A total of 335 pupils have taken part in a robotics competition aimed at developing innovative solutions to challenges facing poultry farmers in Zimbabwe.
The competition, dubbed Bots for a Better Flock, was organised by Robotek Robotics and AI Lab in partnership with Hellenic Primary School.
Speaking during the competition, Robotek co-founder Barnabas Muchehiwa said the initiative was designed to equip learners with practical robotics and artificial intelligence skills while encouraging them to apply technology to real-world challenges in the poultry industry.
“We specifically started the class by asking students what kind of problems poultry farmers experience while growing chickens,” said Muchehiwa.
He said participants were then challenged to identify problems, develop possible solutions and translate their ideas into practical projects.
One of the participants, 12-year-old Joshua Zamani, a pupil at St John’s Preparatory School, said he was motivated by the amount of manual labour required to feed chickens.
“I realised that too much labour is used when feeding chickens, so we came up with a project that reduces labour costs for farmers,” said Zamani.
Two girls from Hellenic Primary School also spent a week developing a project focused on automating the cleaning of chicken coops to reduce the workload for poultry farmers.
Muchehiwa said the competition covered six stages of poultry production, ranging from hatchery operations to processing and abattoir activities.
“Students had the freedom to identify problems, think of solutions and bring their ideas to life by creating models that demonstrate how their projects work,” he said.
He said Robotek was encouraged by the creativity displayed by the learners, adding that providing children with opportunities to explore technology was essential in nurturing innovation and problem-solving skills.
Muchehiwa also revealed that Robotek was planning an international trip to Thailand next year, where Zimbabwean learners would have an opportunity to showcase their innovations to a global audience.
