AgroAlert
Empowering Bosnian farmers with Agrometeorological Intelligence
Description
AgroAlert is a good practice built around the Carpo agrometeorological system, using web and mobile tools to provide pest and disease forecasts and advisory services to farmers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. AgroAlert brings together government agencies, agricultural institutes, advisory services and farmers to access timely, location-specific information for crop protection and production decisions.
Technology
AgroAlert is implemented as an advisory and capacity-building layer around the Carpo agrometeorological system, focusing on how digital forecasts are brought to farmers and advisors. AgroAlert works through plant protection services and advisory staff who access risk information via the web portal and mobile application, interpret model outputs and translate them into practical recommendations that are shared with farmers through field visits, group meetings and digital communication channels. AgroAlert organises training sessions and demonstrations for advisers and producers on how to read agrometeorological warnings, adjust crop protection practices and use the online tools, and develops guidance materials to support wider adoption of the service among smallholder and commercial farms.
Target
The main users of AgroAlert are fruit and crop producers, agricultural advisors and public plant protection services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Institutional stakeholders such as government agencies and ministries, agricultural institutes, and research centres also participate by collaborating with users.
Business model
AgroAlert operates as a publicly funded advisory service, which was developed with UNDP support for the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska. The system is hosted and maintained by public institutions. Farmers, cooperatives and advisors access the web portal and mobile application free of charge.
Impact
AgroAlert aims to help farmers and advisors optimize their pest managment trainings and advisory workflows. Within this framework, the Carpo system had around 180 registered users by 2020 reported by the RS ministry, with reported benefits including better timed and more targeted treatments, lower input costs and more stable yields and farm incomes.
Partners
DRAXIS Environmental SA; FBIH Agri-Mediterranean Institute; FBIH Institute for Agriculture; Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry; Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Sarajevo; Institute of Genetic Resources, University of Banja Luka; Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina; RS Agricultural Institute; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Four Betters
Better production
Better environment
Better life
