Technology support for small tree growers against climate change

DISPUR, Assam: A Civil Service Organisation (CSO), ‘Solidaridad Asia’ has decided to provide economically viable technological support to the small tea growers of Assam to help them combat and mitigate the harmful effects of climate change.

‘Solidaridad Asia’ has decided to provide a scalable and economical solution to achieve sustainability in the agricultural sectors. The organisation has developed an app titled ‘Smart Agri App’, which will provide satellite-based data to the farmers regarding temperature, humidity and rainfall on their mobile phones. It will help the farmers in planning the cultivation cycle following the prevailing environmental condition and will also help them prepare for any contingent situation such as excessive rainfall or cloud burst and soil erosion.

The organisation has installed up to 47 weather data collection devices in the small tea plantation areas of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Jorhat and Udaigiri districts of Assam. Mokshadev Das, Programmer Manager, Solidaridad Asia, has informed that these devices collect data on the availability of moisture in the soil, pest profile, leaf wetness and crop growth etc. The data collected through these devices is analysed weekly, based on which, advice is tendered to the farmers either through Smart Agri App or through missed call alert system.