Mobile apps for Crop production
Set of mobile applications devoted to crop production and health
Description
Mobile Apps AgroInformAsia is a set of mobile applications devoted to crop production and health, available for blackcurrant, onion, vines, greenhouse vegetables, cabbage, tomato, cucumber, corn and sugar beet. The apps provide information on varieties of seeds, soil quality and fertility, nutrient management, existing diseases, pests in the region, and approaches to pest and disease control and weed management, with particular focus on environmentally friendly farming. The apps also provide the users with lists of agri-input suppliers, traders and processors with their contact information. The apps can also be used to access weather forecasts and retail market prices in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Mobile Apps AgroInformAsia are a part of Agro Space platform, a web-based platform developed jointly by the Neksigol Group and AgroInformAsia as a hub for the hosting of various digital products developed for farmers.
Technology
The mobile apps are available for smartphones and tablets using the Android operating system, and the available Tajik, Kyrgyz, Russian and English languages can be switched even in offline mode. The consortium worked with competent specialists with a good knowledge of regional variations in crop production for the creation of the content of the apps. The app is constantly updated with new content and changes to agri-input supplier and buyer data, and up to date weather forecasts are provided. The apps are also linked to the national Price Monitoring and Analysis System of the Food and Agriculture Organization via an API providing access to retail market prices. No Internet connection is required for the basic features of the mobile applications, however, a connection is necessary if the user wants to receive updates.
Target
The target users of the mobile apps are primarily farmers and agro-consultants/village advisors working with Neksigol. The apps have the potential for broader outreach across and beyond Central Asia, being available in Russian and English. The apps have been cumulatively downloaded over 60 000 times, and around 15 percent of the total are active users.
Business model
The apps are free to download and use on personal devices, and can be access via the Google Play Store or the app's website. The Agro Space web platform is open to all users without limitations. Two types of in-app advertising are available, purchasable from Google Ads or from the apps own module, for the posting of advertisements for seeds, crop protection products, fertilizers, and other such products, with costs of USD 10/monthly or USD 50/yearly.
Impact
The mobile apps support agricultural producers in making efficient and sustainable production decisions by providing them with crop management information and weather forecasts. This contributes to improvements in farming methods and techniques, increased production yields and more environmentally friendly farming. The apps also provide retail market prices in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as the contact details of agri-input suppliers and buyers of agricultural products, supporting the improvement of post-harvest management. Finally, the apps also list product purchasers, facilitating the strengthening of the connections between actors in the agricultural value chain, and providing more marketing opportunities.
Partners
United Nations Development Program; USAID; Chemonics; Swiss Association for International Cooperation (Helvetas); Inter-church Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO, Netherlands)
Four Betters
Better production
Better nutrition
Better environment
Better life
