Sierra Leone has clearly stated its intention to integrate emerging technologies into vital sectors of the economy, gradually phasing out traditional systems in favor of next-generation solutions.
The West African country is turning to blockchain technology and looking to bilateral agreements to accelerate its digitalization efforts. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation, Salima Monorma Bah, hosted the country’s Ambassador to China, Abubakarr Karim, and several blockchain experts from Felei TechCity and Sovereign Infrastructure for Global Nations (SIGN).
During the visit, the experts indicated that they were willing to use their expertise to improve Sierra Leone’s digitalization figures. The minister noted that the country has a “continued commitment” to harness emerging technologies.
The minister added that a solid blockchain foundation could be the springboard for innovation across the West African country. Monorma cited a strong regulatory framework and clear policy direction as a compass for Sierra Leone’s move towards the integration of blockchain technology.
The foreign experts will work with key government and private stakeholders to identify practical blockchain applications for the country. They will also engage in high-level discussions on potential blockchain use cases for digital identity management, public registration systems, elections and resource traceability in mining. In addition to finance, use cases can extend to healthcare, education and public services.
Previously, Sierra Leone has dabbled in blockchain technology, working with non-profit organization Kiva to roll out a blockchain-based ID system for the country. Based on the early success of the partnership, the country is looking to expand the blockchain utility nationwide.
Africa goes all-in with blockchain
To narrow the widening technology gap, other African countries, apart from Sierra Leone, are leaning on blockchain to streamline their digitalization efforts. Nigeria has begun implementing a national blockchain policy to tackle real estate fraud and improve airport processes.
Zambia has made great strides with blockchain-based digital IDs, while others remain committed to improving financial inclusion metrics. Blockchain-focused companies have outperformed the ecosystem, capturing 13% of all venture capital (VC) funding on the continent, indicating a growing interest in emerging technologies.
Vietnam’s livestock population is becoming high-tech
Elsewhere, Vietnam’s livestock sector is undergoing significant digital transformation, with sustainability at the core of operations.
Small farms in the Southeast Asian country are making the transition to industrial-scale production. The sweeping changes across the ecosystem are poised to improve food safety standards for consumers while strengthening global competitiveness.
Local livestock farms are increasingly digitizing data to meet health and export standards, while revolutionizing supply chain efficiency to provide new global financing opportunities for the sector.
Vietnamese experts are making progress in disease-resistant breeding research and smart monitoring to detect abnormalities, while several local companies have introduced automated livestock feeding systems and wearables for tracking purposes.
The combined utility of smart technologies in Vietnamese livestock farming has shown promise in ushering in a circular agricultural ecosystem. Leading companies in the country have already launched waste management and bioprocessing systems, converting manure into organic fertilizers for agriculture.
The report cites the progress Hung Nhon Group has made in smart technologies over the past two decades, describing its growth from a small-scale poultry farm to Vietnam’s leading livestock farming company. Hung Nhon Chairman Vu Manh Hung announced that the company has achieved a large number of international certifications under the Global GAP standards in collaboration with international companies.
“After the early failure of small-scale livestock farming, we decided to partner with leading global agricultural companies such as De Heus from the Netherlands and Belga from Belgium,” said Hung.
Given Hung Nhon’s string of successes, several local companies are focusing on digital-first activities to improve efficiency and productivity.
Embracing emerging technology in agriculture
While the financial and healthcare sectors appear to be on the cusp of innovation, agricultural players are flooding in to adopt blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for their internal operations. Several Vietnamese companies have already turned to blockchain to authenticate their halal food markets, a growing trend in Southeast Asia.
In the Far East, Japanese companies are integrating AI for agricultural processes, achieving milestones in tomato harvests while addressing labor shortages. Experts say AI use cases in agriculture will reach a market cap of $10 billion by 2032 as companies pursue cost-saving benefits.
Look | From farm to table: Blockchain is revolutionizing livestock farming
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BlockchainDigital TransformationDigitizationDigitizationHung Nhon groupSalima Monorma BahSierra LeoneVietnam