Submitter: (ICRISAT)
About 40% of the crop yield is lost to pests, diseases and weeds (FAO, 2024). In lack of understanding about pest and disease infestation, farmer largely are dependent on local vendors and follow inappropriate practices for pest and disease management. To equip the farmers and field workers with authentic information regarding the identification of the crop problem and also its solution, this app was designed.
This application is for the global farming community as google analytics show users from all around the world with over 45 million downloads. All the user needs is a smartphones with mobile data connectivity. Currently 60 different kinds of crops including cereals, legumes, vegetables and fruit are addressed through this application. In places where professional agricultural extension system is limited, this app is truly a game changer to smallholder farmers who rely on local traders for their advisories and purchases of agrochemicals.
This is the most downloaded agriculture related tech app and has answered more than 180 million crop health related questions through images. Google play store shows more than 45 million users with 1.2 million monthly average user base. The app has an accuracy of more than 93% in performance in farmers fields. Testimonials from farmers are available in www.plantix.net
Since the app is user friendly, the dissemination of knowledge helps in sustainable and profitable farming. The app comes in 18 global languages including Swahili and Arabic. The short time span of 2-3 seconds required to give a diagnostic solution to an existing crop problem in the field is one of the hallmarks of this app. Feed back from growers from all over the world has been positive on the performance of this app.
Dr Srikanth Rupavatharam
Email: srikanth.rupavatharam@icrisat.org
Dr Kapil Raje
Email: kapil.raje@icrisat.org
