Crop diseases and pest attacks are a major challenge for farmers in Bangladesh. If they are not identified in time, yields fall sharply, hurting food security and farm incomes. Conventional diagnosis depends on experts, which is slow and not available everywhere. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising solution.
Using machine learning, deep learning and computer vision, AI can analyse photos of crop leaves taken with a smartphone or drone to identify diseases and pests quickly and accurately and recommend suitable remedies or pesticides, helping farmers solve problems at lower cost, in less time and in more environmentally friendly ways.
The Dr. Chashi app
A practical example is the Dr. Chashi app, described as the first AI mobile app used at field level in Bangladesh's agriculture. Its main features are:
- instant, real-time detection of diseases and pests, with solutions;
- recommendations for organic and chemical treatments;
- weather forecasts;
- crop- and location-based fertiliser management;
- e-commerce, training and advisory services.
The app has about 87,000 users. About 30 percent (about 25,800) are farmers, 37 percent students and young people, 7 percent scientists and agricultural professionals, and 26 percent others, showing interest among the new generation and professionals as well as farmers. It works for both field crops and rooftop gardens.
Measured impact
According to analysis of various data:
- crop yields rose by up to 12 to 16 percent among farmers using the app;
- pesticide use fell by 25 to 30 percent;
- fertiliser use fell by about 11 percent;
- time and money savings were about 33 percent.
These results show that AI-based decision support is helping farmers make the right decisions at the right time, cutting unnecessary costs and risks.
Drawing in young people
Educated young people and farmers are becoming more engaged, connecting with AI, Internet of Things (IoT)-based soil sensors, spray drones and other smart farming technologies, and see agriculture as a modern, technology-driven and profitable profession. The article describes the app as a successful model of applied AI in Bangladesh's agriculture that could form the basis of a sustainable, environmentally friendly and smart farming system.
Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.
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