Unlocking the power of Apps in agriculture

According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has projected that the number of mobile subscription stands at 7.74 billion now exceeds the global population.

Similarly, the number of apps were reported to be on the increase, for example, as of March 2017 the number of apps available for download on Android stood at 2.8 million apps while Apple’s Apps store recorded 2.2 million apps. 

While the figures for apps related to agriculture is not readily known, the verity is that equally numbers are on the rise. This has led many to predict that mobile technologies are poised to transform the way individuals, institutions, and nations exchange information and interact.

On this later prediction, Bill Gates was quoted of having said, “right now, a digital revolution is changing the way farming is done, but poor smallholder farmers aren’t benefiting from it”.

APPS4AG database

APPS4AG database is an initiative that was started to address this challenge, by building a comprehensive, up-to-date and responsive Apps4Ag database to better support to uptake of ICT and mobile applications by individuals and institutions. This database is an initiative of the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA), an international member-led agricultural organisation that has taken and led initiatives in ICT4D with a focus on rural cooperation and improving rural livelihoods.

The APPS4AG database seeks to do this through:-

• Collating and documenting ICT apps for agriculture
• Mapping the apps along the agricultural value chain framework
• Pilot testing its framework on selected apps and building a community of practice around Apps4Ag

According to the databases website the Key Focus Areas revolves around the areas of the internet, mobile and data applications, in these areas in agriculture:-

• Effective use of big and open data
• Development of strategies for effective use of technologies in agriculture
• Apps for agriculture UAVs and
• UAVs and sensor-based technology
• 3D Mapping

You can browse the cllected apps here.

Watch the short video on this database

Video credits: CTA

For more information here