As the epidemic drove many inside, Ehsan Quddusi, a software developer, became interested in his family’s apple orchards in Kashmir. Over the following few months, he became aware of the need for specialised solutions for farmers and began contacting acquaintances.
These discussions resulted in the creation of Orchardly, a mobile app that delivers real-time microclimate alerts, pruning schedule recommendations, disease control assistance, and even soil-testing capabilities.
Orchardly, which was launched just six months ago, now connects over 5,500 farmers across Kashmir, assisting them in reaping the benefits of high density apple production on limited land holdings. While the service is now free, the creators are thinking about subscription possibilities for individuals with greater property Slot Gacor.
“We had built up a high density orchard at our property in Tral (Pulwama), but I immediately realised there was a vacuum surrounding the technical components of this farming practise.” So I gathered two of my pals and we created this software,” Ehsan explained.
The 25-year-old brought his computer knowledge to the table, having worked in the IT industry for over 12 years. And his pals, Orchardly co-founders and brothers Izhan and Uzair Javed, who manage their own supply chain firm, lent their knowledge. Izhan has a Master of Science in Operations and Supply Chain from the University of Manchester, and Uzair has a Bachelor of Commerce from the Islamic University of Science and Technology in Kashmir.
Izhan is largely responsible for the company’s post-harvest supply chain, whilst Uzair is more concerned with the pre-harvest side “including orchard solutions and deliverables.”
“Previously, the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology would offer information on annual schedules for spraying or trimming apple trees or rainfall schedules based on prior years’ data,” Uzair explained. Bringing in technology allows us to “provide real-time information.”
Spraying, for example, is influenced by weather circumstances, and conventional farming has depended heavily on general scheduling. Orchardly is linked to its 39 weather stations across the valley and sends out microclimate alerts via push notifications. “If it rains in Srinagar, it might not rain in Anantnag.” So it is preferable for every farmer to be able to make judgments based on their own area rather than rely on generic signals,” Ehsan explained.
Soil testing is another important factor. “It is not widespread practise, and when a farmer wishes to use this option, the government centres may take up to months to get findings.”
“We are analysing soil for free for folks who use our app and then educate them on how much pesticide to apply or the water content in the soil, among other issues,” Ehsan explained.
According to him, a team of agronomists assists farmers in addressing specific issues. Furthermore, information on emerging pests is provided to allow for early disease response.
