Makerere University launches weather App for farmers

FARMING | INNOVATION 

Even though agriculture is the backbone of Uganda's economy, many farmers today have challenges that hinder their ability to be productive in this sector.

Some of these challenges include disease outbreaks, the effects of drought on yields as well as finding advice on product pricing and local markets.

Aisha Lwanga has grown eggplants and tomatoes in Kiwenda, Wakiso district for the past six years. However, one of her main challenges is predicting the weather vis a vis the planting seasons.

"Initially, knowing the weather forecast and getting good planting materials, especially for tomatoes was difficult," she said.

She further pointed out that in the past, it was annoying to listen to the radio to get weather predications today and be told to expect sunshine, only for it to rain in the evening.

However, currently, technology can address some of these challenges by helping farmers access crucial weather information which can improve their agricultural products.

To help such farmers overcome some of these challenges, Makerere University, through its WIMEA-ICT project, launched the Weather Information Dissemination System (WIDS), which is a method of using the mobile telephone technology to help farmers monitor weather changes so as to know when to plant, weed and harvest. 

While launching the App at Esella Hotel in Najjera, a Kampala suburb recently, Mary Nsabagwa, the senior assistant lecturer, College of Computing and Information Sciences said the application will enable farmers to access weather information.

According to Nsabagwa, any type of phone can help a farmer to access this weather information at affordable charges.

She said the technology, which is already being used, has helped farmers to be efficient and productive.

Farmers using the App will get weather information in real time.

"The message can be accessed in English, Luganda, Lusoga, Rutoro, Runyankole and other languages," she explained.

The App will support millions of farmers to assess their agricultural projects in relation to climate and weather changes.

According to her, it is important to build the capacity of farmers to own information.

"The knowledge and information through appropriate technologies (WIDS) will be wide-reaching with information and advice," she said.

She added that the project intends to teach farmers to examine how new innovations can empower smallholder farmers, and the entire value chain that supports them, through the use of information and communication technologies.

"Climate change presents complex challenges for farmers of all ages; using technology to access information can help control some of the challenges," she said.

Dr Julianne Sansa Otim, a senior lecturer in the College of Computing and Information Science, at Makerere University said accessibility to reliable weather information makes farming planning easy.

She said the App seeks to enhance quality production and use of technology to improve yields.

WIDS is working to develop and market a bundle of agricultural information products through SMS and phone use to enable Ugandan farmers to access quick information.

Festus Luboyera, the executive director of Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), said, "Many farmers suffer losses, owing to limited information flow."  

He appreciated the WIDS saying farming is a professional and profitable business worth investing in.

Farmers skeptical

However, to some farmers, such practices appear to be time-consuming.

One of the farmers facing this dilemma is Timothy Kibuuka, in Gayaza, who says he has never heard of that technology and he is not tech savvy.

Commenting on the innovation, Kibuuka, said the technology should be first piloted with farmers away from the city centres because most challenges are experienced on the farms, away from Kampala.

Twaha Kakooza, a farmer in Bubajjwe village, Kayunga district says farmers must change their farming methods.

"As farmers, we have the traditional farming knowledge that was passed down to us over many generations.

However, we now need to embrace new technology so as to connect in a way that is convenient and cost-effective.

Therefore, if this programme (WIDS) has come out with this idea we shall embrace it."

He added that if farmers have ample knowledge, they can create awareness through learning, linking businesses and carrying out awareness campaigns.

Invest in agriculture

Dr Kidda Makubuya, the district production officer in Luwero pointed out that since majority of Ugandans are engaged in agriculture, the Government should place special emphasis on the sector, before thinking about other projects.

"There is no country that has developed without putting special emphasis on the main day-to-day activity of the population.

We tend to take farming for granted. Some people even think that one should settle down to farming after they have failed at everything else or when they retire," Makubuya said.

Dr Fredrick Kitoogo, who represented the minister of information and communications technology and national guidance said the government of Uganda identified the use of information and communications technology as a key strategy for spurring economic growth, improving the livelihood of citizens, efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery.

The ICT and national guidance ministry has prioritised innovation and promotion of local content as one of the key areas of focus.

As one of the ways of promoting ICT innovation, the government of Uganda has designed the National ICT Innovation Support Programme (NIISP) to facilitate the creation of an ICT innovation ecosystem and marketplace for Ugandan innovative digital products.

He said the government realises the need to establish a legal policy and a conducive regulatory environment, as well as establishing institutional frameworks to help drive the ICT revolution.

"WIDS is clearly in alignment with the government of Uganda aspirations to use ICTs in economic development.

WIDS is one such solution that mitigates the challenges imposed by the changing climate and in timely and accurate dissemination of weather information and demonstrates the usage of ICTs in economic development," he said.

He emphasised that the mobile application will help farmers decide when and how to plant crops, select the best crops for a given location using climate and weather data and connect to the available market.

WIMEA-ICT is a combined research and capacity building project funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) under the NORHED (Norwegian Programme for Capacity Development in Higher Education and Research for Development) scheme. 

The project is building capacity in Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan.