FAO develops a new tech app to boost national agric targets in Rwanda

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in conjuction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the Ministry of Youth and ICT has launched a new project called 'Agricultural Services and Digital Inclusion in Rwanda".

Mobile applications in this project

This project is set to develop four mobile applications: "Cure and feed your livestock","eNtrifood","Weather and crop calendar"and "AgriMarketplace". The applications centre around the four themes - animal health and feed,weather and climate change adaptation services, nutrition and agricultural market.

These Apps will be finally accessed by farmers as a source of daily updated agriculture information.

The New Times quoted a farmer who noted "Lack of access to essential information in the agriculture and livestock sectors has been costing farmers a lot as they fall victim to climate change effects resulting in crop failure, low income owing to low produce prices"

The project will allow farmers access information on seeds for the right crops to grow following given weather patterns. Farmers will also be able to access information on various agricultural services, including seeds for crop varieties that can be resilient to climate change, nutrients to feed their crops and access to climatic information from Rwanda Metrology Agency.

Farmers will also be able to get information on how to treat livestock diseases based on the symptoms. If the farmer can't manage to treat the livestock, the application will link them to a competent veterinarian in their locality who can help them.

Sources:

• http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2017-03-29/209749/
• https://www.nonaha.com/a-new-project-to-accelerate-digital-inclusion-in-...