A new integrated horticulture app developed in Jammu and Kashmir is set to provide growers with weather data, crop information, and advisory tools. The application, named Kash Crop, was created by software developer Hazik Hussain from Norpora village in Tral, Pulwama district. The app will be available on the Google Play Store on New Year's Day.
Hussain developed the platform over three years after taking over management of his family's home orchard. "When I started looking after our orchard, I did not know anything about it because farming is usually done traditionally in Kashmir. So, I started working on this app," he said. He added that "after three years of hard work, this Kash Crop App is ready, which I will dedicate to the public on the arrival of the new year so that the gardener of Kashmir can have a farmer advisor available on his phone."
The app integrates GPS and an AI assistant to track weather and other field-related updates. According to Hussain, users can download the app, set crop preferences, and receive information on crop care and interventions. Features include weather tracking, information on plant protection products, disease identification, market rates, soil testing options, and access to customer care services.
"Initially, we have included detailed information about Apples. Such assistance is vital because apple cultivation is a major sector in the Kashmir Valley," Hussain said. He noted that access to streamlined information may support growers who rely on traditional farming knowledge systems.
Hussain described difficulties during the development process but said family support helped him complete the project. "The Internet is a double-edged sword that has both negative and positive sides, and if we use it positively, it can bring a revolution in society," he said.
The app is expected to target orchardists and small-scale growers who require real-time data and advisory tools on crop management.
Source: Bharat
