(Image source: Jean-Marie Hullot/Commons)

Asia-Pacific forest and farm producers pivotal to improving smallholder livelihoods and achieving regional SDGs in climate-resilient landscapes 

Here is a brief overview of the week’s news on Far Eastern Agriculture, from 13th - 17th November 2017

(Image source: Max Pixel)

Here is a brief overview of the week’s news on Far Eastern Agriculture, from 6th - 10th November 2017

Bayer launches new Digital Farming brand xarvio. (Image source: Bayer)

Bayer will launch the brand at this year’s Agritechnica, the leading trade fair for agricultural machinery with 2,900 exhibitors from 52 countries 

"Our objective is to improve farming - for the farmers and for the environment," said Tobias Menne, global head of Digital Farming at Bayer. "xarvio technololgies can support farmers all around our planet to optimise the amount of crop protection they need, thus to produce more efficiently and to increase profits while reducing the impact farming has on the environment." 

At the G49 trade fair booth in Hall 15 at the Agritechnica, visitors can learn about Bayer’s innovative solutions such as the Field Manager and the Scouting App marketed by Bayer under the new xarvio brand. Agritechnica will take place from November 12 to 18 at Hanover Fairgrounds in Hanover, Germany.

Xarvio solutions open farmers the opportunity to optimise the potential of their individual fields and field zones. Bayer’s Field Manager, for instance, will provide farmers with instant access to field-specific actionable strategies for the most efficient application of crop protection products. "With the Field Manager, which uses imaging and sensor technology from e.g. satellites, farmers always have the status of their fields at hand, receive field specific crop protection timing and can download field-zone specific variable application maps," said Andree-Georg Girg, Head of Commercialisation Digital Farming and Managing Director of Digital Farming GmbH at Bayer. "As a result, the application of agricultural inputs can be optimised so that the perfect amount is used exactly when and where it is needed and harvests will be produced more efficiently." 

The new xarvio SCOUTING App makes it easy to detect and identify crop diseases, insects, the nitrogen status and other leave damages - only take a picture and you get the analysis. Farmers also profit from the data gathered by their neighbours: They see which diseases are emerging and see the insect pressure around them. The app is now available on iOS as well as an Android version and accessible through the app stores. 

Digital Farming paves the way for a new agricultural revolution that makes farming quicker, more precise, efficient and sustainable. Already today, most new farm machinery is equipped with precision agriculture features. New tools help farmers optimize inputs such as fertiliser and crop protection agents with corresponding improvements in yields and quality. 

Currently, Bayer provides digital solutions in more than 60 countries and is aiming to achieve rapid further expansion. The new technologies have huge potential not only in countries such as Canada, the United States, Brazil, Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia, but also for smallholder farmers in developing countries. Enabling smallholder farmers to reach their farming potential is key to increase agricultural productivity in a sustainable manner and to improve the lives of their families and communities.

Here is a brief overview of the week’s news on Far Eastern Agriculture, from 30th October - 3rd November