Innovative drone technology aids rice farmers

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has partnered with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) to implement a pilot project aimed at enhancing rice production through the use of innovative technology.
Driven by drones and data analytics, for the monitoring of rice cultivation areas and to give farmers information to make data-based decisions for crop management, the project is set to herald a future of enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and productivity in rice farming.
On Tuesday, FAO Director General QU Dongyu visited the Burma Rice Research Station, Mahaicony, where he was briefed on the progress of the initiative.
Though launched last year, with technical and financial support from the FAO-China South-South Cooperation project and a Regional E-Agriculture project, the project has engaged 205 farmers thus far.
Representatives from the GRDB and the Agriculture Ministry reported that the project has been moving ahead swiftly. According to various farmers, the technology provides them with a clearer understanding of any issues present in their rice fields. It was understood that the drones fly around the fields, and the devices would indicate to farmers what problems the rice has, and what they would have to apply to help it. The drones use colour to convey information, lighting up red, yellow or green. Red means danger, indicating that they have to apply fertiliser or spray.
Farmers added that the technology also provides data to support land preparation. One farmer relayed that he can be at home and send his drone into the fields to see what is happening.
Another farmer, Balram Rampersaud, explained that integrating drones and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques into their operations brings a sense of relief. “You don’t have to do as much manual labour, and you have machines, so it’s easier to control the crop,” Rampersaud said.
GRDB Extension Officer and Drone Pilot Trainee Winfield Washington shared the sentiments of the farmers and lauded the programme, noting that it aligned with Guyana’s technological transformation.
“It can give us real-time data; it can also benefit the farmers tremendously, because it’s better for us to advise the farmer. It also helps with surveillance. It is tremendous for us in GRDB and the farmers in terms of the way forward,” he said.