 Hello, hello. Welcome back. This is still Y in the morning. Sazdeva is the hashtag to use at Y2Py4, channel that is in Facebook and Twitter. Y2Py4 is on our channel on Instagram. Talk to us. We have now gotten to our first conversation and we start with some technology because, you know, the future is all set and we actually will see in the future. So now today we want to get into a bit of innovation and we have some startups with us in studios. They've come up with an interesting, interesting innovation called the Mini Tractor and they will be telling us about it. So with me here on my right, we have Peter. Peter and you will introduce yourself again and we are on my farthest right. We have Jeff Assone. You are all from JQuart and there's also a third one who will be joining us later on to introduce himself because they are a team of three. So let's start with you, Peter. Introduce yourself. Tell us what you do. Good morning. I am Peter Ziochi. I am a student at JQuart. I study agricultural engineering, majoring in biomechanical section. Yes, so I am the project leader for the Mini Tractor. Okay, we have the project lead there and then we have Jeff Assone. Good morning. Good morning. I am Jeff Assone. I am at JQuart pursuing strategic management currently on my fourth year. Okay, and what role do you play in this team? I am the project manager for the Mini Tractor. Project manager for the Mini Tractor and then we have Ian. I believe Ian is the project engineer but he will be coming later on to tell us about this particular innovation also to introduce what he does exactly. We want to know about the Mini Tractor and we will be playing the videos and the photos of the Mini Tractor as they explain what it is really because to me, we know some of the Tractor is not the Tractor. So what does it do in the Tractor? What is it about? So the Mini Tractor began as a modified motorcycle. Basically we wanted to increase power and then we noticed that there were challenges with getting the big farm machinery to the small scale farmers, especially in my home area. I hail from Machacos. We noticed that the small subsistence farmers use the traditional methods of farming which are low output methods. So we wanted to bridge that gap to bring sort of a cheaper solution and also a piece of machinery that they can still use for day to day activities. As you know, it can also, when you're done with the farm operations, you can use it as a normal motorcycle. So that is the problem we were aiming to solve. Alright, so it looks something like a motorcycle. Director, please give us the photo and the videos as we try to understand how it is and how it works. So it's a motorcycle. Basically it's not a tractor. And then it has a plow. Yes, it has a plow at the back that is attached to it. So as it moves forward, it pulls the plow along with it. Okay, alright. So how did you come up with this? I don't know if Jeff is going to answer that. So the project, how we came up with it from scratch? Yes, basically how we came up with the Mini Tractor. The Mini Tractor started, it was a pandemic project. We started, we designed the chassis, the body, the structure and everything. You can see it's actually on screen. Yeah, it's been a two-year journey so far. We're still working on making more accessories for the bike apart from the plow. More implements went to bring on later in a couple of months. So yeah. Okay, so how is the bike different? Is the bike anything different from the normal motorcycle? Yes, yes. Especially from the power output perspective, we modified the engine to increase the horsepower. So it's significantly increased. It's 67% more powerful than the normal ones. 67% more powerful than easy bikes. Yeah, than easy boarders are powerful either. So in the project we came up with this. Well, maybe you want something fast to take you from point A to point B, you know, fast. So PRC, you can use it instead to go for the more expensive options because with sports bikes they're more expensive. They're like 300,000. We offer ours for 110,000. That's our fraction of the price of the Isozingine. We offer it to rich farmers. Those are the basic differences between normal bikes and this one. So it's like half the normal sports bike. And it has 67% more horsepower than the normal bike. Wow, this is quite the deal. If you're looking for a bike, you know, how did you come about with that? How do you think about increasing the horsepower? Why? First of all, the primary reason to increase horsepower was to allow it to do the chilling exercises well. With the normal boarders the engine power is not enough to pull the plows and the other implements you needed to plow. We needed to use, sorry. And also, we wanted something that is fun to ride. For youth that they don't know, at least it won't embarrass you on the highway. Yes, yes. You can use your bike during the day and then you want to plow your field and then maybe later on in the evening you want to go out with your bike. So you're on your bike and you're going and it's 67% faster. All right, so tell us the business part of it. How much did you invest in this machine because of the bike plus the plow? So basically, your cost of development has been above 300,000 for now and still rising. So the bike is still under development. As I said earlier, we are working on more implements. So this is going to be a bit costly because we are still at funding the project from an internal way, from the three of us. So, yeah. So because this is just the three of you, how do you manage to get 300,000? Do you have funding still? How do you get to that? So far you've used around 300,000. Yes. So how do you get that? I say it's of support from our family and God. Wow, that's nice, powerful. So would you want the government to support you? Do you have enough support as innovators and startups from the government? Not yet, but hopefully in the future we might get support because we are working to provide a two-way way for the Bodabodas instead of just using the Bodabodas for logistics or transportation. We are trying for agriculture because if you went through the 844 system, the first thing you told is that agriculture is a backbone of Africa and Kenya and we are not working towards having a better improved farm mechanization strategy. So how do you think that tech can help in agriculture because you've brought tech to agriculture? How do you think it can boost our agricultural sector? For now, it's basically a simple business in the sense that we already have existing infrastructure which is the Bodabodas. So if we give the Bodabodas another additional factor, another reason is why they can continue existing in the market. Let's say if you are able to turn some of these bikes into farm machinery or into mini tractors, this is going to boost us as a country. It's going to boost our development in the agricultural sector too. So what are some of the... because it still needs development stage, what are some of the limitations that we want to... you are still working on? Some of the limitations we are still working on is there have been challenges, especially with importation of parts. This has proven very costly and sometimes very difficult to bring in parts. And some of the other limitations are a stiff competition from established manufacturers. I think those are the most advanced limitations that we are facing. So a stiff competition from established manufacturers is off? Off motorcycles. And the plow... So the plow, do you just buy it aside? Yes, yes, we buy the plow aside, but we fabricate the attachment onto the motorcycle. That is, we fabricate it ourselves. And if adjustments are needed on the implement, we also do that by ourselves. And someone would ask, how economic is using a bike for the farm to the farmer because it needs the fuel and everything. So, yeah, that's it. So it roughly takes 5,000 to 7,000 Kenya shillings to get an echo of land tilled. You have been factored in labour and fuel cost for the small-scale tractor. So for us, for instance, with the current fuel rates, you can farm an echo with worth 400 to 500 bob of fuel. That's enough to do an echo. Now, we are working to roll out a lease protocol where we can lease the bike, our bikes for farming. You can come, rent the bike for an hour, get your echo tilled. Yeah. Okay, so you have mentioned the part of renting the bike. So do you rent the bike or does someone buy the bike and the plow? Both. It depends with your pockets. You can lease the bike because they are farmers who don't want to own the machinery but they can work on a lease protocol. So you can just lease the bike, have it served for a month for farming or have it served for a day or two and then pay us. We do the transportation. We bring the labour and everything. Now, you can also opt to buy the bike. We can have your bike, your mini tractor built for you. You can also choose the implements that you love to purchase as your accessories for your bike too. Okay. And why, because seeing the video, we are seeing someone else at the back pushing it. So why do you need someone else to help push? Okay, so now we are trying to prove the concept that the bike is powerful enough to pull because as you see, the farm terrain is not that easy. So you need a 20-horse power plus to pull. And secondly, the bike is already 67%, has a 67% higher power output. So with this, the bike is capable of pulling a plow that is heavy in such a terrain. So right now, you are working on eliminating the back side whereby you are going to have a single user on the bike. The bike is being rode by one person and the one person still operating the implements at the back. Okay, so those are some of the things that you are still working on on the bike. And how has the reception been since you created the bike? Have you sold some? Have you leased some? Right now, we are focusing on developing the product first. I think we would be ready to roll out the first sales in two months' time. Yes, after we have eliminated, as you said, the operator at the back, and we are also working on increasing the power more. So that is something where they want to roll out a superior product to the market so that that can give us an edge over the established manufacturers. Okay, so we are doing great for the great product, the finished product. Okay, this is good. And last week, we had a Cambu Innovation Week and you guys were there. So how was it there? They were exposed so good. We got the opportunity to meet with serious policies stakeholders in the markets such as the CS, YCT, the governor of the Cambu. They had good plans for us and how they can help us achieve our targets as innovators. But so far, I think as a country and as policy makers, they need to focus on how they can improve us innovators in the sense that if you see how the western operators start up, they have lower banking interest because start-ups are very risky. But start-ups are still versatile in adopting harsh market conditions. So I feel they still have a long way to go. But the initiative and the will is really commendable. It was really that, okay. And now, how was the reception from the viewers that were coming to see it? How do you think people are receiving it? Yes, the idea has been, we notice a lot of interest from people. Previously, even in the Jequatec Expo, we were the most interviewed project, also in the Cambu Expo too. So it shows that people are in need of such a product in the market. It's that they are still waiting for the solution to be brought to them and we were working on that solution as a team. Okay, quite interesting. So what is it about innovation? For someone who wants to come up with something, so how do you start? Where do you start? I think it all begins with a passion for what you want to do and dedication. You have to dedicate time and you have to dedicate resources to what you're doing. You also have to do a lot of research because you cannot do it blindly. I think that's really what it takes to innovate. That's what it takes. It takes passion and dedication and time. When they say to make it to be successful, you have to solve a problem in the world. How true is this in regards to innovation? It's very true because I believe if you solve a need in the society, the money now, for instance, Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon CEO, he solved the need of showing the essence of business to direct sales from businesses to the consumer. So through this, Jeff got his reward, which is the lump sum of money he has. But for you to reap the rewards in the market, you have to solve a problem that has been existing, or that is going to come up in the market, that you've already focused and seen, and you're ready to solve. Once you solve the issue, you shall be rewarded greatly. Thank you for the tip. Maybe you can tell us, how does the future of innovation look like in Kenya? The future of innovation in Kenya is bright. I'd like to also base my comment on what I saw in the expo. There's a great number of innovators with very, very innovative ideas. So I would say the future is bright. And if government policies shift to favour start-ups, I think we'll be heading in the correct direction in terms of innovation as a country. So Jeff, as Ian comes to the stage, you can be telling us what the future looks like in the mini-tractor team. What vision do you have for the future? So as a team, hopefully, we want to focus on three objectives, which is we want to build custom bikes. We're working on a way of how we can use readily available infrastructure, which is the border borders, where we can turn them into mini-tractors. The other objective, the second objective, is we are focusing on how we can improve our accessories, make better and efficient firm accessories for the bike, so that we can have more purpose, like more design purposes for the bike, where the bike can also tilt, the bike can also mould the terrain and everything. The third objective is building our own bikes because we are on the way, we want to start on our second prototype for the mini-tractor very soon. Okay, and is it viable or something? Is it in the future, maybe you could have electric bikes or is that maybe would be expensive or it should not work? Okay, for the motorcycle industry, the engine technology is still growing at a very slow pace compared to the car industry because the concept about the bike engine is still growing, it's still a concept that is still being understood. So we are working on having a hybrid solution that is still electric and also low on the carbon emissions too. But considering the part of the electric engines that you need, the main thing about firm is that you need power. So if I put a weighted blow at the back of an electric bike, the batteries will be catastrophic, it might explode because of the power. But we are working on how fast we can achieve a hybrid engine than work towards the electric engine. Okay, thank you. So we have Ian with us. Please introduce yourself. Okay, so tell us what you do here. I'm Ian, I'm basically what you're going to say. I work with machines, I love working with machines. Okay, you are part of quite team, what do you do and what course are you taking? I'm taking agricultural and bus systems engineering, same with Peter. What I do mostly, we just do the modifications You're the project engineer I've had, what a title. How does it feel? It feels nice. How do you see your project going in future because you still don't know what to roll it out yet? In the future?