In a significant step toward making agriculture
more technology-driven and accessible, Modes Chakma, a student of the Faculty
of Agriculture at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University
(HSTU), has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart
agricultural service platform named “Crops Doctor”.
The innovative platform enables farmers to identify crop diseases quickly
from their homes by simply uploading images of affected plants. Based on AI
technology, the platform analyzes the images, diagnoses diseases and provides
appropriate recommendations for treatment and management.
Speaking to BSS, Modes Chakma said that Crops Doctor was designed to make
modern agricultural services easily accessible, particularly for marginal
farmers.
He explained that the platform’s primary objective is to facilitate the rapid
detection of crop diseases at the field level while providing timely and
accurate advice without requiring farmers to visit agricultural offices.
One of the platform’s key features is the Disease Detector, which
automatically identifies diseases using AI after farmers upload photos of
infected crops or plants. The system also suggests possible solutions based
on extensive research and scientific knowledge.
Currently, the platform supports disease diagnosis and management for several
major crops, including rice, wheat, maize, potato, tomato, tea, sugarcane,
jute, mustard, mango, banana, eggplant, chili, onion, garlic, ginger and
turmeric.
Farmers have already started benefiting from the service, contributing to the
platform’s growing popularity.
To make the platform accessible internationally, English has been added
alongside Bangla. The developer is also working to incorporate additional
languages so that farmers in different countries can access agricultural
information and services in their native languages.
Besides disease detection, Crops Doctor includes a Fertilizer Calculator,
which recommends the appropriate type and quantity of chemical or organic
fertilizers based on crop variety and land area. It also features a Pesticide
Calculator that helps farmers determine safe and accurate pesticide-to-water
mixing ratios.
The platform further offers a Crop Calendar, providing stage-wise cultivation
guidelines throughout the growing season. In addition, a 24/7 AI-powered
virtual assistant is available to answer farmers’ agricultural questions
instantly.
To strengthen precision agriculture, the platform also integrates satellite
and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone-based analysis. These technologies
enable large-scale crop monitoring, crop health assessment and soil fertility
evaluation.
According to the young innovator, Crops Doctor is more than just a
technological product-it is a tool for ensuring food security. Timely disease
detection can significantly reduce crop losses, while precise fertilizer
recommendations can lower production costs and help protect soil health.
“My goal is to ensure that even a farmer in the most remote village receives
the same quality of agricultural advice as a large commercial farm,” said
Modes Chakma adding, “By leveraging AI, we aim to protect crops, increase
agricultural productivity and contribute to ensuring food security for every
family in Bangladesh.”
Farmers in countries including the United States, India, China and Indonesia
have already begun using the platform. Work is currently underway to further
upgrade the Crops Doctor application, with plans to launch a fully updated
mobile app in the near future to make the service more accessible to farmers
across Bangladesh.
HSTU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr. Enamulya praised the innovation,
describing the university as a research-oriented institution committed to
promoting scientific advancement.
He said the university actively encourages faculty members and students to
engage in research and innovation.
Prof Enamulya also commended Modes Chakma’s contribution to modernizing
agriculture through AI technology, stating that the university authorities
are providing him with necessary support and encouragement.
Similar research and innovation activities are regularly carried out at HSTU,
he added.
