• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Adagin combines FG Adriaanse and JD Naudé’s passion for farming and engineering to create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Buddies turn farm problem into African tech company

19th May 2021
Podcast: How to access fresh produce markets in SA

Podcast: How to access fresh produce markets in SA

1st December 2023

Food For Mzansi serves as ideal launching pad for farmers

1st December 2023
Let this saucy oxtail recipe take you back down memory lane

Let this saucy oxtail recipe take you back down memory lane

1st December 2023
Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

1st December 2023
ChickenFacts calls for new Poultry Master Plan amid trade turmoil

ChickenFacts calls for new Poultry Master Plan amid trade turmoil

1st December 2023
Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

1st December 2023
In pictures: Safeguarding indigenous plants for the future

In pictures: Safeguarding indigenous plants for the future

30th November 2023
Food for Mzansi gives voiceless farmers a much-needed voice

Food For Mzansi gives voiceless farmers a much-needed voice

30th November 2023
The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group unveils the November 2023 Household Affordability Index, exposing surging expenses and stagnant wages affecting South African households. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Economic squeeze: Families struggle as costs soar

30th November 2023

Faces of Summer: Celebrate the rich history of Thokozani Wines

30th November 2023
Limpopo seeks revival of economy by putting farmers first

Limpopo seeks revival of economy by putting farmers first

30th November 2023
ICYMI: NW agri dept ramps up goat farming with handover

ICYMI: NW agri dept ramps up goat farming with handover

30th November 2023
Friday, December 1, 2023
15 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Login
Food For Mzansi
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
Food For Mzansi
Home Changemakers Entrepreneurs Agri-innovation

Buddies turn farm problem into African tech company

by Ivor Price
19th May 2021
in Agri-innovation, Changemakers, Editors Choice
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
Adagin combines FG Adriaanse and JD Naudé’s passion for farming and engineering to create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Adagin combines FG Adriaanse and JD Naudé’s passion for farming and engineering to create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

When FG Adriaanse designed a technology solution to a problem faced on the family farm, he could never imagine that it would develop into a company serving more than 100 clients across Africa.

Adriaanse, who was born and raised on the Cape West Coast, is the founder and joint MD of Adagin Technologies, providing farmers with solutions in precision harvesting, packing and job costing.

Today, many people are amazed to learn that Adagin started in January 2016 as a side-hustle while he was studying towards a Master’s degree in logistics at Stellenbosch University.

“The aim was to solve a simple problem on our family farm with my extra time while studying,” Adriaanse recalls.

“I had to find a way to help our farmworkers harvest more effectively and to handle the grapes with greater care, and a picking harness seemed to address both challenges very well.”

Adagin combines FG Adriaanse and JD Naudé’s passion for farming and engineering to create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Adagin combines FG Adriaanse and JD Naudé’s passion for farming and engineering to create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. Pictured are Adriaanse and his cousin, Wian Adriaanse, who developed the company’s first picking harness. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Scaling up quickly

He then started asking other farmers whether they too could benefit from the harness and, low and behold, he received market-fit feedback. His innovative picking harness boasted a seatbelt and 3D-printed clamps.

“So, I thought let’s make this a nice side-hustle to help pay for my Master’s and maybe use the extra money to travel a bit after I finish my studies.” 

The rest, as they say, is history… Just 11 months later, in November 2016, the first big sales started rolling in. This, after the company proved the harness’ efficiency. Fast-forward to today and Adagin, with its head office in Stellenbosch, is a fully-fledged agritech innovation company.

Since the initial idea, Adagin has grown from the simple harness solution to a full suite of high-tech solutions. They help farmers monitor their harvesting outputs with scanners and satellite technology. They have also developed technology solutions to manage farmers’ workforce and costs with a smartphone app.

Furthermore, they help farmers reduce packhouse waste and cost with Adagin’s Smart-Scales, which are supplied in conjunction with partner Soft-Pro.

However, Adriaanse admits that although he knew his ideas were good and filled a niche in the market, he had no idea where to start in reaching the market.

“Websites, brochures, accounting and networking all need to be in place beyond a company’s unique product or service offering. So, I just walked into the Stellenbosch LaunchLab one day. I told the first member I could find, Johnathan Smit, that this product needs to reach the agri industry, but that I didn’t know where to start!” 

LaunchLab was game-changer

Stellenbosch University LaunchLab is building the next generation of sustainable, high-impact companies. They tackle the world’s toughest challenges in agriculture, climate and health with a heavy dose of engineering and data science.

According to Adriaanse, this LaunchLab shared practical advice. They asked if he would like to join their knowledge acceleration programme, which is similar to its current Countdown programme.

The programme taught him exactly what he needed to get started. It also helped him to look beyond the short-term idea of the harness.

ALSO READ: Your guide to landing an agriculture internship

Combining passions to create magic

This is also where he befriended JD Naudé, who is now an equal owner and partner in the business, along with tech venture building specialists, Acumen.Zone, which today is invested in the business.

“We met Henry for a potential co-working project to take his product to the next level. It has acted as a foundation for Adagin to build new modules.

Adagin is known for many technology solutions in agriculture. This includes a smart-weigh scale that ensures a close correlation between punnets scanned and packed. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Adagin is known for many technology solutions in agriculture. This includes a smart-weigh scale that ensures a close correlation between punnets scanned and packed. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Another key milestone in Adagin’s evolution was meeting Henry Ford, founder of Soft-Pro scales.

“Our vision for Adagin and Henry’s vision for his product were really aligned. We are truly appreciative of the opportunity he gave us in partnering with us,” says Adriaanse.

Adagin combines the two friends’ passion for farming and engineering. They create some of the latest and progressive agricultural technologies in Mzansi. While Adriaanse has a farming background, Naudé is a mechanical design engineer with wide experience in product development.

Naudé says that Adagin is passionate about agriculture.

“We measure farmers’ largest income [harvest] and largest expense [labour], and have a responsibility to provide accurate and trustworthy data. And we just love the challenge of simplifying high-tech solutions to be more ‘farmer friendly’ and to solve burning problems on farms at their core.

“We continually ask ourselves, ‘how can we simplify this more’, ‘why are users not getting it’, ‘how can we get unschooled users to effectively use our products without intensive training’? The industry’s response has been fantastic, and feedback suggests that we are being effective in our approach.”

PODCAST: Tech changing the wine industry game

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
Previous Post

Locust swarms now also terrorise western Free State

Next Post

Garlic project leads to job injection in Karoo town

Ivor Price

Ivor Price

Ivor Price is a multi-award-winning journalist and co-founder of Food For Mzansi.

Related Posts

Podcast: How to access fresh produce markets in SA

Podcast: How to access fresh produce markets in SA

by Octavia Avesca Spandiel
1st December 2023
0

Fresh produce markets offer a one-stop destination for retailers, shopkeepers and street traders to name a few. Craig Pillay, the...

Food For Mzansi serves as ideal launching pad for farmers

by Team Food For Mzansi
1st December 2023
0

Farmers share their gratitude towards Food For Mzansi for paving the way forward as they build their farming enterprises. From...

Let this saucy oxtail recipe take you back down memory lane

Let this saucy oxtail recipe take you back down memory lane

by Candice Khumalo
1st December 2023
0

There is nothing more comforting than spending time with loved ones while the pots simmer on the stove with beautiful...

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

by Vateka Halile
1st December 2023
0

There is no stopping Anecia Arendse who has used childhood memories, tons of passion and acquired knowledge to build her...

Next Post
Employees of Murraysburg Garlic in the central Karoo with Western Cape agriculture minister Dr Ivan Meyer. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Garlic project leads to job injection in Karoo town

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies
Inspiration

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

by Vateka Halile
1st December 2023
0

There is no stopping Anecia Arendse who has used childhood memories, tons of passion and acquired knowledge to build her...

Read more
ChickenFacts calls for new Poultry Master Plan amid trade turmoil

ChickenFacts calls for new Poultry Master Plan amid trade turmoil

1st December 2023
Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

1st December 2023
In pictures: Safeguarding indigenous plants for the future

In pictures: Safeguarding indigenous plants for the future

30th November 2023
Food for Mzansi gives voiceless farmers a much-needed voice

Food For Mzansi gives voiceless farmers a much-needed voice

30th November 2023

ICYMI: Sparks fly during tobacco bill hearings across SA

Podcast: Understanding the tomato leaf miner moth

African expectations run low as Cop28 kicks off in Dubai

Vacancy: Junior journalist at Food For Mzansi Group

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

RSS From FoodForAfrika.com

  • $2 Million investment in fertiliser financing for Kenyan smallholders
  • AfDB empowers Tanzanian horticulture with $2.5m boost
  • Malagasy scientist wins $150k grant

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 15 global awards in the first four years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

Podcast: How to access fresh produce markets in SA

Food For Mzansi serves as ideal launching pad for farmers

Let this saucy oxtail recipe take you back down memory lane

Arendse puts her eggs in many baskets while aiming for the skies

ChickenFacts calls for new Poultry Master Plan amid trade turmoil

Food inflation fury grips Mzansi: BFAP sounds alarm

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
Login

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.