Digital Tools for the Agricultural Sector

Digital Tools for the Agricultural Sector was one project realized, following the II Joint Commission for Technical, Cultural, Educational and Sports Cooperation between Colombia, the Community of Caribbean Countries (CARICOM), Aruba and Curaçao. Funded by the Presidential Agency for International Cooperation of Colombia (APC Colombia), CARDI collaborated with The Corporación Colombiana de Investigación Agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA) to adapt two of their digital tools - AlimenTro® and Dr. Agro® to the Caribbean.

The AlimenTro® platform, a free access information system provides information to different actors in the animal production sector in Caribbean on the identity, characteristics, and appropriate use of feed resources. The information on local feed and forages available through the AlimenTro® platform will assist livestock farmers to access innovative feeding solutions using local grasses, legumes and trees which cuts costs, boosts animal nutrition and build resilience against rising feed prices and climate change.

Through the Dr. Agro® application, farmers and other stakeholders can identify using photographs some of the more common economic pests and diseases and nutritional deficiencies afflicting cassava, sweet potato, dasheen/taro, hot pepper, watermelon, tomato and cabbage. The application also provides effective strategies for their management and control at different stages in their lifecycle.

Both applications are decision support tools which are readily available at ones fingertips. It allows persons to be proactive rather than reactive and to make data driven decisions.