FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky State University marked new renovations at Hunter Hall. Until a few years ago, the building served as a dorm. Now, with the help of a $2.3 million USDA facilities grant, it is home to KSU's geographic information systems and drone program.
KSU president, Dr. Koffi Akakpo, says, "As a land grant institution, we have a bigger role to play, and these funds are welcome and will continue making a difference."
For the past couple of semesters, KSU senior Jada Jones has been working in the lab. She believes this new space will draw more people into the program.
Jones says, "This feels more central to campus than the co-op building even though that's where you first come in, but I feel like people will gravitate more towards here."
Project leaders share that farmers are looking for more ways to use technology to cut operation costs. There was a chance to learn more about what technology can do for the agriculture industry. Drones can carry products like pesticides, seeds, fertilizer, and more — and spread it over 30 acres, remotely.
Dean of the College of Agriculture, community, and the sciences and the director of land grant programs, Dr. Kirk Pomper, says, "A lot of opportunity right now using drones and artificial intelligence and imaging to be able to really go out and address issues with disease management, nutrient management or other problems that arise in production farming."
An agriculture drone costs around $35,000, versus other equipment farmers use to spread, which can cost around $200,000. Jones spent time researching in Jamaica. She says technology like this could help curb food insecurity. This is work she didn't expect to take on but says is rewarding.
"Just being able to equip farmers with the right information that they need...that's been just great for me and just being able to see that grow and hopefully become something bigger,” says Jones.
Dr. Akakpo says he knows that funding and facilities have been points of concern in the past but he shares that this renovation and programs like this keep pushing the university forward.
"You know we've been in the trenches before but we're rising again and this is like I said the beginning of many more to come. We are on the rise again and we are taking things at the university to a new level."
He says there's more to come for Kentucky State University.
