Designing a Picture-based Agricultural Extension Tool Krishoker Janala (Farmer’s Window) for Better Agricultural Advisory Service

Farmers are not capable enough to express the problems of their plants before the agriculture extension service provider properly. Therefore, sometimes error occurs in identifying the problem. Consequently, inappropriate suggestions are provided to the farmer. This is due to the existence of communication noises between the farmer and extension worker. Visiting farmer’s field involves cost, take time and needs farmer’s frequent visit. The problem is bigger when the farmer is a tribe or disabled one. An electronic and device responsive pictorial database (http://www.infokosh.gov.bd/krishokerjanala/home.html) of plant’s problem found to be very effective in addressing all these issues. It minimizes the communication noises between farmer and extension worker. It is very effective in identifying a problem correctly and providing suggestion appropriately. Farmer/ user can easily identify his/her plant’s problem seeing the picture of the database and standardized suggestion comes out on clicking the picture of the problem. The database also found to be very effective in identifying a plant’s problem by a tribe or disabled person, who have language problem. Pictures of plant’s problems i.e. symptom of insect damage, disease infection and nutritional deficiencies were taken from the field and arranged in the database in a logical order. The database was standardized by a high profile technical expert committee consist of entomologist, plant pathologist, soil scientist, agronomist, horticulturist, agriculture extension expert and information and communication technology (ICT) expert. Several pictures were used to express a problem, so that farmer/ user can easily identify his/her plant’s problem. The database is device responsive i.e. it can be used in desktop, laptop, tab and Smartphone. It is usable both online and offline.