Precision Farming

Around 1/3rd Population of the world are involved in agriculture. Unfortunately, this population is unable to exploit modern technology. The marriage of Soil & Agriculture Sciences, Big data analytics can result in high yield and hence can be instrumental in reaching the goal of food security.

My solution is developing a smart app which analyzes soil condition, temperature, moisture and humidity, trend of agriculture through the help of big data and gives the information about planting and harvesting period, irrigation period, storing ideas. There is already software like CROPWAT which gives suggestion about irrigation requirement for different crops but it is not connected directly to people's cell-phone. It hasn't embraced data trend, big data analytics. Cropwat is basically concerned with water requirement, but we can make software which can suggest types of fertilizer. Big Data can analyze the type of food in demand and therefore suggest the farmer to emphasize the production of particular food. In Nepal, yearly many quantities of Cauli-Flowers is disposed due to over-production while people will be striving for garlic due to underproduction (High Price). So, if we can engineer supply-production chain through interference of big data, we can solve the problem of food wastes. Similarly, government can subsidize farmer to promote growth of certain food that is rich in nutrients to address the problem of malnutrition.

 We can increase agriculture production, prevent food wastes, engineer the supply-demand chain, and give farmer the value of their hard works. This can help urban communities increase their access to sustainable and resilient food.

I believe, if we can effect this idea, it is going to change our agriculture system forever. It can change the life of poor farmer across the globe and thus helps in reduction of poverty. Increase in food demand due to rise in population can be addressed through high agriculture yield and management of food-supply chain. It is almost sure world is in brink of food crisis. We should try to prevent that crisis through intervention of technology.

Modernizing our agriculture system can solve the following problem:

1. Low agriculture production due to insufficient information of farmer.
2. Food wastes
3. Demand- Supply Gap

In order to ensure sustainability and resilience of food for incresing population, we need to increase agriculture production and properly manage the demand-supply chain of food. Big-data, GPS information helps to understand soil-type, moisture and temperature condition and thus provide reliable information to farmer to act. It can be helpful to understand demands of people and therefore can suggest farmer produce particular types of food. 

In past decade, access to information has proved to be the game changer in different field. Information is an intrinsically powerful tool. Development of google map has a huge effect on our mobility with-in city and beyond. Social Network has become effective means of communication. Google - earth is used in demarcation of catchment area and study of hydrology. But, I think we are lagging in development of one smart agriculture app/software. 

So, there are long lists of things which have changed after the collection and dissemination of data to public. Marriage of data and agriculture can bring similar change.

I believe, the greatest impact of my proposal will be on agriculture yield. Poor farmer who are unable to produce much agriculture products despite their relentless effort will be greatly benefitted. Similarly, it will have positive effect on consumer.

Deploying Technology

Technology illiterate farmer

Some trainings, education seminar should be provided for technology illiterate farmer. Almost every part of Nepal is connected with communication. Ironically, farmer use this service monotonously for communicating in mobile only. They are quite unable to see broad picture and impact of internet. 

Comparison of agriculture harvest - Agriculture Yield

yearly income of farmer - There is more economic activity

My proposal is new/unique in following sense:

• It helps to materialize concept of data driven farming ( elusive thing in developing/ underdeveloped country)
• It helps to understand demand – supply system, and suggest/helps farmer accordingly in order to make decision.
• Taking/analyzing / processing/ engineering data of population, soils, crop type of certain area and making those area self- reliant.

Although concept of data driven technology in agriculture isn’t new, I think, my approach of taking data of soil, temperature, crop pattern, farmers in certain farmland and using big data, data driven tools to make that particular land self-reliant is effective.

My proposal is entirely human focused. It is directly related and aimed to poor farmers who work throughout the year and still are not able generate enough for their living. It is partly because of low agricultural yields thanks to the traditional farming and partly because lack of understanding of markets demand. So, this projects is all about helping farmers

On the other hand, it is consumer centered too. High production can ensure low price of agriculture. It can guarantee supply of food for large growing population. 

Deploying Technology

• Technology Illiterate farmer

For technology illiterate farmer, training to use mobile application, access information from internet, to provide and upload soil and temperature information on internet will taught. Similarly, they can be provided knowledge on how modern market system works.

• Technology literate farmer

Giving more information on big data, use of Roberts in farm land, Use of Gps system in field

Affordability

In Nepal, program to support are government subsidized. Moreover, organization like FAO and other UN funded program helps for farmer cause, provided the plan is applicable.

We are looking to collaborate with NGO's and INGO's. There is loan provided by government for aspiring entrepreneur in Nepal. We are looking for different partner who can teach and train us in big data and other modern data analytics. The real problem lies in scaling the project. We are hopeful that if we develop some successful model at least in one place, we will be able to find some willing partner in-order to help us in scaling project

Since the concept of big data, Gps and precision farming are becoming too much general, it has been very much difficult to identify what will be the framework of final project. Does the big data analytics can provide solution with surgical accuracy? Is it easily possible to make technology illiterate farmer technology literate? are the question which can limit ability of solution

I am from Nepal. Nepal is underdeveloped country which is disproportionately dependent on agriculture. Yet, Nepal is not self reliant on agriculture thanks to the traditional farming. The onus is on my generation of Nepalese citizen to uplift the country from the abyss of underdevelopment and backwardness. As a civil engineer, I thought marriage of technology and agriculture will be game changer for majority of Nepalese farmer. I hope exchange of ideas in Solve can help me to achieve my dream of changing future of my country. It will be great opportunity to exploit resources of MIT faculty.  

I am currently associated with Pulchowk engineering Campus, Tribhuwan University. As an member of MakerSpace, US- embassy, I am using resources of MakerSpace in Kathmandu. I am looking for more business partner in Nepal and other country of South-Asia.

It is difficult to single out sb as competitors at this level of development.