Agrolly releases AI app to help Brazilian farmers improve crop yields
The app, already successfully implemented in India and Mongolia with support from IBM, will allow Brazilian small farmers to plan for and appropriately respond to changing weather conditions.
Regional warming in Brazil has already pushed 28% of agricultural land out of optimal climatic range and the percentage could increase to 74% by 2060, according to a scientific report. Agrolly and IBM aim to help this important community of local business owners improve their productivity with climate monitoring, weather forecasting, and a crop database that offers agriculture best practices — all accessible via the simple Agrolly Brazil app, now available in the Google Play and Apple app stores.
“Providing small farmers across Brazil with access to the latest climate and weather data is crucial to the future of Brazil’s food production,” said Carlos Eduardo Bortolin, technical advisor, Department of Agriculture, Parana State Brazil. “Agrolly’s new app is the type of innovation needed in Brazil to help provide small farmers with the same access to technology that large farms have been able to take advantage of.”
Using climate and weather data to make informed decisions
To effectively combat extreme weather conditions brought by climate change, farmers need to be able to predict annual weather conditions in advance. Agrolly provides farmers with both short (two weeks) and long-term (12-month) weather forecasts based on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The Weather Company, and NASA.
The app combines reliable local weather data with IBM Watson to pinpoint a farm’s exact location and analyze which crops will grow well given the circumstances. This helps farmers maximize their crop yield and profits by detecting harmful weather patterns early on and determining the optimal time to plant and/or harvest.
“Through our conversations with Brazil’s small farmers, we know that access to cutting edge technology and local weather data is crucially important in helping to navigate climate change-related issues,” said Manuela Morais, Agrolly’s Co-Founder who originates from Brazil. “These farmers are struggling to adapt their business models amid changing weather conditions and Agrolly Brazil is excited to provide an app to help them make data-driven crop management decisions.”
Agrolly offers crop management best practices and an agriculture marketplace
The Agrolly app provides information on more than 100 crops, common diseases, and agricultural best practices. It also promotes knowledge sharing between farmers in the field with its chat and Q&A functions, allowing farmers to message each other or post their questions and photos in a forum for community input. Goods and tools can be sold, purchased, or donated between users in the app’s marketplace. Consumers can also benefit from the online market, where they can trace and buy fresh produce directly from small farmers or companies.
“Every country faces its unique climate and agriculture challenges and Agrolly is using its platform to help farmers on a hyperlocal level. The launch of Agrolly’s Brazil app follows the successful launches of Agrolly apps in India and Mongolia,” said Daniel Krook, Chief Technology Officer, Call for Code, IBM. “We are encouraged by the progress Agrolly is making to help farmers make the best decisions for their local farming conditions.”
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