proposal - tum

BmWi IKT Innovativ & Fördermöglichkeiten Proposal M.Sc.(TU) Wi.-Informatik - Information Systems Engineering +Dipl.-Kfm. (Univ.) Oliver Etzel, Technische Universität München Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Germany

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1. Reference:

Proposal IKT Innovativ & Fördermöglichkeiten Proposal

AgriLinux Remote Area Information System for agricultural value und supply

chain

1b Usage of Grant: The grant will be used to improve the performance of the AgriLinux computer for use in in power-grid remote areas in developing countries. The AgriLinux system has the objective to place smallholder farmers in a better position within the agricultural value chain.

2. Title of the innovation:

AgriLinux – Low price PC for developing countries - including all OS software around the agricultural value chain

AgriLinux:

a) Open Source Operating System, as-a-platform tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers in developing countries for next generation ICT in agriculture applications. (...in combination with...)

b) Base for Open Source Software Repository for smallholder farmer needs, like microfinancing, crop price information, transactions cost reduction, aggregating value chain stages… compiled on a

BmWi IKT Innovativ & Fördermöglichkeiten Proposal M.Sc.(TUM) Information Systems Engineering; Dipl.-Kfm. (Univ.) Oliver Etzel, Technische Universität München Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Germany

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c) RISC Class Mainboard (~ Mobile Phone similar Mainboard) targeting the total cost of ownership of the whole system under 10 Euros

Remote Area Power Supply: To guarantee continuous power supply in power grid-free areas, I conceived the following approaches: PC electric power supply with sunlight and PC electric power supply without sunlight (during the night)

d) AgriLinux PC electric power supply at day (power by solar panel) During the day, the computer is powered by a solar panel.

e) AgriLinux PC thermoelectric power supply without sunlight (power by Seebeck effect through Peltier Modules)

In absence of sunlight, the computer operates with a Peltier thermoelectric module device exploiting the Seebeck effect to obtain electric power through differences in temperature.

Image 1 Wiring Diagram – Seebeck – Peltier thermoelectric module to power AgriLinux


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+

Image 2 Powered by Thermoelectricity – Seebeck Effect– Peltier thermoelectric module to powered AgriLinux This solution employs:

• 2 x TEC-12706 Peltier Modules • DC-DC USB Step Up converter • Small switch • Small scrap of vero board • 4 x 3000mah nimh/ni-cd batteries (for reliable operation)

Status: First tests are running, it is working in the laboratory. Due to the fact that the Peltier module behave dissimilar under different circumstances (e.g. temperature sources, weather conditions) it needs to be tested in-situ under the hard conditions in developing countries

Remote Area WLAN capable: The AgriLinux Mainboard has a WLAN device. Thus, it can detect WLAN signal including e.g. the signal from Google Loon project for getting free of charge internet access in remote underdeveloped areas.

f) WLAN Device attached for WiFi Internet Access

+

Image 3 WLAN / WIFI capable AgriLinux for getting internet in remote areas I presented this WLAN capable AgriLinux solution -including the solar panel powering- during one of my lectures to the public with an Ekon-equiped WLAN stick attached to the AgriLinux system catching the eduroam WIFI signal. Automatic Hotspot Detection and Identification through own developed AgriLinux services software included. Status: Needs to be tested in-situ under the hard conditions in developing countries


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Type of the innovation: Smallholder full personal computer for under 10 Euro:

with operating system (Unix/Linux Compilation) as-a-platform + Free of Charge (Open Source GNU Public License) Software Repository + Mainboard / PC + Software Repository, supporting the whole agricultural value chain + Hardware with open standards, e.g. for cheap sensors (e.g. nitrogen, water, temperature, surveillance camera .and many more) Nota Bene: Sensoring is easily to implement over an own open GPIO Bus on the mainboard.

Category: University – basic interdisciplinary research combining agricultural economics with computer science 3. Name of author:

Oliver Etzel

Organisation:

Technische Universität München

Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan

Alte Akademie 8, 85354 Freising, Germany

Affiliation:

Graduate Research Assistant; ICT Expert

Full contact details:

M.Sc.(TU) Information Systems Engineering; Dipl.-Kfm. (Univ.) Oliver Etzel, Technische Universität München Chair Group: Agriculture and Food Economics; Governance in International Agribusiness Alte Akademie 12 – Room EG.007 85354 Freising, Germany Tel: + 49 8161 71-2774 Fax: +49 8161 71-3030

Web: wzw.tum.de

Email: [email protected]

http://wzw.tum.de/index.php?id=2&L=1

mailto:[email protected]


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Image 4 Oliver Etzel, Africa Day 2014, TU München

presenting AgriLinux ©

5. Brief biography:

Oliver Etzel studied economics at the University of Passau. He majored in business

administration (master of science equivalent to a Dipl.-Kfm.(Univ.). He worked as a

consultant and run his own colocation and server housing full internet service provider

business in Munich and Moscow. In 2009, he started his 2nd M.Sc.(at TUM) at the faculty of

mathematics and computer science at the Technische Universität München. He majored in

information systems engineering, and is recently graduated this current semester as

M.Sc.(TUM) information systems.

Since June 2011, while pursuing his studies at the Center of Life and Food Sciences

Weihenstephan of the Technische Universität München he has been working as an ICT

Expert in part time at the Chair of Agriculture and Food Economics Group.

His main research focus lies on ICT in agriculture of rural areas in developing countries and

development economics.

He held the lecture “Knowledge Discovery” at master level as a stand-alone lecturer. He has

been giving several presentations on ITC aspects in developing countries, and has pursued

ways to spur his own Linux distribution “AgriLinux” on a RISC class ARM architecture.

Due to profound knowledge in two academic disciplines, with two university Degrees, MSc.

in economics and MSc. in computer science and a profound experience as a server-housing


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provider, Oliver Etzel, is trying to solve problems at the interface of the two academic fields:

economics and computer science.

He is confident, that his research will substantially contribute to solve problems faced by

smallholder farmers in developing countries that are due to information deficits in their

value and supply chains,

and place them a position to commercialize their products above subsistence level.

Source of the Idea

Challenged by Prof. Dr. Wesseler, Technische Universität München / University of

Wageningen, The Netherlands, I proved that I can provide a 10 € computer for developing

countries, I compiled an own adapted Linux distribution on a smartphone-like mainboard,

full internet a WLAN/WIFI capable.

Practicalities of its development

I presented my idea to Prof. Dr. Wesseler, at the Chair of Agriculture and Food Economics, I

received a starting grant of 300 € in January 2014 with the goal to create a low cost

PC/mobile computer for sub Saharan Africa for under 10 €. I achieved this goal through an

ARM (smartphone-like) mainboard and my own Open Source Linux operating System

+ = Image 5 AgriLinux System, own images, Munich, 2014, Germany, Source: Etzel Oliver © 2014


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6. Short abstract

In developing countries, only a small percentage of rural families or smallholder farmers own

a computer. In spite of a high rate of adoption of mobile phones, the families are unable to

afford expensive workstations or personal computers.

To overcome the limited adoption of computers, an own-developed Linux distribution

AgriLinux1 has been compiled on a low price RISC2 class mainboard based on ARM3

architecture.

This own developed computer is able to run with mobiles periphery and will allow taking

advantage of the high diffusion of mobile phones in developing countries. The hard disc is

simulated by a SD smartcard, the same as used in smart phones. To power the machine a

micro-USB plug known from a conventional cellphone charger is ready for usage. This

Computer runs as a full personal computer, able to browse the internet though a WLAN

device and performing all operating tasks that can be used with high-end products.

The information system (RISC mainboard computer plus open source operating system) has

the purpose to improve the situation of agriculturalists and farmers in the agricultural value

und supply chain through embedded information processing compiled in an own software

distribution.

In addition to be useful to address research issues, this system is a step ahead of mobile

phones, giving smallholder farmers a low price computer system based on handy parts,

tailored to their living condition e.g. small solar panel included for operating in remote

areas.

If in rural areas is no electrical power supply available or to costly, the AgriLinux computer

operates with a Peltier thermoelectric module device exploiting the Seebeck effect to obtain

electric power through differences in temperature, e.g. it can be powered by a simple candle

light.

1 The name "AgriLinux" is preliminary and scheduled to get checked by the Patent and Licensing Office of the

Technische Universität München.

2 RISC - Reduced Instruction Set Computer – design strategy for computer processors)

3 ARM - Advanced RISC Machine - family of instruction set architectures for computer processors


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7. Brief description of the innovation

History

Based on results of ITU statistics, there is a high rate of adoption on mobile phones in

developing countries, with 69 % in Africa relatively high, compared to the penetration of PC

in farms and household with only 7.8 % in Africa.4

This was an inspiration for the idea of developing my own Linux distribution for smallholder

farmers and compiled it on a low cost “smartphone-like” mainboard (RISC Class ARM

Architecture). On this AgriLinux platform I assemble and program all kinds of applications in

an AgriLinux Software Repository, that could help smallholder farmers to deal with their

problems, e.g. a transaction costs calculator, where a smallholder farmer can calculate the

opportunity costs of travelling to price different separated markets and many other feasible

applications and many more.

Short System Draft

The AgriLinux system consists of three parts

1.) The Hardware in form of a small ARM Architecture mainboard

Advantage: cheap, easy to install, open connectors, e.g. sensor techniques

2.) The operating system of my (Agri-) Linux

which act as a base for end user programs (so called client)

like, getting SMS, sending receiving Email, Browsing the Internet, calculating Excel

sheets, writing word programs, using Skype telephony, making tax declarations,

running own developed software for end users and easily implement a own research

design software and so on,

which can be used for receiving and processing information

3.) The operating system of my (Agri-) Linux

which act as a base for

server services (so called server)

that can act e.g. as own information serving webserver, a own mobile phone service

which can be used for sending information

4 ITU Statistics, http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Documents/statistics/2013/ITU_Key_2005-

2013_ICT_data.xls, last accessed: Nov.. 24, 2013


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and thus bridging the stages of the agricultural value chain and sending information for

research activities (a own software based implemented research design- respective)

General Advantage/ Benefit: All software, all server services are Open Source software that

means free of charge and license free (GNU Public License),

thus the African people (youth) will face no barrier through licensing and total cost of

ownership questions.

8. Target group

- Smallholder farmers and stallholder cooperatives

- Smallholder families

- Smallholder youth

All smallholder rural farmers around the agricultural value chain

Benefits for the target group: Smallholder farmers

I exploited the high adoption rate of mobile phones in developing countries and the high

penetration of mobile phone periphery, like mobiles power cord, mobile power device etc.

The underlying mainboard is constructed out of many smartphone parts.

For facilitate use in sub-Saharan climate, I developed it solar panel powered.

For use in remote areas, the mainboard is powered with rechargeable smartphone batteries

to be power cord independently.

I have also finalized a bicycle dynamo powered version to power the mainboard and the

operating system to facilitate adoption by smallholder farmers.

First efforts to get better and cheaper connection to the internet have be started by

Google’s Loon project, e.g. spreading WLAN through balloons over Africa. The AgriLinux

System is WLAN capable so that it could exploit Google’s Loon project. Into this end, I made

contact with the Google++ development team to get the AgriLinux connected for a minimum

WLAN price.


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9. Impact of the Innovation on smallholder farmers

Provisioning added value for smallholder farmers

through bridging value chain stages

Value Chain Management Process:

Through more processing power, compared to a mobile phone, smallholder farmers can

compile tax declaration, calculating alternative travel expenses. The system also allows

combining other applications and information suppliers on the platform (like Esoko, Drum

Net or ZainZap and many more).

With higher processing power and a real operating system, smallholder farmers will be

enabled to cooperate, which will give them more bargaining power.

Finally yet importantly the higher processing and communicating power of a flexible open

source operating system enables smallholder farmer to bridge stages in an agricultural value

chain, like this

Image 6 Value Chain Stages, Cocoa, Ivory Coast5

Through, let us say, bridging the intermediary agent (who typically extracts about 9% added

value benefit) and communicating directly to a trader of the next stage. This could occur via

communication over the AgriLinux platform.

Information and therewith value-chain-bridging is possible due to the vast network

capabilities, e.g. a client-server communication of the AgriLinux system.

5 Source: World Economic Forum 2009. http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-

meeting-2009, last accessed: March 02, 2014

http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2009

http://www.weforum.org/events/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2009


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Improving smallholder farmers bargaining power through enabling and improve farmer

cooperative work

Farm Coop Management Process

Through the power of the Open Source free software repository, the system is able to offer,

implemented and customized applications to the respective farmer group, like for example

the Coop Works Farmers Association Management software (CoopWorks)

CoopWorks is a financial and member management information system (MIS) for farmers

associations, agriculture cooperatives in Africa. The first truly international Open Source

Software development project.6

Mitigating risk for smallholder farmers

Risk Management Process

The AgriLinux System can act as a platform to implement risk mitigation network software

for farmers with information on market prices, weather, pest and disease outbreaks, and

expert advice. Open Source services are free; ICT profits by using its information in service to

procure commodities and market agricultural inputs to farmers and governmental

information about subsidies.

Several problems of information asymmetry can be alleviated by giving smallholder famers

information over this platform, (e.g. pest, diversified seed, weather or information for risk

reducing or information about markets, like prices, demands, supply condition, or quality

they have to face other threats) through combining that on the AgriLinux system .

6 Coop Works Farmers Association Management, http://sourceforge.net/projects/coopworks/, last accessed:

March 02, 2014


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9. Impact of the Innovation on smallholder farmer’s environment

There are some 500 million smallholder farms worldwide; more than 2 billion people depend

on them for their livelihoods. These small farms produce about 80 % of the food consumed

in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. 7

This is the potential for la low price agricultural operating system computer. Perhaps, not all

of them will use my 20€ computer, but it is a chance for smallholder farmer and their

families to get committed to new computer technique for a very low price.

Benefits for the African youth (smallholder farmer’s environment)

Spill-over effects

The AgriLinux mainboard has a RCA TV jack, which represents a potential instrument to

generate the interest of African young people (“spill-over effect” towards the African youth).

Instead of condemning the rural youth to a role of passive recipient of information, like in

the case of consuming mobile or smart phones information, the AgriLinux system provides a

broad range of own flexible to customizable services, an ideal base for families and rural

youth to get familiar with ICT and actively use computer techniques. Perhaps some of the

young AgriLinux users will become a programmer of own software applications.

Image 7 African youth in a community center8,9

7 Kanayo F. Nwanze,, Smallholders can feed the world - IFAD, International Fund for Agricultural Development

2013 www.ifad.org/pub/viewpoint/smallholder.pdf, Page 2, last accessed: March 02, 2014

8 Jonathan Ernst, World Bank. 2012

http://www.ifad.org/pub/viewpoint/smallholder.pdf


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Thus the AgriLinux system/mainboard can be plugged to a TV Screen, e.g. in a farmer village

community center, thus smallholder youth can get a cheap incentive to get more familiar

with computer and software technology. With growing Internet Access, e.g. through Google

Loon or local, the AgriLinux is an ignition point of creating digital literary towards

commercialization chances for the youth of Africa

10. Testimonial from a farmer group

A Senior Scientist Dr. El Kaleb is favorable supporting my AgriLinux System on the RISC

Mainboard as a full computer for developing countries:

“..I have spoken with the president of an NGO that has invited me last week as the keynote speaker

for a conference in Egypt. It supports small farmers with the supply of information on the cultivation

to marketing. She is very interested if this is a prototype for future series production can be made. She

asks if you have patented your product. She thinks it should be done.

If appeals to you one of the two proposals, I would be glad if you sign up. Maybe we keep our

communication in English, so I can relay the information to their colleagues in Egypt. ..”

9 Source: World Bank.The ICT in Agriculture Sourcebook, World Bank, 2012, URL:

http://www.ictinagriculture.org/content/ict-agriculture-sourcebook, last accessed: Nov, 26, 2013.

Hany El Kateb

Senior Scientist Establishment of Plantation Forests and Development of Sustainable

Forestry in Desert Lands of Egypt Using Sewage Water

Education and Research

Institute of Silviculture

Technische Universität München

Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2

D-85354 Freising

Tel: +49 (0)89-794842

+49 (0)8161-714692


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