In this blogpost, we will outline 5 must have applications for farmers in 2023. Technology has become an integral part of our daily lives that it’s hard to imagine life without it. One way or the other, every industry with hopes of standing the test of time needs to adapt to these technological developments. Mobile applications are undoubtedly amongst the most notable game changers. In the agricultural world, mobile apps have had a significant impact and still have big enough room for improvement. These apps help with a number of functionalities in the agricultural value chain, from primary production down to a consumer’s plate. They may help ease plenary, business activities and bookkeeping processes.
The 5 must have applications for farmers in 2023, in no particular order, are as follows:
1. Weather app
This app helps with planning daily activities. For crop farmers for instance, knowing weather condition in advance will help them avoid losses like spraying crops just before the rain and transplanting seedlings under extreme temperatures that can be damaging to the seedlings. Weather information can also be helpful when planning for seasons to come. For example, the South African Weather Services predicts a looming shift from the current El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) which is currently in a La Niña state that comes with above-normal rainfall to a neutral state by autumn (from March to May), which will come with lower rainfall for the summer rainfall areas for most parts of the SADC region.
2. Note-taking/ task management app (e.g. Evernote, Notion)
Stats already show that most people are glued to their screens for over 3 hours a day, so it only makes sense for employers to utilize what the employees already use to share work plans and delegate tasks. Notes and/or tasks written on these apps can be converted to PDF/ word documents for electronic filing and sharing through emails, social media, etc.
3. Cloud storage (e.g. Dropbox)
This is an off-site storage that is managed by a third party (hosting company). This type of storage nullifies the need for huge on farm physical storage space for files that span seasons and years of data. Cloud storage provides a lifetime data storage, makes it easy to access, update and share data remotely, and keeps your data backed up.
4. Accounting app
These apps can help one with the numbers. Some of these if not all can be linked with the cloud storage apps which makes it easier to collate all the operations data in one place for easy access and use. These will also assist in compiling invoices and preparing the company’s financials.
5. Social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
Social media is particularly popular with young farmers. This helps build connections, focus groups and partnerships between farmers, suppliers and consumers. Let’s take twitter for example, not so long ago, Twitter launched Twitter Space a platform where people can gather and discuss in real time about whatever topic of interest to them. I know a group of young farmers who gather every Tuesdays on this platform to discuss about poultry topics with each week having a different topic. They invite experts from different areas of the poultry industry to discuss topics that will help them understand their business and become better farmers. Food for Mzansi, an agriculture publication platform based in South Africa also runs Twitter Spaces discussing different topics and current events in the agricultural space. That is to say, Social media can be very helpful in expanding one’s horizon, form new connections and build partnerships to grow their businesses. There is a plethora of applications that are more specialized for different farming endeavours (fruit, crop and animal). As previously mentioned, apps can be used for planning, monitoring, bookkeeping, etc. A farmer may find an app that suites his/her needs from the different app download services on smartphones and computers, or seek assistance of an advisor with information as some apps are accessible through the provider’s platform.