” she says.
“Farmers are often required to have diverse technical knowledge in areas such as mechanics, hydraulics, electrical power, irrigation, structural design, and even electronics. In addition to these technical skills, farmers are expected to possess business acumen for running profitable operations, managing resources and workforces, despite limited formal training in these areas,” she adds.
“Farmers, who play a crucial role in feeding the nation and supporting their families, face unpredictable natural circumstances, economic challenges, and government policies that can hinder their efforts. Through this research forum, we aim to support these extraordinary individuals.”
Revolutionising agriculture – from left are Aniel van Deventer from the School of Industrial Engineering, research assistants Herme Nel and Jorinda Marais, and Prof Rojanette Coetzee.
