On 04 and 05 March 2021, Mobile Applications Laboratory (Mlab) held Hackaton 2021 Agritour Limpopo innovation platform. This workshop was held at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) ICT 1 Computer Lab . The workshop was attended by students in Computer Science, BIS and in the IT related fields. Attendees were exposed to design thinking, starting and growing business and how technology can be used to bring innovation to the agriculture and tourism sectors. This Agritour ZA Limpopo was facilitated by Provincial Coordinator, Palesa Antony from mLab and AgritourZA Coordinator Choene Makhasa who is also from mLab.
Attendees of 2021 Agritour ZA Limpopo innovation platform during one of their sessions
UNIVEN Director
ICT, Mr Sam Khoza
When welcoming attendees and facilitators of the programme, UNIVEN Director ICT, Mr Sam Khoza encouraged participating UNIVEN students to do their best to design and develop applications (Apps) that will be competitive, and not just competitive but Apps that will also solve problems faced by those in the agriculture or tourism sector. He encouraged them to put UNIVEN at the forefront of this initiative. Khoza further said that UNIVEN is proud to be producing students who will be part of community development.
mLab Limpopo Provincial Coordinator, Palesa Antony, facilitating the 2021 Agritour Limpopo innovation platform
The Mobile Applications Laboratory NPC was successfully awarded a Regional Innovation Support Programme (RISP) grant by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s (CSIR) Technology Localisation Implementation Unit to establish an AgriTech and TravelTech regional innovation network in the Limpopo Province.
The project aims to build a network of researchers, designers, innovators and entrepreneurs to establish a vibrant agriculture and tourism technology ecosystem in Limpopo. Polokwane is the ideal city from which to start building the network and will serve as the hub from which to expand the network to more remote parts of the Limpopo Province.
On Friday, 05 March 2020, five teams of UNIVEN students competed where all teams presented their prototypes and the team with best prototype was selected by a panel of adjudicators comprising of UNIVEN lecturers and representatives from mLab. The UNIVEN winning team will join the provincial competition to compete for seed funding worth R125 000.00. They will compete against 19 provincial groups in April.
UNIVEN Head of Support Services Mr Nkhumbuleni Ratshitanga
In his vote of thanks message, UNIVEN Head of Support Services Mr Nkhumbuleni Ratshitanga thanked mLab for contributing towards the success of UNIVEN students. Mr Ratshitanga encouraged students to take initiatives like this serious because they are meant to empower them.
Winners of the day for presenting the best application (App)
Winners of the day for presenting the best application (App)
L-R: Leonard Mamba, Thato Kekana, Ngwaneni Matshusa and Nduvho Madzivhandila
Facilitators and coordinators of the 2021 Agritour ZA Limpopo Innovation platform posing for a photo with Mr Sam Khoza
Facilitators and coordinators of the 2021 Agritour ZA Limpopo Innovation platform posing for a photo with Mr Sam Khoza
Issued by:
Department of Communications & Marketing
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8710
Date: 09 March 2021
