We enjoyed working with you and sharing news related to ICTs for Agriculture in 2017. We wish you happy holidays. We invite you to review a selection of some of our 2017 activities e-Forum Discussions The Role of ICTs in Sustainable Crop Production Intensification (SCPI) of horticulture crop based system (mainly fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers) e-Forum on ICTs and Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition e-Forum discussion on the Agriculture Open Data Package - AgPack.info e-Agriculture Webinars e-Agriculture Newsletters e -Agriculture Learning activity on drones in agriculture Good and...
Microsoft India has collaborated with ICRISAT to develop Artificial Intelligence based system to help farmers in the states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya, Pradesh, Maharashtra and Telangana. The technologies are part of the Microsoft Cortana Intelligence Suite and include Cloud Machine Learning, Satellite Imagery and Advanced Analytics. The developed app sends sowing advisories to participating farmers on the optimal date to sow. Through their cell phones farmers receives these advices as text messages. Read more about this app here
Highlights: AI use growing in agriculture AI is applied in some aspects of the farming practices Some examples of AI are offered by Thembani Malapela (FAO) When l reflected on the future of agriculture, l could not avoid thinking about the power of technology to solve problems bedeviling this sector. Climate change, population growth and food security concerns have pushed for innovative technological solutions to farming. Artificial Intelligence is emerging as part of the solutions towards improved agricultural productivity. In this item, l will look at what AI is, how it is used in...
Seeds and Chips recently published a piece by Marco Gualtieri who proposes that technology is combating climate change in African Agriculture. In Africa, due to climate induced changes the availability of fertile land shrinks and this has sparked rural to urban migration. Ballooning urban population has skewed allocation of funds to cities and support for farming is slashed even further with an impact of lowering food production. The article also notes that there is a need to find sustainable methods in food and rural agriculture; keeping young dedicated people on the ground and then...
Are you a start-up or a company with an innovation that could help end hunger? If so, this call is for you. The World Food Programme’s Innovation for #ZEROHUNGER has opened a call for ICT and innovative ideas that are meant to end hunger. WFP is calling on inspiring and new ideas, tools and solutions that make sure no one goes hungry. To apply for the programme click here . Those who apply will participate in a week long bootcamp and access a 3-6 month sprint programme. The selected projects will get access to mentorship, financial support and access to WFP’s networks, operations, partners...
Quick read The world still need more food to feed the growing population Internet of Things (loT) is being used in agriculture Some advantages of Internet of Things (loT) Learn more about Internet of Things (loT) The Agricultural revolution of 1930s to 1960s focused on increasing agricultural production and mechanization; technology was at the center of its success. However, in reality 50 years later, there are still many people who are hungry, today 815 million people are chronically undernourished. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicted that the global...
The European Union together with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on the 12th of December pledged €500 million for research and innovations in agriculture for the next 3 years (2018-2020). EU will provide 270 million, focusing on agriculture and food systems research for development while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will match this by $300 million pledge which will focus on climate change related innovations through research in agriculture The EU is the largest donor for development aid, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is also the largest philanthropist organization...
The proliferation of smartphones and their usage has spread throughout the world, including in Africa. In Liberia, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has supported and funded the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to train extension workers in the latest data collection technology. The Daily Observer reported that 24 extension officers, including 6 employees from the Liberia Institute for Geo-Information Services had a three-day training at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) in Suakoko District, Bong County. The attendees received a training on the...
SciDevNet published an article supported by the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA). The article focuses on the various apps that are available in agriculture as curated by the Apps4Ag database . The example of Farmerline app is highlighted; this app gives smallholder farmers voice-based messages in their local langauges. Through this service farmers can get price related information; the use of insecticides and weather information. Other cited in the article that are popular in agriculture include the iCow – cattle information services in Kenya; Mrittikā – weather...
Quick read Indigenous territories are facing threats of illegal activities, such as land grabbing and territorial boundary encroachments Technologies such as drones facilitates mapping and monitoring of indigenous land and other natural resources Review of 5 projects on the use of drones in Peru, Guyana and Panama by indigenous communities Indigenous lands are facing a lot of increasing pressures from numerous legal and illegal activities, causing severe environmental degradation and threatening indigenous territorial rights and livelihoods – proposes are recent article . The article reviews...
