New iOS APP to improve Philippine Agriculture.
Young Filipino information technology experts have developed a new iPhone APP which when installed will give Filipino farmers access to any information about plant and animal diseases and the weather forecast, and also guide him on where to sell his products or buy his farm supplies.
The first iPhone APP, which I suggested should be called "FARM Citizens App" is being developed by the same group which developed Pure Force, also a phone apps which is being used for emergency and rescue operations now.
"FARM Citizens App" is designed to fit the new program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) now to update its technology transfer and information dissemination.
Using iPhone with the "FARM Citizens App", a farmer can have access to a 24/7 answering program which would respond to his request for him in identifying the disease affecting his farm by simply taking a picture of the plant and sending it to the DA "FARM Citizens App" desk.
Experts will then analyse the disease using the photo and respond to the farmers within 24 hours.
The key to the success of the program is an automatic GEO-Tagging which will immediately pinpoint the exact location of the farmer sending the message.
Thus, if the complaint is about a damaged irrigation canal, DA responders could immediately dispatch a regional team to the area.
This is a major innovation in information technology could revolutionize Philippine agriculture.
Imagine, a few months from now, a farmer who cannot diagnose the disease of his chicken could just take a picture of the fowls physical appearance or the poo of the chicken to get a diagnosis from a veterinarian who could recommend the appropriate medication.
After these, Philippine agriculture will never be the same again.