Based on artificial intelligence (AI), remote sensing and Open weather API technologies, the AnCV research team have developed the WREF mobile app to support farmers in agricultural production. The team members are students from the University of Science and Technology, and the Viet Nam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology, in Da Nang.

The AnCV team-developed WREF app features many outstanding functions to help farmers enhance the efficiency of farming activities.

WREF mobile app

Student Nguyen Dinh Huy from the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, leader of the AnCV team, said through a survey conducted in 27 farmer households, 30 small traders, and 4 retailers of plant protection products in Tuy Loan Village, Hoa Phong Commune, Hoa Vang District, the team found that they have been facing many difficulties in production and business activities.

In particular, farmers plant crops infrequently due to unfavourable weather conditions and pests, and they cannot buy pesticides directly from the manufacturers, so they find it difficult to verify the origins of such products. Meanwhile, pesticide retailers have problems with counterfeit and poor quality goods. Therefore, the AnCV team decided to develop the WREF app in an effort to help farmers to deal with the problems. It took the team 2 years to brainstorm, research and develop the app.

Based on AI and remote sensing technologies, WREF can trace the origins of pesticides based on QR codes to diagnose plant diseases through images of data from the Faculty of Agronomy at the Viet Nam National University of Agriculture and those of pesticides provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. From there, WREF proposes solutions to prevent plant diseases and directly connects pesticide sellers to advise on the appropriate course.

Along with that, OpenWeather API software predicts rain, temperature and humidity, as well as has the ability to predict floods using AI technology. Based on flood-related data such as water flow, the software will display the results as a scale of total rainfall for the day.

According to Nguyen Dinh Huy, AI is one of the outstanding technologies applied in WREF because AI technology knows the flood level in areas where people live, unlike current flood prediction models that rely on hydraulic measuring tools.

“WREF's technological devices are used in providing hydrological information, and the team takes data from reputable sources such as research institutes and universities to bring about optimal efficiency. This is a product with practical application value, if successfully applied, it will create a new process in agricultural production" said excitedly Huy.

Product optimisation

Student Nguyen Le Anh Minh from the Da Nang University of Science and Technology, a member of the research team, said that WREF features some outstanding functions, including predicting floods, weather conditions and harvest yield, and diagnosing diseases.

Based on the plant life cycle, the app will provide information on soil quality, forecast sowing time, observe plant growth, analyse crop yield, and predict natural disasters 15-20 days before harvest so that farmers can be proactive to harvest.

“The function of selling agricultural products on the app will help farmers connect with retailers of agricultural products, thereby creating an ecosystem of input and output products. Retailers can purchase agricultural products in advance or order directly through WREF. WREF will automatically gather the required quantity of products and then help pesticide sellers summarize orders and deliver products. At the end of each month, WREF will summarize revenue and expenditure, predict the next month's market demand and assist in importing products” added Minh.

AI technology helps farmers manage water, rotate crops, harvest in time, and guide optimal planting methods to prevent pests and diseases, noted AnCV team member Nguyen Minh Thang from the Viet Nam - South Korea University of Information and Communication Technology.

Thang added the WREF app has been put into use on a trial basis at agricultural production households in Da Nang’s Hoa Vang District and Quang Nam Province. As a result, the app gives prediction accuracy of more than 90%.

The information about crop yield is stored statistically into a chart through each season for farmers to easily monitor.

Currently, the technology product is being perfected and is expected to be deployed on a large scale in the near future, revealed Thang.

Reporting by HUYNH TUONG VY - Translating by M.DUNG