Drones and Digital IPM
Unlocking the potential of technologies to enable precision integrated pest management across Southeast Asia
Project Description
New technologies such as drones and digital IPM approaches offer huge potential for controlling FAW and in improving IPM approaches in the field. This project will aim to exploit the potential of technology innovation to monitor and control plant health and FAW as well as explore public-private partnerships for scale-up of technology transfer across the region. Components of the programme will include:
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Information and knowledge-sharing
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Professional training
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Technology-transfer projects, including large-scale, bilateral or national partnership work
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2020 Workshop on Drones and Digital IPM
This webinar discusses the potential of drones and digital IPM with presentations on the use of drones to spray a new granular pesticide to help control FAW in China (2) employment of drones and AI to collect plant-level data to inform IPM, (3) farmer digital IPM apps and (4) the use of earth observation technology, satellite positioning and plant-pest lifecycle information to forecast FAW outbreaks.
Watch the workshop here. Download the presentations here.
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2021 Workshop on Drones and Digital IPM
This webinar discusses the potential of drones and digital IPM with presentations on the use of drones to apply Trichogramma parasitoids for plant pest control, (2) (3) the use of drones in Cambodia and the Philippines, (4) evaluation of barriers to digital IPM service, as well as a Panel discussion involving leaders in drones and digital IPM solutions for farmers. Watch the workshop here. Download the presentations here.
Dr Lian-Sheng Zang also shared two videos showing drones in action.
1. Use of drones for releasing Trichogramma against corn borer.
2, Use of drones for releasing Trichogramma against soybean pod borer.
Evaluation of the Establishment of a Southeast Asian Agricultural Drones and Data Academy
Drones and digital IPM technologies offer significant opportunities to help improve plant health surveillance and manage plant pests and diseases, including FAW, as well as contribute to broader sustainable agriculture goals. The potential establishment of a Drones and Data Academy for Southeast Asia as a centre for training excellence in the region to facilitate the responsible use of drone technology, data collection and analysis and to support economic development and innovation opportunities through the implementation of precision agriculture was evaluated from April to July 2022.
The evaluation found that skill gaps exist in terms of operating drones in a farm situation, agronomy, crop management, data collection, analytics and interpretation, and data ownership. There is a significant opportunity in the short-term to offer courses on drones and data, agronomy, and entrepreneurship which could also evolve to offer courses on rural development, geospatial data analysis, financial management, disaster management and climate change to which drone-based and geospatial data collection methods can add significant value. Read the Evaluation Report here.
Further Resources
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Drones Conference
A recent conference (March 2021) on drone use for pesticide application was held by CropLife Asia. Seven sessions were conducted during the forum, ranging from sessions on regulatory frameworks for pesticide application, R&D - technology enablers for pesticide application by drone; and commercial adoption of drone for pesticide application in APAC.