CM Vijayan to launch IIITM-K's 'MANNU' app for farmers

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch an interactive mobile app 'MANNU', designed by the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) to help farmers check the suitability of a desired crop.

The formal launch will be held here Tuesday, a press release said.

The farmer-friendly spatially-enabled app, developed for the state's Soil Survey Department, not only helps check the suitability of a specific crop, but can also recommend the suitability of the farm, type of fertiliser, quantity and interval of application for the specified crop for a specified location.

'MANNU' is a cost-effective, efficient and easy-to-adopt e-governance tool for fertiliser advisory services that provides information on correct fertiliser dosage,depending on soil nutrient content, resulting in balanced nutrition, saving costs and avoiding soil and water pollution, the release said.

By using the app, farmers will get authentic information about the status of 20 soil nutrients for any location.

Based on the soil nutrient status, the app suggests the suitable crop for the selected geographic location (GPS).

A scaled-up version of the app, with soil information for the entire state and recommendations for all the crops, would be made available for farmers by the end of 2018, the release said.

It ultimately aims to provide scientific soil nutrient management, ensuring sustainability of soil health and optimum growth and yield of crop.

This app helps farmers make informed decisions about need-based and site-specific fertilizer application through the online system, the release said.

The Soil Survey Department has been generating soil nutrient information across Kerala with due emphasis on the micro relief conditions.

This information has been transformed into a knowledge base.