E-plant clinics in Sri Lanka were launched in June 2015. Since then 190 Plant doctors have been trained and equipped with tablets, with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture funding half of the total number of tablets themselves. Being equipped with tablets means Plant doctors give higher quality recommendations, and the data collection process is also considerably streamlined. Below are two snapshots of how e-plant clinics are doing in Sri Lanka.
Sagarika helps a farmer diagnose his diseased crop
Sagarika’s story
Nimali Sagarika is a plant doctor at a pilot e-plant clinic in Nuwara Eliya district in southern Sri Lanka. She is getting to grips with her new tablet for collecting data on plant pests. With some basic training and technical support Sagarika uses her tablet to capture vital data from farmers on pest types, symptoms and the crops affected.
With this information at her finger tips she can make recommendations on pest management faster and more accurately than previously when using paper prescription forms.
Sagarika photographed herself using the tablet and interacting with farmers, showing them how to recognise various plant health problems and explaining how to manage them.
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- Explaining how to manage a pest problem to a group of farmers
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- Advising a potato seed farmer during a field visit
Nilanka’s story
Nilanka at an e-plant clinic training
Nilanka Herath, a plant doctor also in Nuwara Eliya district, trains plant doctors from other districts on how to use their tablets in the clinics. Nilanka has been integral to the designing and implementation phases of the pilot since 2015.
Nilanka trains plant doctors to access advice from the Plantwise Factsheets Library app, Pest Management Decision Guides and other relevant sources using their tablets. This ensures that farmers get instant and more detailed recommendations which are consistent with agreed best practice.
Nilanka takes his tablet wherever he goes and grabs any opportunity to give plant health advice and collect important data.
Nilanka advising a farmer in his clinic
To find out more about the benefits of e-plant clinics you can read our Supporting Plantwise with Digital Technologies report.
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