Improve your farm and cut costs with ARCC’s IoT system. PLUS, enter this competition and you could win one of these systems.

Any chicken farmer worth his salt knows there are five crucial aspects that determine a hatch’s success: feed, fresh air, water flow, light and temperature. ARCC’s IoT system lets you monitor these five things in the finest detail – all from an instrument panel on your computer and smartphone. 

Specialist, wireless sensors, which have a battery life of between two and five years, make it easier than ever to determine if there’s enough clean water, how much water is being used, how warm or cold it is, if there’s enough feed and when you’ll have to buy new feed. And it can do so much more.

If there are any problems in the hatch, you’ll receive a warning via SMS or email, and it makes it easier and simpler to plan and save on things like water and electricity. 

No reception or signal on your farm? No problem. ARCC’s SIGFOX network works with radio waves (not cellphone networks) to communicate.

Optimal farm productivity – this is the ARCC IoT system’s main goal. In addition to this, ARCC offers pre- and post-installation support to ensure that the system is used exactly as it should be to best help your farm.

What is IoT? 

IoT means Internet of Things, and it refers to the connection of smart devices or sensors in a network that enables them to communicate with each other autonomously. 

The data collect from different sensors, for example CO² levels, water flow and temperature, is then displayed in an instrument panel on your smartphone.

ARCC DEVICES ON OFFER

• Utility devices – monitor water flow and use
• Temperature gauges – monitor temperatures of -20 to 50 degrees Celsius and can be used in fridges and freezers. 
• Temperature and moisture sensors
• CO² meters – measure the temperature, moisture, light and CO² levels 
• Ultrasonic-level sensors – measure water levels, for example in dams
• Pressure sensors – measure the pressure in water pipelines and can help find leaks
• ARCC optics – electricity monitoring
• ARCC FT poultry scale
• Silo sensors and scales – measure in kilograms the amount of feed in a silo

WHAT ARE THE COSTS? 

There are different options. Farmers can pick and choose from the devices on offer to create an affordable system that will best benefit their business. If your system costs more than R10 000, you qualify for financing with the option to pay over 36, 48 or 60 months. 

• Basic package installation cost: About R21 548 or a minimum payment of R547,18 per month
• Comprehensive package installation cost: About R71 048 or a minimum payment R1 804,18 per month 

Device prices range from R1 750 (for a thermostat, for example) to R14 950 (for a poultry scale). 

To measure the temperature or humidity per day per hennery is about R2,20; CO² is R3,30; silo monitoring is R5 and chicken weight is R5. Monitoring costs include daily and monthly reports. Your farm’s data is stored for three years, and this is also included in the cost. The data can be stored for longer on request.

Learn more:

Want to see what the device panel looks like? Click here and use the details below to sign in. 

Username: andre@arccwc.co.za

Password: 1234

Or speak directly to ARCC. Visit them at www.arccwc.co.za or contact Frikkie at 061 441 1555.

WIN!
One lucky reader can win a temperature gauge, water flow sensor and free monitoring for three months. The prize is worth R 4 000. To enter, answer the question below and fill in your details.

Question: What network does ARCC use to send information?

Answer: SIGFOX

Name:

Surname:

Email address:

Contact number:

Full delivery address:

COMPETITION RULES, TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The competition runs from X 2021 until 5PM on X 2021. You have to be the legal owner of the cell phone or have the owner’s permission to use the cell phone. You may enter as many times as you like. In case of a competition with more than one prize and multiple draws, entrants may only win once per competition. You may enter as many times as you like. Staff members of Media 24 and the prize sponsor and their immediate family as well as their advertising agencies may not enter. Winners will be chosen by random draw and will be notified telephonically. If a winner can’t be reached within three calls during business hours, a new winner will be chosen. Winners’ names will be published on (drum.co.za / you.co.za / huisgenoot.com / kuier.co.za). Media24 and the prize sponsor take no responsibility for any damage caused by entering or taking part in this competition. Prizes are non-transferable and may not be exchanged for another prize or for cash. The prize sponsor is responsible for delivery of prizes within a reasonable time (8-12 weeks). You may only win a competition once every six months. It’s the winner’s responsibility to provide a daytime address for delivery or a postal address (residential rather than a PO box address) and to be present to receive the prize and/or timeously collect the prize from a post office (if relevant). Media24 and the sponsor take no responsibility for loss of the prize should the winner not be present to receive it or neglect to collect it from a post office. By entering this competition you agree that Media24 and the sponsor may occasionally contact you regarding promotions and other marketing that may be relevant to you, subject to your right to decline such promotions and marketing. By participating in this competition, you agree to the processing of your personal information in accordance with the Media24 privacy policy, which is accessible at https://www.media24.com/privacy/
We and our sponsors reserve the right to vary, postpone, suspend or cancel the competition or any prizes or any aspect thereof without notice at any time, for any reason. In the event of such variation, postponement, suspension or cancellation, you agree to waive any rights, interests or expectations that you may have against Media24 or our sponsors, and acknowledge that you’ll have no recourse against us and our sponsors.

All About Ifeoma Dozie

A result-oriented Marketing Director with more than fifteen years of experience, skilled in shaping and implementing commercial and business strategies to deliver high-quality integrated solutions. Ifeoma Dozie is currently the Director, Marketing and Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa at Mastercard company, where she oversees the company’s strategic communication.
Well-versed in all aspects of traditional and digital marketing and driving business to deliver exceptional levels of ROI, Ifeoma has extensive international work experience across different categories within the drinks sector. She was regional Marketing Officer at The Heineken Company where she was responsible for the development of strategic business plans and marketing capabilities for key markets within the Africa region.

She also improved the equity growth, sales performance and profitability of the non-alcoholic drinks category in line with the company’s overall profit and portfolio objectives during her time as Marketing Manager – Non Alcoholic drinks at The Heineken Company, Nigeria. A position she held for more than four years.

An alumnus of King’s College, London where she bagged a Master’s degree in International Business Law. Ifeoma obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree (LL. B.) from the University of Bristol.

What are your thoughts on why financial literacy is particularly important for women in Africa?

The world is full of brilliant possibilities, but they are not always open to everyone. Too much of our world is designed without women in mind and without women involved. Often, the data we rely on to create the future does not capture and represent women’s experiences, and we fail to spot the barriers that prevent women from seizing the possibilities we create.
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on women entrepreneurs around the world, considering their overrepresentation in sectors hardest hit by the economic downturn, the pronounced digital gender gap in an increasingly virtual world, and the mounting pressures of childcare responsibilities.
The 2020 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE), our report which highlights the vast socio-economic contribution of women entrepreneurs around the world, noted this growing inequality, with 87% of women entrepreneurs saying they were adversely affected by the pandemic. In Ghana, for instance, a sectoral breakdown reveals that a large proportion of women-owned businesses (85.1%) operate in highly impacted sectors compared to 50.5% for men. In Uganda, 61% of women-led small businesses failed to generate income even as lockdown measures were eased.

Proposals cross your desk every day, why was it important for Mastercard to support a TV series like the Smart Money Woman, taking a chance on a first time producer?

The Smart Money Woman series aligns with Mastercard’s objectives regarding women inclusion, financial inclusion and security. It made sense to collaborate with the show in order to create awareness, inform and educate African women across all industries and careers.

In addition to this, Mastercard also has a commitment to support small businesses. As part of our global commitment to connect 1 billion people to the digital economy by 2025, we have a dedicated focus on including 25 million women entrepreneurs.

Small businesses have an outsized impact on the economies of African countries, providing a livelihood for many while advancing financial inclusion of women to reduce poverty and boost prosperity. The 2020 MIWE report shared some highlights as well – it recorded a strong representation of women entrepreneurs in countries such as Malawi, Angola, and our very own Nigeria. This was achieved despite the economic and social challenges facing their entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Additionally, the report highlights that African women business owners are not afraid of risk-taking while expressing their innovativeness, individuality and creativeness.
The potential is already in Africa, and at Mastercard, we are committed to leveraging our partnerships to help, inform and enable small businesses to sustain themselves, especially during this pandemic.

Creating an enabling environment for SMEs to thrive and participate more actively in African economies, particularly in the era of 4IR, is therefore essential for promoting and boosting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, creating employment, nurturing innovation and reducing inequality across the continent.

What impact does Mastercard hope this partnership will have on African women?

With this partnership, we hope to see a lot more progress in women’s, financial literacy and security. This partnership is an opportunity to provide a platform for women in Africa to thrive in the digital era.
A recent Mastercard study revealed the exponential growth of e-commerce in Africa – with 81% of people surveyed in Nigeria, 72% in Tanzania, 68% in Ivory Coast, and 79% in both Kenya and Ghana saying they have been shopping more online since the pandemic began. This represents a number of opportunities for women thriving in our ‘new normal’, particularly in online shopping and digital commerce.

This project can also tackle barriers: often, we fail to see how inequality and exclusion are holding women back from seizing the possibilities we create, resulting in a world where too many things do not work as well as they should for women.

As a connected ecosystem we must all embrace diverse perspectives, certainly including those from women too, because that is when we can unlock ideas that are powerful enough to change the world and the narrative of Africa regarding gender inequality.

When we embrace diversity, it means that we will be connecting individuals, businesses and economies globally through the power of our networks.
Challenging the status quo is not an easy task but we cannot rely on traditional methods. To make real impact, we need to pursue bold thinking and serious action. This can be achieved by leveraging our greatest strength: powering connections through partnerships and collaborations. We need to be more creative and develop pioneering approaches in order to make an impact that reflects transformation.
Unlocking the potential in every person across all parts of their lives is what Mastercard is committed to doing.

Related

She was the breakout star of the most anticipated sequel of the last year and stole every scene she appeared in. Now, Nomzamo Mbatha is the name on everyone’s lips. The stunning South African actress made her debut alongside movie veteran Eddie Murphy in the sequel of smash hit classic – Coming 2 America and now the world waits with bated breath, her next move. In a time when the world’s eyes are firmly on the continent for emerging talent, here’s why Nomzamo’s breakout role is important.

In the movie, Mbatha plays Mirembe, Zamunda’s Royal Groomer who takes a shine to the young Prince of Zamunda, Akeem. Her character has big dreams about owning her own salon, but women in Zamunda are considered second-class citizens and aren’t allowed to own their own businesses. When she was chosen for the role, it was a significant step in her career and a dream come true for the young actress. The small-town girl with big dreams trope mirrors Mbatha’s own rise to fame. Hailing from KwaMashu in South Africa, Mbatha is now flying the SA flag high in Hollywood, where she is now based.

Speaking to Harper’s Bazaar about the cultural relevance of the film franchise and why it was important for her to be a part of it, Mbatha said:

“It’s gotta be one of my top five favorite films of all time, because it just gave a different light in a different lens to how Africans were portrayed in films, or in sketches. It just gave this hyper-imaginative Black fairy-tale of royal regalia and kingdoms of Africa. I really liked what it did for the time. And it shows what a cultural impact Mithe film has had, because so many people have been influenced from that. Beyoncé would host a Coming to America–themed Halloween party or would dress up as the royal family. Prince Akeem is the original Black prince and Black Panther was the first Black superhero film. So many cultural impacts came from this film, so it was a lot to carry.”

Although Nomzamo was honoured to be a part of Coming 2 America’s success, she remains refreshingly honest about how she feels about the opportunity in the context of her having ‘made it’. She rejects the ‘seat at the table’ narrative saying:

“I think we’re so fixated about having a seat at the table that we’re not concentrating on building the different rooms.”

She’s very vocal about blazing her own trail and being an African actress that refuses to conform to achieve success. She is unapologetically herself, wearing her culture, her identity draped around her, proud of her differences and never forgetting her roots. Be it through the way she rocks her natural hair, through the roles she chooses, or her humanitarian works which she’s very vocal about; Nomzamo is Africa first.

Moreso, the film carries such an important message about female empowerment and ownership on the continent. Although Zamunda is not a real place, it mirrors a lot of African societies where women remain disenfranchised and unable to make a tangible contribution to their communities through business ownership. Mirembe’s eventual success is indicative of a new generation of African women, refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer and eschewing outdated societal expectations to achieve success, on their own terms. 

Mbatha’s trajectory is clear; she’s a star on the rise and as she scales the lofty heights of Hollywood, carrying her culture on her back, she reminds us that we never need to compromise who we are to get to where we want to be. 

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In Focus / Mozambique

Like countries across the African continent, Mozambique is emerging from the impact of many challenges over the past two years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. But those challenges have spurred on women entrepreneurs in the country who want to create businesses that can help them to better weather the social and economic storms going forward. What each of these women entrepreneurs share in common is a passion for the businesses they are creating, ambition for the brands they are launching, and a desire to create opportunities and jobs for local people. These true Lionesses of Africa are not just showcasing their own unique products and services to the world, getting consumers interested in buying what they have to offer, but they are also putting Mozambique on the map and stimulating interest from across the continent.

  

This month, we invite you to meet some of Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs who are building businesses and brands that represent the wide range of products and services on offer in the country. Their business offerings range from commodity value added products such as luxury tea, through to cutting edge tech companies, cosmetics brands, media services, transportation companies, fashion manufacturing businesses, food producers, and so much more. Read about them and get know these amazing women entrepreneurs through their startup stories, and then go and experience Mozambique’s entrepreneurial scene for yourselves.