Citizen science and Databases in Agriculture

Data science and information technologies hold great promise for better decision-making in agriculture, from post-harvest management to value addition, market access and exports. Farmers in India can be reached by different ways, including written and voice messages, pre-recorded videos, and online workshops, each of which must be underpinned by diverse datasets and databases in order to be successful.

In the face of climate and environmental change, national and regional governments are currently encouraging the adoption of micro-irrigation for water conservation and the expansion of irrigated areas in India. At the same time, communities in rain-fed areas must use local water bodies and ponds to store and later use water from heavy rainfall for later irrigation. Meaningful participation of rural communities in development programmes, protection of water resources and agricultural technology adoption is crucial to ensuring societal change. At the same time, data collection and appropriate outreach strategies are necessary in order for this level participation to be possible.

Integrated and diverse database technological stacks can therefore be used to reach farmers and provide appropriate recommendations for field management even in regions without reliable internet connections. The approaches used must be simple for agricultural students, officers, and university researchers to reach farmers and the general population, and should include a variety of computer software, cellphone and virtual communication channels.