Machine Learning Helps Small Farmers Identify Plant Pests And Diseases

The UN Food & Agricultural Organization says 20% to 40% of all global crops are lost each year because of plant pests and diseases that aren't managed properly. Developed by a small team in Germany, Plantix offers guidance to farmers who don't have the privilege of human consultants. "There's a huge gap between agricultural consultancy and people's needs on the ground in emerging countries," says Korbinian Hartberger, one of four cofounders of PEAT, the startup that develops the free-to-use app. They can't wait for someone to come along two months [after the infestation] and say, 'yes, I think you should have sprayed this.'" The Android interface is simple but makes use of sophisticated machine learning technology working in the background.