A solution to grow up better during this pandemic
Manisha Acharya
Manisha Acharya
Lamjung campus
Bscag fourth sem
COVID-19 has made us all dependent on digital technology than ever before, and now it is the time to ensure that the revolution does not leave us further behind. This pandemic is reshaping societies around the world, in part by accelerating the digital revolution. Digital technologies also can help end global poverty and hunger faster, including in rural parts of developing countries, where the majority of people earn their living from agriculture. Digital agriculture – whereby farmers use mobile phones and other digital technologies to access customized, actionable agricultural information in real time. With the coronavirus pandemic still running its course, now is the time to think about not just building back, but building forward. By accelerating investment and innovation in digital agriculture, we can protect us from the worse effect of current crisis.
Challenges to access seed
In seed sector of Nepal, it takes at least a year to collate the demand and supply of a required type and quantity of seed for a planting season. This process constrains farmers’ timely access to quality seed and improved varieties of crops suited to their needs, thereby affecting seed sector growth and agricultural development in Nepal. Since the COVID-19 outbreak and strict lockdown enforced by the government of Nepal, seed markets have been unable to function steadily. One of the critical challenge of farmers encounter especially in the developing world is timely access to quality seeds, due to unavailability of improved varieties, lack of information about them, and weak planning and supply management.
A digital solution
A digital seed information system will likely to change that, as it will enable all value chain actors to access information on seed demand and supply in real time, confronting uncertainty through and beyond the crisis. In this there is an easy access to an online seed catalogue where characteristics and sources of all registered varieties are available. A digital seed balance sheet gathers and shares real time information on seed demand and supply by all the stakeholders. The digital platform also helps to plan and monitor seed production and distribution over a period of time. Digital platform could link farmers to seed suppliers and buyers and can build a better internal Nepali seed market. This digital system will help streamline the national seed information system to enhance production and advance connectivity in agriculture in Nepal. Farmers can easily access information using their mobile phones on the type of varieties suitable to grow in their region and the best market to sell their products.
Nepal’s step towards digitalization
NSAF, in partnership with SQCC under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), is leveraging digital technologies to create an efficient,
integrated, and dynamic Digitally Enabled Seed Information System (DESIS), DESIS includes an offline seed catalogue of varieties that have been approved for use by the Nepal government. Users can view seed characteristics, compare seeds and select released and registered varieties available in Nepal. Its filter feature allows users to customize their search for varieties and can also generate seed quality reports on batches of seeds. The seed catalogue is based on an open source software and available on Android App where users can access the information in Nepali and English on their mobile devices
Thus, by enhancing the characteristics of till date agriculture apps more of seed regulated type apps should be created that collects feedback from farmers on their preferred varieties of different crops and also provide information of newly introduced crop in the market.
