By: Alli Sweigard, F3 VISTA Communications Coordinator
In a world where technology and agriculture intersect, “Hack the Valley”, hosted by the Valley Institute for Sustainability, Technology & Agriculture (VISTA) and F3 Innovate, is a workshop series that aims to equip students with essential skills in agriculture technology (ag tech).
The final ag tech workshop of the semester was held on Tuesday, April 23 at UC Merced and focused on creating an autonomous path for the farm-ng amiga robot. With the support of Tesserakt Ventures, a firm investing in farm-ng – the creator of the amiga robot, over 30 students delved into coding for agricultural automation. Participants crafted their own path code on GitHub, fostering hands-on learning and skill development.
Under the guidance of the VISTA student team, consisting of Arav Gupta, Lucia Barboza, Michael Tapia, and VISTA Inclusive Innovation Specialist Adrian Buitron Boada, attendees engaged in a curriculum activity that advanced their coding skills.
F3 Innovate plays a pivotal role in integrating technology and research to advance sustainable farming practices in California’s Central Valley. By fostering collaboration and innovation, F3 Innovate addresses challenges facing agriculture.
Workshop attendees earned a LinkedIn badge, validating their proficiency in their new skill. This recognition enhances their professional profiles, opening doors to future opportunities in the ag tech field.
As this workshop series wrapped up, the journey towards a more sustainable agricultural future continues. VISTA and F3 Innovate stand committed to nurturing the next generation of agriculture innovators, with plans for more workshops in the fall. Stay tuned for updates and announcements, and join us in shaping the future of agriculture, one workshop at a time.