DENBIGH, Clarendon — If Javian Bassier has his way, his invention using smart technology to make farming easier could soon be adopted and used on many small, medium and even large farms locally.

The 22-year-old has created a system which is now in the pilot phase on his own farm in Clarendon.

Bassier has recently been certified in general agriculture through the Ebony Park HEART Academy in Clarendon.

He had on display in the Youth in Agriculture Village at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show, a model of his Smart Irrigation System that is fully automated and is powered by solar energy.

“It uses sunlight in the day while it charges, and then uses the battery at nights to keep the system working constantly — all of which is controlled using a smartphone and can be done remotely. There are several sensors in the field that check the humidity in the air and moisture in the soil and then sends a signal for action to be taken based on the reading,” he explained.

Bassier entered a Youth in Agriculture Smart Technology competition and placed third. He was awarded a trophy and a cash prize of $20,000, along with an agriculture smart kit.

“I will use the money to enhance my invention because there is still some more work to be done on the app that manages the system, and I want to be able to share it and know that it is of the highest quality,” he said.

He told the Jamaica Observer that this invention is his contribution to moving the agricultural sector forward.

“I want young people like myself will stop looking at farming and agriculture as a dirty job that is only for old people. I want this to reach the stage where, when young people go to school and you ask them what they want to become they will say, ‘farmer’ and be proud about it — just like how people want to be doctors and nurses. The agriculture sector needs more people to invest in and be a part of it. I think my innovation will go a far way in advancing the sector if it is used properly, especially on large-scale farms, as many of the old people who used to do farming with their bare hands are dying,” he said.

The young farmer is encouraging his peers to adopt the technique he came up with and implemented. Presently, Bassier has Scotch bonnet pepper under production on his farm in Spring Plain, Clarendon, where the system is currently installed and is being tested. He said for now only about one acre is being used. The remaining 1.8 acres, he said, will come into production soon. His plan is to take a phased approach in an effort to maximise the benefits.

“I have proven that this method will yield up to 15 per cent more in production. I did it at a previous location and, based on the results, I decided to move to Spring Plain,” said Bassier.

“Agriculture plays a vital role in Jamaica, as a country, being sustainable so I am encouraging more young people to come on board — because without food the doctors and nurses that many young people want to become will not be able to survive. What we are planning to do is get more young people to come into farming so we can export more and boost our country’s gross domestic product,” he added.