By Ankit Dhandhania
The food and Agriculture organization (FAO) and Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) designed an application to provide farmers with data skills to promote informed decision making. The four mobile applications developed by these organizations, will provide users with access to information on the state of the weather, amount of soil humidity, amount of rain, climate change, performance of livestock, diseases among crops and many more. The programme provides the
farmers with digital literacy and tools that helps them to enhance there working progress. The programme leverages the high penetration of mobile phones to reach out the farmers. Digital literacy was launched in November 2015 to for promoting digital literacy and create a digital infrastructure for empowering rural communities. In the census of 2011, it was given that 70 percent of India population is involved in rural and agriculture sector. And 50 percent of India population has agriculture as their main livelihood.
Farmers use technology to make advances in producing more food for a growing world. Through this time of technology each farmer is able to feed 170 people a day, compared to 2010 they were able to feed only 77 people a day. Farmer use technology such as motorized equipment, modified housing for animals and biotechnology, which allow for improvement in agriculture. Better technology has allowed farmers to feed more people and requires fewer people to work on farms and field.
Changes in equipment has made a remarkable increment in growth rate of food in very short period of time. Today most of the farmers uses tractor and other highly motorized equipment to help in their field work. Tractors and Plows are much master equipment then the horses and cows. With these changes farmers are able to produce large amount of food in short period of time. The way in which farm animals live and raised are also changed. With the help of research with animals, scientist have discovered what type of housing make animals comfortable. In todays time dairy cows typically
live in barns that provide soft mattresses or water bed. They are also nutritionist to feed them with special diet, and fans and sprinkles to keep them cool when it is hot outside.
Agriculture Victoria is supporting farmers to improve their digital literacy with a technology audit and digital webinar series. The audit will help farmers understand the technology they currently have on the farm and how to build on these to assist decision making during challenging times such as drought and dry seasonal conditions. Free digital literacy webinars will help farmers better understand the available connectivity options, the Internet of Things, and how social and professional networks can support to farmers. The audit and webinar series are part of the 2019-20 Drought Support Package, with input from Horticulture Industry Technology Coordinator Andy Clark.
“Farmers make important decisions every day – choosing and using technology is one of them,” Andy said. “Understanding exactly what technology and connectivity they already have on farm and where the gaps are is crucial when it comes to knowing how improvements can be made. This will also help avoid unnecessary or duplicated expenses.”
Andy said the digital technology audit and webinars are designed to work together. “The two will give farmers the confidence to connect digitally, use the technology they already have more efficiently and ensure they have access to information to assist decision making.” Farmers impacted by drought and dry seasonal conditions are encouraged to apply for the On-Farm Drought Resilience Grant where the maximum amount available increased from $5,000 to $10,000. This means farmers can use up to $5,000 for farm business planning activities and $5,000 for drought infrastructure investments. The program also allows applications for new eligible technologies to improve mobile phone connectivity for access to the internet and online drought services, and items such as soil moisture probes.
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