December 26, 2022 | The Dubai Headlines

Education Science & Tech

AI-based app unveiled in Dubai to help farmers detecting crop disturbances

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App developed with help of farmers, Dubai research facility, University of Barcelona.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri (centre), Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, launched a new AI-powered mobile application for detecting crop disorders during a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) in Dubai.

Dubai: A new AI-powered mobile application for detecting crop disorders was unveiled by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, during a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA).

Called Dr. Nabat, the application is a result of collaboration between ICBA and the University of Barcelona, Spain, under a project titled “Developing a user-friendly mobile application for smallholder farmers to detect plant disorders”.

Created with farmers’ help

Created with the support of local partners in Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE, the application is designed to aid smallholder farmers and extension specialists in spotting crop disorders at early stages, and thus minimising yield losses and improving incomes.

It can identify 18 different common disorders affecting tomato, capsicum, and cucumber. These cash crops are considered important for smallholder farmers who practice protected agriculture.

Almheiri said: “This app is a prime example of how we can harness the power of technology to address pressing concerns. In the face of ever-rising challenges, with climate change at the forefront, we believe that technological interventions will optimise agricultural practices, enhance harvest quality and quantity, and notably improve the lives of farmers.

“We are confident the app will prove to be a game changer for smallholder farmers, providing them with early diagnosis at the click of a button and helping them save their crops.”

Frontlines of food security

Dr. Tarifa Alzaabi, Director General of ICBA, added, “Smallholder farmers are on the frontlines of food security. They are the backbone of many agricultural economies, yet they often lack access to information about pests and diseases. We have developed this mobile application to help bridge this gap and put knowledge in their hands.”

As part of the project, ICBA collected raw data from the three countries for training the AI model which was developed by the University of Barcelona. The application was field-tested, and 414 smallholder farmers and extension specialists were trained and provided their feedback on the beta version from 2020 to 2022.

Efficient, eco-friendly agriculture

Dr. Jose Luis Araus, a professor of plant physiology at the University of Barcelona, noted, “The future of more efficient and eco-friendly agriculture lies in technology and innovation. So, we hope to see this application taken up by smallholder farmers and other agricultural users across the region.”

Dr. Henda Mahmoudi, a plant physiologist and project lead at ICBA, stated, “Crop disorders and pests pose a major challenge to smallholder farmers in the Middle East and North Africa. Intelligent systems such as this application can play a crucial role in making prompt diagnoses and taking an effective and timely action.”

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the annual loss in crop production due to pests and diseases ranges between 20 and 40 percent globally. Each year plant diseases cost the world’s economy around US$220 billion, and invasive insects around US$70 billion.

Currently, the application is customised for Egypt, Tunisia, and the UAE. But there are plans to upgrade and roll out the application in other countries in the future.

Business

Dubai tops charts as region’s most popular city in 2022; beats New York, Paris, Barcelona on global index

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Lisbon comes in at the sixth spot on the list, while the historical city of Istanbul in Turkey has sealed the seventh spot.

Dubai has topped the charts as the region’s number one most popular city in 2022.

According to “Destinations Insight” from Google, the emirate also ranks number two globally; the index ranks London as the world’s number one most popular city.

The search engine tracks the number of searches for flights and accommodations for each destination.

French capital Paris ranks at number three with New York, Amsterdam and Barcelona taking the third, fourth and fifth places respectively.

Lisbon comes in at the sixth spot, while the historical city of Istanbul in Turkey has sealed the seventh spot.

This is followed by Italy’s Rome and Indonesia’s Denpasar that have secured the ninth and tenth spot respectively on the global index.

Model

Second-hand book fair in Dubai with prices from Dh3 to Dh10

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l Safa Art and Design Library is hosting a second-hand book fair over the holidays.

The event, which runs until Tuesday, was created to spread cultural awareness among the public by trying to promote reading as a lifestyle. The initiative is part of the Dubai Public Libraries cultural programme.

There are a number of second-hand books on sale, suitable for all age groups, with symbolic prices ranging from Dh3 to Dh10.

The fair is open daily from 8am to 8pm. The project is one that highlights Dubai Culture’s compliance with the National Literacy Strategy 2016-2026, which aims to promote cultural values in society and support all aspects of culture including the arts and literature.

Visiting the tucked-away library

Al Safa Art and Design Library was originally opened in 1989 but was revamped in 2019 with new stylish architecture and an invitingopen-plan layout that encourages visitors to sit, socialise and stay put.

The building stands out as a stark grey beacon of modernity against an older, coral-coloured backdrop, with foliage and a flyover almost obscuring it from view. But its sharp, angular shape catches your eye.

Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass doors, a cafe sits tucked away to the left. A vast expanse of low-lying shelves with a selection of books in Arabic and English is ahead. You can read these inside the space but, unlike traditional libraries, you cannot take them home.

Scroll the gallery below to see more of Al Safa Art and Design Library in Dubai

Al Safa Art & Design Library is based on Al Wasl Road. Reem Mohammed / The National