(AGENPARL) – ven 15 marzo 2024 PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
15 March 2024
CUT AI Hub exploring agriculture and the field of Smart Drug Discovery
‘The adoption of AI in agriculture is a critical task, and the private sector plays an indispensable role.. Its investment in innovation and market-driven solutions is vital to transform the agricultural sector,’ said Prof. Moosa Sedibe, an Agronomy Professor at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT). He added that when universities partner with the private sector, they can develop AI tools that are not only technologically advanced but also economically feasible and scalable.
Following the recent launch of the CUT Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa (AIISA) Hub, the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, will be engaging on a departmental collaboration to make sure that the artificial intelligence project is used to solve the teaching and learning challenges. The Centre of Quality of Health and Living (CQHL) and Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology (CAFSaB) will be the focus of the Department of Agriculture within this faculty.
“The farming communities in South Africa are diverse, consisting of commercial and small-scale farmers, both of whom are pivotal to the agricultural economy. Large-scale commercial farmers are the primary drivers of national food security, producing around 80% of the country’s food. However, the agricultural sector confronts several challenges, including African swine fever, avian flu, foot and mouth disease, input costs, extreme weather conditions, among others. Therefore, AI technology must address these challenges while being user-friendly, accessible, and practical,” said Prof Sedibe.
The department will be looking at how the private sector’s role in adopting AI to address current challenges in agriculture is perceived. “As the faculty, we see the private sector as pivotal in the adoption of AI because it can provide the investment, innovation, and market-driven solutions necessary to transform the agricultural sector. Collaboration between universities and the private sector can lead to developing of AI tools that are not only technologically advanced but also economically viable and scalable. With the CAFSaB included, CUT will take leadership in AI agriculture-driven food security,” added Dr. Pakiso Makhoahle, acting Dean, Health and Environmental Sciences.
Dr. Makhoahle added that their research is exploring how in the realm of Smart Drug Discovery, do we envision AI contributing to the advancements. Smart drug discovery is described as leveraging innovative technologies and predictive knowledge. By building on the past successes and leveraging both innovative technologies and predictive knowledge, scientists can develop smarter ways to create a molecular armamentarium of chemical and biological medicines.
“Our response is that we see AI’s groundbreaking role in drug discovery, it offers us the potential to accelerate the development of new medications and therapies. At CUT, we aim to leverage AI to tailor these discoveries to the specific health needs of our region, ensuring that our research has a direct and meaningful impact on the communities we serve. This is achievable as we have two papers in peer-reviewed journals contemplating how the undergraduate teaching, learning, and assessment should be aligned with AI, we believe this AI should be introduced at lower levels to be able to achieve more research outputs in the future. Our CQHL is ready to serve as the Central of drug discovery and production in South Africa,” he concluded.
Captions:
1. Dr. Pakiso Makhoahle, acting Dean, Health and Environmental Sciences.
2. Prof. Moosa Sedibe, Agronomy Professor
About CUT
CUT is the foremost higher education institution in the heartland of South Africa, dedicated to quality education and training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. CUT boasts pockets of excellence, including a premier Hotel School and leading research and innovation platforms, e.g. world-class medical product development through 3-D printing technology.
For more information about CUT, visit http://www.cut.ac.za.
END…/
For media-related information contact
Kind regards,
Ms Seithati Semenokane
Journalist / Media Relations Specialist
Communications & Marketing
Resources & Operations
Vision 2030
The Central University of Technology. Shaping the future through innovation
as a leading African University of Technology.