Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Information Communication Technology (ICT) and my work
WHERE TO PLANT RICE
Information
and Communication Technology (ICT) is a broad term that includes any
communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular
phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so
on, as well as the different services and applications associated with them,
such as video conferencing and distance learning.
ICT
have always been of importance in agriculture, ever since people have grown
crops, they have sought knowledge from one another. Agriculture is fronting new and serious threat in its own
right. With rising food prices that have pushed over 40 million people into poverty
since 2010, more efficient mediations are fundamental in agriculture (World
Bank 2011). The expanding world population, expected to hit 9 billion by 2050,
has intensified the demand for food and placed pressure on already-fragile
resources. Feeding that population will require a 70 percent increase in food
production (FAO 2009).
Rice
is
planted in almost all of the provinces in the Philippines. To
assess rice production and possible import needs and export contingency,
knowledge on the location and size of rice-growing areas is pressing. Thus, it
can help policy-makers with their opinions and plan out research and extension
activities to support rice farmers.
The International Rice
Research Institute (IRRI) and DA-PhilRice devised a mechanized system using
multi temporal Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite
images, an adaptation of the procedure done by Xiao et al (2006) to survey
rainfed lowland and irrigated rice areas. The rice extent map of our country is
based on MODIS images generated from 2010-2012 and can served as delineation of
the geographical assigning of rice across the major rice-growing areas in the
Philippines. It is the most appropriate and accessible public information on
where to grow rice at the start of the 21st century.
Images generated from
MODIS are free and readily available in every 8 days. However, some
disadvantages were encountered. The geographical resolution is bounded to
25 hectares/pixel (500mx500m), and
prevailing clouds cover causes poor quality of
images generated during wet season. The sizes of fields are considerably
smaller than 25 hectares, but neighboring rice areas can still be
distinguished. Output of the method
assume the general distribution of rice across the country, however, each and
every rice paddy cannot be display.
To elucidate these obstructions,
RIICE and DA-supported Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) projects are
employing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images that can track down and map
rice at more advanced details regardless of cloud conditions. The generated
maps based on SAR images will be developed and presented over the next few
years to constitute factual and detailed map of rice growing areas for each
region of the country.
People
only have to open their minds to the endless possibilities that technological
advancement can bring to agriculture. Instead of being locked away with the
traditional strategies for planting, why not get involved in new and improved
methods of farming? Today’s society can benefit from agricultural advancements
and live sustainable lives by improving the production, harvest methods, and
distribution of agricultural goods. All of these effects and more are possible
through the successful merge of ICT and agriculture which is why farmers are
getting more and more encouraged to take part in this positive change.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
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