Researcher from Srinagar has developed a mobile application ‘Apple Doc’ equipped with artificial intelligence. This app will provide complete information related to apple farming to apple growers.
In agriculture, state-of-the-art methods are being used to increase production and product quality. Artificial intelligence (Artificial Intelligence) is also one such platform through which agriculture can be upgraded. Farmers’ income can increase.
Basharat Ahmed Bhat, a Srinagar-based researcher, aims to revolutionize apple cultivation by providing a smart app to apple growers that will change the way apple cultivation is done in Kashmir. Basharat says that given the fact that apple is a principal Jammu and Kashmir export product, the absence of the right data and on-spot farming updates has inflicted undue losses on the region’s apple growers.
In a bid to find a solution and give farmers a mobile application for the same, Basharat came up with an AI-driven Decision Support system in the form of a mobile application called ‘Apple Doc.’
“Apple Doc” was launched by Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Kashmir Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai and Dr. Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, Director-General Horticulture Kashmir.
The vice-chancellor expressed the hope that the SKIIE centre of SKUAST-Kashmir would be able to incubate many innovative ideas. Within a year, ten student startups would graduate into private limited companies. This would entirely change the mindset of the SKUAST-K Faculty, and students and graduates produced from the University would emerge as job creators rather than job seekers.
Speaking on the occasion Director General of Horticulture expressed satisfaction with the development of an AI-based application that addresses the problems faced by the orchardists and congratulated the developer on launching the first working version of the application.
“The app will provide real-time information and expert help on weather advisory, use of chemicals, soil sampling and all other information. We aim to let the farmers know what kind of farming approach to take based on their farm soil, what kind of chemicals fertilizer to use or avoid, when to go for pesticides, how to prepare for bad weather, etc. All this information will help our orchardists increase the apple produce and, most importantly, cut production costs,” Basharat said.
He said that through the collaboration with SKUAST Kashmir, he could develop a mobile application called Apple Doc.
“This is my brainchild, and as a director of the company, I asked for funding for the same. I received the funding via the Government of India’s department of biotechnology. The funds were provided under a government scheme called Birac-Big Scheme. After completing these formalities, SKUAST provided me with the space to carry out my work. They also provided all the expert help. My application provides the farmers with online and offline expert help from scientists and other agriculture experts. All this is made possible through the help of SKUAST experts,” he said.
He said that the app is user-friendly and won’t need much technical expertise to operate. Basharat said that farmers would have to register through a few steps, upload their pictures and create a password to operate the app securely.
“A farmer will input his credentials and his orchard-specific inputs, and it will help provide real-time and orchard-specific data. The app will provide information via SMS after you input your mobile number. This will help farmers receive updates even if there is no internet connectivity,” he said.
