15
Nov
App developers in Uganda use TensorFlow to spot armyworm damage in maize (VB The Machine)
Fall armyworm, the larval life stage of a fall armyworm moth, impacts maize crops worldwide but particularly in countries like Uganda, where agricultural businesses employ 70% of the population. Studies show the potential impact is between 8.3 and 20.6 million tons per year, with the fallout amounting to between $2.48 million and $6.19 million per year.
The threat of devastating losses prompted developers participating in a Google Developer Group in Mbale to create an Android app — FlatButter — that identifies signs of fall armyworm damage in maize crops. It’s been featured on a national TV station in Uganda and highlighted by the Food Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, as well as by Google in a short film published today.
