CARDI and the Teleios Code Jam 2018
Teleios Systems Limited ran its 2018 cycle of their award-winning, internationally recognized software development programme, the Teleios Code Jam (TCJ). The TCJ seeks to inspire and motivate students at the tertiary level to collaboratively solve real-world problems through creativity and innovation.
The TCJ 2018 was run in partnership with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) as part of an initiative jointly implemented by the International Trade Center (ITC) to develop the Caribbean Coconut industry. As such, the theme for TCJ 2018 was “Innovating the Caribbean Coconut Industry” which provided TCJ2018 with the opportunity to build local ICT capacity, enable training and deliver transformational impact in a real-world environment.
As part of the TCJ 2018, an Ideas Hub was created with the assistance of Innovation Strategist, Mr Lorenzo Hodges of Plain White Table. The Ideas Hub focused on:
- Increasing the volume of producer and processor data that exists
- Identifying the best sources for planting materials that can be imported from one country to another
- Management of pests and diseases
- Waste management and
- Food safety
The TCJ 2018 ran in stages. They included:
- •TCJ Training- 78th September, 2018
- • Build Stage
- • Presentation Stage – 21st September, 2018
- • Caribbean Week of Agriculture – 8th October, 2018
- • Challenge Stage – 22nd-26th October, 2018
- • TCJ Awards Ceremony – 8th November
Target Group
The target group is youth between the ages of 18-24 years. TCJ 2018 saw 38 participants (two were females) with 10 teams entering the competition.
Leading Teams and their Solutions
- Team Bits Please! developed an online coconut registry. This application consists of a registration process which allows smallholder farmers to have access to stakeholder database, smart recommendations for planting as well as data visualizations. The members – Stephen Seenath, Aaron Meighoo, Joseph James, Alexandra Samaroo and Seenath Gooding.
- Team Compass used blockchain technology to improve traceability in the industry. The blockchain application by Team Compass, called BreadTrail produces data including a QR code for easy tracking and Internet of Things (IoT) devices that can automate data entry. Team members – Darien Jardine, Jonathan Herbert, Reshawn Ramjattan and Nirvan Sharma.
- Team CodeCodeNut created Coconut Drop, a marketplace to revolutionize the Coconut Industry by connecting producers and buyers. Team members – Caleb Beard, Avidesh Bissoon, Daniel Gladstone, Daniel Gordon & Fawwaz Hosein.
Two applications, BreadTrail and the online coconut registry, were presented at the Caribbean Week of Agriculture’s Coconut Symposium/Workshop.
