Dr. Kenechukwu C. Mbanisi is another Nigerian in diaspora doing exploits in the US with his robotic innovation which focuses on “human-centric” robotics and AI, building on his Ph.D. research for AI systems to enhance human capabilities in shared tasks such as co-driving. His robotic innovation which has earned him accolades lies at the intersection of robotics, artificial intelligence, engineering education, sustainable development, and how AI-enabled robotics can support sustainable agriculture, and how emerging technologies can drive inclusive industrial growth.
Mbanisi, who was born in Lagos, obtained B.Eng. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Covenant University, Ota is a roboticist and an Assistant Professor of Robotics Engineering at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in the United States. Also, he serves as the Executive Director of the African Robotics Network (AfROB), a community-driven initiative working to build an inclusive and connected ecosystem for robotics innovation across Africa. In this interview, Dr. Mbanisi revealed how his robotic initiative can directly improve livelihoods, especially for small-scale farmers etc.
Excerpts:
When did you start the robotic invention that solves farm challenges?
It really started after I joined Olin College in 2022, shortly after completing my PhD. I suddenly had the space to chart my own research direction, and I wanted to focus on something that would make a real-world impact, not just in the U.S., but also in my home country, Nigeria.
Agriculture stood out very clearly. I saw an opportunity to apply robotics in a way that could directly improve livelihoods, especially for small-scale farmers, who make up most of the farming community both in Massachusetts and across sub-Saharan Africa. My students and I began by talking to local farmers near the college to understand their needs and challenges. Around that time, I was organizing a category of the Pan-African Robotics Competition, which brings together young innovators from across Africa. In 2023, I hosted an expert panel on “Agricultural Robotics for Africa”, and while it was meant for the audience, I think I benefited the most. I was listening closely, trying to understand where robotics could make the biggest difference. Through many of those conversations with farmers in the U.S. and experts, one issue came up repeatedly: weeding. Manual weeding was one of the most physically demanding and time-consuming tasks, especially for organic farmers who avoid herbicides. So, we decided to take on that challenge. Our goal became to design an automated weeding robot that mimics how a human farmer weeds, identifying the weed, distinguishing it from the crop, and removing it autonomously, safely, and efficiently. That is how this line of research began.
Who needs this robotic innovation in farming?
The system we are building is designed with small-scale farmers in mind, those cultivating about 10 to 20 hectares or less. Many existing robotic systems are built for large industrial farms covering hundreds of hectares, but the reality is that most farmers, both in the U.S. Northeast and across Africa, operate on a much smaller scale. We wanted to focus on this group because they are often left behind by conventional mechanization. They need technologies that are affordable, adaptable, and simple to operate, and that is exactly the gap we are trying to bridge.
How can it help or promote African farming?
Africa holds tremendous agricultural potential. The continent has more than 60% of the world’s remaining uncultivated arable land, according to the African Development Bank. Yet agricultural productivity remains low, partly because of limited mechanization. To put it in perspective, sub-Saharan Africa has about 2 tractors per 1,000 hectares, compared to roughly 9 to 10 in South Asia.
Integrating AI and robotics into agriculture can help change that. It allows us to develop locally relevant, cost-effective mechanization solutions that can improve efficiency and productivity. While our current weeding robot was not built specifically for African farms, the underlying technologies, such as computer vision for weed detection, and mechanical weeding systems that reduce the need for harmful chemicals, are all highly transferable. I am also encouraged by what is already happening across the continent. There are brilliant engineers in Ghana working on similar ideas. That tells me the future of agricultural robotics in Africa will be shaped by African innovators who deeply understand the context and the needs of our farmers.
What have you achieved through your robotic innovation?
The project I described above recently won the Grand Prize at the 2024 Farm Robotics Challenge, a national agricultural robotics competition for universities in the U.S. We received a $10,000 award, which we are using to further develop our robotic weeding system and expand our research into other areas of sustainable agriculture. For us, this recognition is not just about winning a prize. It is a validation that solutions designed for smallholder farmers can hold real value and make a difference.
What were your challenges when you started, and now?
The biggest challenge has been time and capacity. At Olin, my research team is made up entirely of undergraduate students, and as you can imagine, they have very demanding academic schedules. Many of the other teams we compete with have Masters and Ph.D students who can focus full-time on research, so we have had to be creative in finding ways to maintain momentum. Last year, seed funding from my institution allowed students to work on the project during the summer, when they were free from coursework. That made a significant difference, and we plan to continue building on that model.
How will the advent of AI boost your innovation?
AI is already central to what we are doing. It is what allows the robot to “see,” “think,” and make decisions in the field. But as AI continues to evolve, the potential becomes even greater. In the near future, we can imagine agricultural robots powered by AI that not only remove weeds but also analyze soil and plant health at the individual plant level, predict yields, optimize irrigation, and anticipate pest outbreaks based on data collected from the farm. In other words, we are moving toward a future, made possible by AI, where these systems are not just performing single tasks but becoming intelligent farm assistants that learn from their environment, support farmers’ decisions, and help make agriculture more productive and sustainable. It is a very exciting time to be working at the intersection of AI, robotics, and agriculture.
