Pakistani farmers to get smartphones with agri-specific applications

By APD writer Muhammad Sohail

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 12 (APD) – At least 110,000 Pakistani farmers will be provided with smartphones to enable them to get proper guidance related to their crops, an official said on Monday.

An agricultural spokesperson of the country’s eastern Punjab province said that the provincial government will distribute smartphones among 110,000 farmers after they receive their interest-free agriculture loans in the coming months.

Small farmers will benefit from this initiative in a big way as the smartphones would display agriculture-related information to them within no time.

The guidance from agricultural experts will be helpful for them from sowing to the harvest of crops, local weather updates, crop marketing.

The smartphones will be carrying pre-installed applications, including agriculture advisory, Cap Registration, Market, Farmers TV, Farmers’ Shop, agriculture calculator, agriculture calendar and others.

The utilization of agriculture-related software applications through smartphones would lay the foundation of smart agriculture and bring modernity to agriculture practices, the official said.

Following the first phase of distribution of smartphones, another group of farmers will also be provided with the same modern facility.

Local watchers believe that the special initiative will bring a revolution the field of agriculture in Pakistan.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)