Final Year Project Logbook

With my report, poster, logbook link and video presentation submitted I proudly reflect on my work. I believe I tried my best and gave every element 100%. There were several challenges along the way and sometimes it felt like time was getting away from me. Nevertheless, I stayed motivated throughout and I hope the final grade represents all of my hard work. Much of my personality is in each aspect from the colour scheme of the poster, to the casual entries in my logbook and over-the-top presentation, I really tried to engross myself in the project.  Moreover, I would like to extend a thank you to my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton, for her guidance and reassurance that helped boost my work to the level it is now. 

Tonight my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton, gave us the opportunity to share our presentations for critiquing. I knew I wanted to utilize this chance to gather feedback so I worked relentlessly over the past few days to perfect my slides. Overall, the feedback I received from my fellow colleagues was overwhelmingly positive which helped boost my confidence. I used a website called Genial.ly to create my presentation slides as opposed to PowerPoint because I liked the features and transitions they offered. It really helped my presentation look well put together and polished. I must admit I spent quite a bit of time colour coordinating each chapter and trying to make it visually appealing.  A director from ARC was also present and commended my attention to detail and agreed with the feedback I received from CARIRI. (Yet another organization validating my work!) In terms of the poster, I was advised to replace massive chunks of words with charts/tables so it would not be too wordy. I was a ...

I am so relieved! Such a crucial aspect of my degree has been completed at last. Upon reflecting on the time spent on this final report, I can truly say I tried my best, especially when considering the other commitments, projects and assignments I had. It was a bit of a challenge to balance everything but I hope my dedication and hard work pay off. I really put a lot of myself and personality in my report as I am a very detailed person hence my report had citations and references where possible to justify everything I did. I even took the time and effort to make my own company logo and reach out to experts in the field. I went out of my comfort zone and tried to tackle financial analysis components, all with the hopes of creating a well-rounded manufacturing plan. I am confident that my report is of a superb standard and I hope my examiners and moderator feel the same way. 

The deadline for the report is fast approaching and I am surprisingly very calm and I feel in control. I believe I have all the major components for my report. Over the weekend, I will make minor alterations in terms of grammar and phrasing. Formatting and proofreading are major objectives at this point. I am happy with the progress I made and I am confident in the manufacturing plan I was able to produce. I hope this would be well reflected in my final mark.  I am so glad I stayed consistent with this logbook as well. It saved me a lot of time and stress. For many of my peers, they are currently rushing their logbook entries but this logbook was very easy for me to keep up with and I found joy in making these (almost daily) entries. 

I had the pleasure of virtually pitching the manufacturing plan to Laura Da'Breau, a Senior Business Development Officer at The Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) accompanied by Jessica Ramoutar, a Marketing and Communications Professional and other business officers . The main objectives of this validation were to ensure that the manufacturing plan is of interest to potential investors such as CARIRI and to get expert opinions.  I was a bit nervous but I think the focus group went well and I am very thankful for the comments I received. 

 I received thorough feedback from my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton, concerning the final draft of my FYP.  With respect to the validation of the report, I was told to speak to the officers at CARIRI, particularly persons who specialize in delivering these services to potential new ventures or projects.  Regarding the financial analysis section, I need to do a Capital investment Analysis. Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Discounted Payback Period (DPP) and report the results in the conclusions and abstract.  CURRENT PLAN: I am slowly reviewing all the minor changes that must be made within the report then I will tackle the financial analysis and validation a bit later on in the week. 

 Today I sent the final draft of my FYP to my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton, for feedback.  I am hoping that not many changes need to be made but I am of course open to suggestions and will listen to what comments are made.  The only aspect I am a bit unsure of is the overall validation for the report so I am hoping to get some clarification there. 

The following charts show the difference between my first drafted org chart and my finalized one. It is interesting how different they are. The final chart is much more concise and consists of the key positions.  First Organization Chart Final Organization Chart

  Environmental scanning is an essential part of strategic planning since it gives data on future issues that will influence the facility. The knowledge acquired will enable leadership to respond to external and internal influences in a proactive manner. Tools that can be employed here include: Porter's Five Forces PESTLE SWOT Analysis

 This was a brief group meeting as everyone including myself seemed a bit busy with other tasks throughout the week. Personally, as mentioned in blog posts prior, I had an exam earlier that day so much of my attention as of recently was focused on that. Thankfully, my supervisor was very understanding of this.  After that meeting, I overviewed my draft report and thought of a plan of action. From tomorrow I will continue working on this FYP. 

 I have a MasterCam drawing exam on Wednesday 23rd March so much of my attention is heavily focused on this, especially because drawing is not my strong suit whatsoever. As such, my FYP has been on a bit of a back burner as a matter of current priorities.  However, I will pay greater attention to this project as of Wednesday night. 

 This serves as a reminder that the final draft to submit to my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton is  Thursday 31st March/ Friday 1st April

 This was yet another group meeting amongst students and Dr. Pemberton. The update for my supervisor was fairly short. Amongst other exams, projects, and assignments for various courses I am trying my best to continue working on this final year project which can be tough to balance at times.  Moving forward, I will format the additional sections into the report which entails editing the objectives and methodology and adding to the literature review. 

Due to some student issues, the final year project submission dates have been postponed! These are the new deadlines set April 11, 2022 - Report submission April 14, 2022 - Poster, Video and Logbook submission April 19 -21, 2022 - Interviews I am thankful for the extension as I have extra time to perfect my project. I will try my best to utilize this time wisely. 

 https://www.planning.gov.tt/OurTnTOurFuture/documents/Surveying_the_Scene_web.pdf "National Spatial Development Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago Surveying the Scene" This reference is quite useful in the location selection process. It looks at components such as land distribution and population which are success factors I am considering. In general, it is a very informative and relevant source. 

Based on the feedback received from my supervisor, the section of my project discussing the machinery selection and my process of doing so has been done well enough that there are only a few minor adjustments to be made. I can now focus my attention on other areas. I will be fixing the weaker areas of my location selection and job descriptions over the next few days.  

 This was a group session with Dr. Pemberton and my colleagues. I needed a bit of clarification about some of the feedback I received on my draft and was guided accordingly. The meeting was overall very brief yet helpful. I am glad to hear from my peers and learn more about their projects as well. 

Today I received feedback from my supervisor. I need to work on my citation and references and focus more attention on the Location Selection. For the most part, the machinery selection section is fine and slight adjustments are to be made for the worker's salary.  Once I have completed this I will format it into the final report. 

Today I sent a rough draft of my FYP progress to my supervisor. Some calculation tables were incomplete in the report but I still submitted it to show where my thought process is at right now. I hope the work I have done so far is up to standard and I am able to complete this entire report within the deadline. 

 These are the objectives I am focusing on at the moment 1)      To select the ideal location for the cornfield and agro-processing plant using the Factor Rating Method. 2)      To determine the best machinery required to cultivate and manufacture the corn into corn flour. 3)      To outline the human resource structure needed on the cornfield and agro-processing plant. 4)      To determine the start-up capital and costs associated to begin the agricultural and manufacturing processes.

I am posting some costing information I gathered so they can be referenced at a later stage.

During this short meeting from 5:15-5:30 pm, I updated my supervisor on what I accomplished over the past week which included: Calculating the customs taxes on machinery Location analysis using the factor rating method Overall, I was reassured of the slow but steady work I have been putting into the project. I hope to finish a substantial amount over the next week to be able to send a draft by 28th February. 

 I am lucky enough to enlist the assistance of a customs clerk to give accurate costings of the machinery needed on the cornfield and agro-processing plant. The following is the worksheet formulated

 https://www.ttconnect.gov.tt/gortt/portal/ttconnect/!ut/p/a1/jdBNC4JAEAbgX-PVGZOV6ubBzA8Ii0r3EhrbWuhubFv28zNvYllzm-F54WWAQgpU5I8zz_VZirx679Q5RMkESTCzcZXgDCfrwPKQRPY0dlqQ9cDaX7TAI9Yy2tmI-F8ev4z7M79hAvZAx5gfkgEY1uzASI8QKK9k0f0kc0VhTzlQxU5MMWXeVXsutb7e5gYa2DSNyaXkFTOPsjbwU6SUNw1pX8K13qbP4EKqR-y-AAhB20Q!/dl5/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/gortt/wcm/connect/gortt+web+content/TTConnect/Citizen/Role/ABusinessPerson/ImportsandExports/Import+and+Export+Permits+for+Agricultural+Products+and+Equipment  Since I am calculating the machinery costs, the customs taxes and fees must be included. Based on this article on the ttconnect page, I can assume the machinery will have no duties fees. 

Due to the nationwide power outage on Wednesday, the meeting was postponed to Thursday. This was a group meeting where each person took turns speaking about their project. This setting helps me learn from others on how I can improve my own project. My peers also gave me advice on how to execute certain parts like obtaining customs tax fees on machinery etc. From this meeting, I clarified some things pertaining to my location selection.  Overall, this was a productive meeting and I will continue to work hard on this project. 

 For Corn Seeder Cost of equipment= $750USD Weight= 240kg Government/ Customs Taxes and Fees Charges USD$ TT$ OPT 151.73 1034.79 Duties 0 0 Import VAT 289.91 1977.18 VAT on Local Handling 0.09 0.63 Freight 147.58 1003.54 Fuel Surcharge 140.98 958.66 Insurance 8.00 54.56 Total 738.29 5029.36 Notably, there are no duties for agricultural equipment. 

  This is the list of machines needed to grow, harvest, and manufacture corn flour. Corn Seeder Corn Harvester Silo Corn Sheller Steam Injected Heating System Milling Machine and Sieve Packaging Machine Of course, this list may be subject to change as I continue working on the project. The next step is to calculate the shipping costs. 

  This was extracted from course material for IENG 3002, Plant Layout and Materials Handling.

  The red pins indicate possible areas to locate the agro-processing plant

 I got my Pfizer booster shot today and was unable to meet with Dr. Pemberton as I was feeling unwell. Nevertheless, I emailed her my progress and received feedback where necessary to continue working on my final year project. I got reassurance that my method for location selection is appropriate so I can proceed. 

Some key success factors I decided on are:  pH of soil Proximity to customers Ease of distribution to retail stores and groceries Proximity to skilled labour supply Proximity to suppliers Ease of transportation and communication i.e accessibility  Land and construction costs Security i.e. low crime rates Energy availability I will continue to add to this list and try to objectively use them. 

  Factor Rating Method is the method of choice for Location Planning To do so, I will: 1.      Clearly identify all the important key success factors that influence location selection. 2.      Select an appropriate scale to rate each factor. 3.      Rate each factor at the sites according to its relative importance. Here, a high rating represents a prominent factor. 4.      Find the weighted score.

These are the links to possible machinery options. I am posting them here so I can come back to them in the future.  https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Multifunctional-Commercial-Corn-Sheller-And-Thresher_1600089375629.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_image.388085c7RC7PWN https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Flour-Corn-Corn-Flour-Machine-200_1600339448667.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normal_offer.d_title.704f664cmHuAIg&s=p https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/High-quality-corn-flour-mill-mini_1600268529721.html?spm=a2700.details.0.0.3ef33a9fAAPFfk

 Using the criteria from the preliminary report, safety and durability are top priorities and I am very carefully picking apart all machines to ensure they meet these standards efficiently. One thing that has proven to be a great challenge is the capacity of the various machinery and ensuring they are consistent. To me, it seems impractical to have pieces of machinery of completely different capacities especially since I am employing batch manufacturing. 

 I am currently on the hunt for suitable machinery to manufacture the corn flour. Such machines include: -milling machine -silo -tractor -steam heated vat -sieve I noticed while browsing Alibaba that some machines are combinations of these for example, a milling machine and sieve built into a singular device. I believe these are most cost efficient. In terms of costs for shipping and customs taxes, I employed the assistance of my father, a customs clerk, to calculate its corresponding charges. 

 From this meeting, I was guided in the right direction regarding my future plan of action towards completion of this final year project. I will keep in mind her comments which can be viewed on previous posts as I continue working.  Overall, this meeting was quite beneficial as per usual. Tasks: -Create a short 2-3 minute presentation for our group meeting next week of the progress made.

 This week I am focusing on gathering information about  -plant layout -material handling -land requirements -location selection -machinery selection These are important aspects to consider. Once I am more familiar with these components I can properly design the corn field and agro-processing plant to manufacture the corn flour efficiently. 

 I am very pleased with my interim mark as I got 13.5/15 which was the highest mark in my year group. I do hope the standard of my final report is of the same caliber.  With that said, there is room for improvement in regards to my preliminary report based on the comments and feedback I received.  Moving forward, I will keep in mind the skill set and labour needed for operations as mentioned by my second examiner. Also, I will ensure the entire product design process is outlined. 

 For semester 2, I will be meeting with my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton on Wednesdays at 5:15pm . This log acts as a reminder and weekly posts will be logged to record what was discussed in these meetings.  These meetings were very helpful last semester and ensured I consistently progressed in the interim report. I will continue to apply the feedback from these meetings for my final report. 

 This is the sequence in which I will complete this project. I am hopeful and working hard towards the finish line. 

Finally, the day has come to submit my interim report. I do hope I sufficiently covered all aspects required to do well.  Now that the report, logbook and presentation have been submitted. My primary focus is on preparing for the interview portion. I will continue to review my report to ensure I know its contents enough to answer any questions posed. I am a bit nervous because I have no idea what sort of questions might be asked but I will try to answer to the best of my ability.  Thereafter, the main goal is completing the FINAL REPORT

 This was my personal scheduling system using a Gantt Chart for the preliminary report. For the most part, I stayed on schedule as I was quite motivated to work on the project.  This Gantt chart applies to the overall project, both preliminary and final. 

My supervisor hosted a zoom session at around 8pm where persons were able to present their project to everyone. I took this opportunity to get constructive feedback from Dr. Pemberton as well as my fellow peers regarding my slides and content. Overall, the feedback I received was relatively positive. My peers liked my transitions and thought my slides looked clean. I was a bit worried some slides were too wordy but I was assured this is expected. For the most part though I kept the slides minimal and I am especially proud of my corn icons that serve as bullet points. A few questions were posed with respect to my criteria and ranking systems which I was able to address. Surprisingly, I was able to stay within the 10-minute range although so much content was packed into the presentation.  

Now that the information in my report has been finalized I can move on to creating my video presentation. I will include videos of myself speaking to introduce and conclude the project. I will record those clips at a cornfield in Caroni to be on theme with my project. The body of the project will be done via PowerPoint slides with voiceovers. TikTok introduced me to a presentation-making website called genial.ly and I am very satisfied with the outcome of the slides. It is very easy to add smooth transitions and it has been quite a fun and enjoyable process thus far.  A the moment, the main objective regarding this preliminary submission is to complete both aspects, report and video presentation, on Thursday(day before the deadline) to avoid last-minute errors and to give myself peace of mind. 

I am having a lot of difficulties in summarizing and reducing this report. I am very much over the 15 page limit and quite frankly I am very worried. I tried to be thorough and include all relevant topics but it is proving to be a challenge to contain it within this page limit. At this point, I am just hoping I am not severely penalized for it. 

In this meeting, we discussed the feedback of my preliminary report. The meeting helped clear up any concerns I had and questions about her comments. From which I will fine-tune my objectives and adjust the project to suit. I am aiming to send her a fixed report by Monday 8th for one final review before creating my video presentation. I will try my best to correct the weak spots of the report using her critiques.  The deadline for this prelim report is nearing and I am working hard until the very end.

 Today I received feedback on my preliminary report for my final year project. These were some of the comments made: Clearly define whether the project is a manufacturing profile, operations plan, framework, etc Place more emphasis on the objectives Summarize the length literature review Include the questionnaire results in the report instead of the appendix Change the format of the desk research table CUT DOWN WHERE POSSIBLE To do so, I will spend quite some time adjusting the objectives to suit what exactly I would like to focus on. Moving forward it is a matter of utilizing the information within the report which is better than lacking information. In my opinion, it is easier to cut down than add. 

 A final draft was submitted today to my supervisor, Dr. Pemberton. I feel very relieved as I really tried my best for this project and I hope it is represented as such. I hope to receive constructive feedback since I am very open to improving my project. I really want to do well in this preliminary report so I put a lot of time and energy into it. I am very thankful to Miss Pemberton for being so patient and easy to talk to which made this whole process quite simple and manageable. When talking to my fellow colleagues, I learned that this is a luxury that I am utmost grateful for.  Personal concerns: I am confident in my work. With that said, one of my greatest concerns currently is the length of my project. I am a bit worried that I was not concise enough and the information comes across as irrelevant. Any guidance from my supervisor in this regard will be very useful. I tried to look at each component separately but maybe a wider scope could have been taken. I just wanted t...

 This is a little illustration I did using Canva to show what the end product may look like in a resealable, recyclable paper bag. The logo is also made by myself and was mentioned in this logbook a few weeks ago. 

  This table can be very useful in identifying appropriate locations to set up operations. From the literature review, a pH of 5.5-6.5 is most suitable for corn cultivation.  

An interview was also conducted to obtain knowledge and gauge opinions, needs and preferences. The interview was done virtually to maintain social distancing and safety, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Katana Mahabir, a fitness coach and certified dietitian, was interviewed on Thursday 28 th October 2021 via a 30-minute Zoom meeting due to the ongoing pandemic. Ms. Mahabir was selected to gain viable information about nutritional content in food. 

A questionnaire will be distributed to gather customer needs. It will be created using google forms and the results of the final questionnaire can be seen in the Appendix of my preliminary report. The following are possible questions I thought could be relevant to ask Are you interested in gluten-free corn items? Yes No Would you be interested in vegan corn products? Yes No What corn items would you be interested in purchasing? Cornmeal Corn flour Corn flakes Corn chips Tortillas Do you prefer locally manufactured food or imported goods? Locally made food Imported food Indifferent

In this meeting, a review of my progress thus far was done and feedback was given. From this, I will continue to use engineering tools to justify the product that I will manufacture. It was advised to conduct a survey to gather information about the customer needs which I will seek to work on tonight. My focus currently is on market research and product development. Thereafter, I can shift my focus to the manufacturing process and equipment research.  I am nearing the end of this preliminary report which I am ecstatic about. I cannot wait to take a step back and look at the progress I made over the past few months

As with any product, rivalry exists. I took it upon myself to go to my local grocery store, Cost Cutters, and scan the shelves for corn-based products, paying close attention to their nutritional facts, ingredients, cost and weight. I made note of these things and decided to compare them as part of product research for existing products. In this way, the products I manufacture stand out and are not overshadowed by the competition. I tried my best to gather products manufactured locally however, some products such as the tortillas were only imported.  Owing to the current global pandemic, I tried my best not to touch many products and I took a maximum of 15 minutes in the grocery.  I took some images of the nutritional contents and ingredients at the back of the product which will be synthesized as part of desk research. 

Upon researching, I found a plethora of corn products that I can manufacture. I will compare them using engineering tools and choose the best options. These are the various products I found and will narrow down a bit before I start the comparison.  Corn chips, corn oil, corn tortillas, corn tortilla chips, corn starch, corn flour, corn syrup, cornmeal, corn flakes Interestingly, there are no corn tortilla manufactures in Trinidad and Tobago. In fact, I could not find any regional manufacturers either.  I learned there is a difference between corn chips and corn tortilla chips. Corn tortilla chips absorb less oil and seem healthier so I may sway towards it as opposed to corn chips. I do not believe corn starch and corn syrup are necessities, at least in the Caribbean so I do not think I will be including them in my research. They are uncommon and not very utilized.  Final Listing:  Corn oil, corn tortillas, corn tortilla chips, cornflour, cornmeal, cornflakes. 

This meeting was a group meeting with my other colleagues as opposed to the individual setting I was used to for the past meetings which was interesting to say the least. I got the opportunity to gauge where others are and the progress they made with their respective projects. Honestly speaking, I feel as though I am in a good place with my project. I enjoy this topic and I am comfortable discussing it. What I noticed some peers had issues with was understanding their project and gathering information on it.  In general, this meeting with Dr Pemberton was brief and I was encouraged to continue posting in my log book. I will keep working on my project to the best of my ability.  DEADLINE: FINAL DRAFT SUNDAY 31ST OCTOBER, 2021

 FEASIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PRODUCT SELECTION From a manufacturing standpoint, these are some points compiled over the course of 3 days Time taken to manufacture the product Energy requirements to manufacture The manufacturing costs Cost of raw materials Costing of machinery and equipment needed Risks associated- Analysed using HACPP principles Space needed The extent of human resources needed Input to output ratio- ideally, low input yet high yield The market demands and needs In other words, the economic, financial, social, ethical and market needs must all be considered in the selection stage of the project 

This logbook entry is to keep a record of a new piece of equipment that can be included in the manufacturing line. It  acts as a peeler, degerminator and flour miller. The machine can produce 2-5 kinds of different corn grits,2-3 kinds of low-fat corn flour as well as cornflour. It has a lot of potential to increase productivity.  https://hnlyjx.en.made-in-china.com/product/lKknWAtDXdUw/China-2021-New-Technology-Corn-Maize-Milling-Machine.html  

 Today at 3pm, a zoom meeting was arranged with persons at ARCTT. Upon presenting a brief scope of my project, these were the remarks made of which I will further look into -Re-evaluating the area of land assigned to corn cultivation. Corn is a crop with a high yield for its small size. As such, 2 acres for a corn farm may be pricy and out of reach for rural farmers. -Researching other varieties of corn. Many hybrids are constantly being developed each with its own favourable characteristics. By researching a plethora of corn species, the right one can be chosen that is suitable for its uses. For example, some corn varieties give a better end result for corn tortillas as compared to others. -Considering cross-pollination Overall, I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak and discuss my ideas with persons that are well educated in the field. Their feedback and comments were greatly valued. 

 Finally, the literature review has been completed. Now the focus turns to the feasibility selection. Various engineering tools must be implemented here to justify the choice of value-added products, machinery, methods, etc. This section of the project is crucial in ensuring its validity. 

 A meeting with ARCTT has been scheduled for Thursday 14th.  Content for the presentation(3-5slides): Background of the project Overview and objectives Comparison of products from which product selection can be made

 For this meeting, the plan of action after the literature review was discussed. There was great emphasis on utilizing the relevant engineering tools to justify the processes, products and equipment involved in the project. Moving forward, I will work on creating a list of criteria to aid in the selection process.  Some ideas for the criteria are in terms of the energy required, costs, space, process

 Is renewable energy power supply possible for factory production? Is it worth it? The manufacturing industry is one of the biggest consumers of electricity in the global energy market. Due to the sheer number of equipment and machinery that needs to be powered along with utilities for office facilities, manufacturing companies need a continuous and heavy supply of electricity. To ensure a sustainable energy future, the use of renewable energy sources and technologies needs to be scaled up. Turning raw materials into usable products are one of the most energy-intensive and expensive activities within manufacturing. Geopolitical uncertainty makes it difficult to predict future oil prices with any kind of certainty. Fossil fuels are, in comparison, increasingly difficult to justify from an investment perspective. 

 Topics to discuss in the literature review ·         Methods of making the end products ·         Health and safety policies/regulations that must be abided by ·         Ways to promote productivity for efficient process ·         Possible target audiences, suppliers, retailers, workers ·         Discuss value-added products            As mentioned in a prior logbook entry, I have estimated my completion of the literature review within the next two weeks. Since there are only a few topics of discussion left as listed above, I believe I am on track with my Gantt Chart.  A ·

 Envisioning Food Security in 2030 Via New Technologies: The Case of the Caribbean by Mark D. Wenner  Whilst researching articles for the literature review, this one truly stood out. From it, I gathered that developing technology such as information communication technology (ICT),  drones, robotics, and artificial intelligence; three-dimensional (3D) printing, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology can significantly improve productivity, especially in the agricultural industry. As such I will try to include such machinery on the farm.  http://www.caestt.com/home/documents/Farm%20&%20Business%20%20Volume%2010,%20No.%201,%20August%202018.pdf#page=7

 The intention of this project is to create a farm capable of manufacturing corn-based products. In order for these end products to be fit for consumption, they must be considered food safe. Certain protocols must hence be followed. Whilst working on the literature review, I stumbled across this article  https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061289 Blockchain-Based Traceability System That Ensures Food Safety Measures to Protect Consumer Safety and COVID-19 Free Supply Chains by  Adnan Iftekhar  and Xiaohui Cui  * Key Laboratory of Aerospace Information Security and Trusted Computing, Ministry of Education, School of Cyber Science and Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China From the article, I learned about tamper-proof audit trails. A tamper-proof audit trail helps to make sure that all safety measures are undertaken to minimize the risk of COVID-19 and other bacteria, fungi, and parasites. 

  The Alliance of Rural Communities of Trinidad & Tobago (ARC) , is a non-profit organization founded in 2014 and made up of residents of rural and semi-rural communities and their urban allies. ARC is made up of a core advisory team of individuals and affiliated rural community companies (that were formed with ARC’s support) as well as our supportive customer base. ARC is a non-profit organization that is responsible for continued training and support and expansion of the current community groups and new projects. As such, partnering with them for this project will be ideal. 

 During this session, the introductory aspects of the project were reviewed. From which I will do more research to insert statistics. Statistics are important to really validate what is being said.  Owing to the Gantt Chart I created, I have less than two weeks to complete my literature review and perfect it. 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3UDY_YkuzA&t=227s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmfeE7U2yE4 sources of these videos- Youtube These videos were very informative about corn milling and the necessary equipment to do so. Now I am more knowledgeable of the process and can better innovate and improve upon my manufacturing factory and its layout.  I learnt that corn can be processed either using dry milling or wet milling. Upon assessing the pros and cons, it appears that wet milling is more appropriate. 

  Introducing my own logo design for my corn products.  Logo made on Canva

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxzvj2f7mkU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iloAQmroRK0 From these videos, I learnt about sustainable agriculture and its benefits.  Environmental sustainability in  agriculture means good stewardship of  the natural systems and resources  that farms rely on among other things. Sustainable agricultural techniques include crop diversity, intercropping  and crop rotations.  Sustainable practises build and maintain healthy soil, manage water, minimize air, water and climate pollution as well as promote biodiversity. It also assists in controlling  pests and weeds, replenish soil nutrients , reduce the need for pesticides/herbicides and reduce tillage.