Using scanning methods to estimate the energy consumption during soil cultivation

He came to Poland in September of 2018 to obtain his Master of Engineering in Environmental Engineering and Protection at Poznan University of Life Science. – During this time, I took interest in furthering my education to obtain a Phd and began looking for opportunities in the summer of 2019. I then came in contact with my current supervisor and we’ve worked together ever since – says Jasper. When he met Prof. Katarzyna Pentoś, he expressed his interest in a PhD position under her supervision which she accepted and we stayed connected. She is more of a mother, ready to assist, and teach and she goes out of her way to help me with my personal issues. I am really happy she is my supervisor.

– Jasper contacted me in 2020 as one of the new potential PhD students. He took part in the recruitment, but didn’t get into the doctoral school mainly due to the lack of scientific publications. I didn’t know back then that he decided to stay in Poland for another year and collaborate scientifically with the supervisor of his master's thesis. This resulted in a scientific publication and in 2021 Jasper again wrote to me that he would like to apply to the UPWr Doctoral School. We met for a short interview and then I realized that he was a very determined person. I figured if it's worth investing my time in a PhD student, it has to be one like Jasper. So far, I have not been disappointed. Our partnership has been exemplary and we have our first results in the form of a few scientific publications. Also, Jasper is an extremely interesting person privately. He is a social activist involved in the affairs of his country and Cameroonian students in Poland – says Prof. Katarzyna Pentoś, Jasper’s supervisor.

His interest in the Environment and Agriculture fields dates way back to his secondary school days, as these are areas in which Cameroon is struggling, according to Jasper Mbah. Since then his goal is to be able to contribute in these areas to help his country grow.

Among the greatest challenges of Sub-Saharan Africa is the need for more crop production to supply the increasing demand of its growing population. For this purpose, knowledge on soil resources and their agricultural potentials is important for defining proper and appropriate land use and management. Soil compaction, which Jasper aims to measure, can easily reduce crop yields by 10 percent, and can lead to water and soil quality degradation due to increased runoff and soil structure destruction. In its simplest definition, soil compaction is a form of soil degradation in which soil bulk density increases as the porosity, or space between solid soil particles, decreases when particles are pushed together. Pore space is essential for the movement of air, water, nutrients, soil organisms and plant roots, which is why losing porosity to compaction is such a threat to crop health and yields.

The title of Jaspers research is “The estimation of energy consumption during soil cultivation using scanning methods”. – We aim to find a faster, easier and more reliable way to determine soil compaction other than the traditional laboratory methods of soil compaction measurements which are time-consuming and tedious. One most promising technique is based on the measurement of soil electrical parameters. In order to establish the correlation between soil compaction and electrical conductivity, we will conduct field experiments on different soil types, and soil compaction, measure electrical parameters, and establish a correlation. Establishing a relationship between electrical parameters and soil compaction would permit us to use this easy, cheap and reliable technique to establish agricultural management zones according to soil compaction – says Jasper adding that the measurements of electrical parameters and soil compaction on different soil types are already planned.

His scientific goal is to be able to contribute positively to the lives of every Cameroonian and to the growth and advancement of the economy and environment of his country and Africa.

– Upon the completion of my PhD studies, I hope to gain years of scientific experience in developed countries. After which I will return home, to Cameroon, to apply all I have learned to the growth and development of my country and its people – says Jasper.

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