The first week of our e-forum discussion on ICTs and Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition generated many insightful contributions. The discussion explored the crossroads between ICTs and issues around Open Data in agriculture and nutrition. The question for week 1 was: What role can ICTs play in using Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition for farmers, especially small holder family farmers, rural women and youth engaged in agricultural livelihoods? Summary of contributions Participants looked carefully at the different steps that are necessary to collect quality data, make them accessible...
In a recent news article, it was reported the South-Western Kansas (U.S.A) is dealing with a significant amount of drought, with 65% of the state affected. Farmers are paying a high price for this situation, but some of them have now begun to take action thanks to ICTs. To tackle the drought, farmers in Kansas have started to use soil moisture sensors, a tool to measure the volumetric water content present in the soil. With this technology, farmers can check how much water their crops get naturally and adjust their irrigation systems accordingly. The soil moisture sensors are useful in many...
