Indigenously developed technology detects plant diseases, addresses treatment gaps

To seek treatment Human beings are capable of explaining the pain they suffer and pinpoint symptoms of the diseases for physicians. But plants are not gifted with such things. Debo Engineering Plc has discovered new indigenous technology which detects plant diseases and addresses treatment gaps. This technology can work if connected with mobile, computer or websites. It identifies plant diseases and indicates solutions via image detection.

This discovery provides opportunities for the investors who have vast investment lands. The investors simply can protect their investments from any kind of plant diseases via using this technology because the technology can easily identify the disease, predict what kind of diseases is due to attack the plant/or the crop. It also determines solution how the diseases should be treated, Jermia Bayisa Manager of the company, told The Ethiopian Press Agency.

It was developed in 2017 by Debo Engineering Plc which is founded by engineer, Boaz Berhanu and Jermiah Bayisa. They are graduated-engineers of Jimma University and instructors there. Jermia Beyissa is computer and civil engineering graduate and MA holder in Computer Networking. He is also MA candidate in project management and finance. Boaze Berhanu is a graduate in electric and computer engineering and also MA degree graduate in computer engineering.

Jermia remembers the moment he met with Boaz like this. ‘‘We were born and brought up in different places. I was born and brought up in Ameba while he was born and grow in Kemese. Whereas we were Jimma University student in different academic field and in the same phase we commence MA program in Jimma University in different programs. The university has community-based project that brings students together from different department in order to implements projects that solve community’s problem. We meet by this project.’’

After this, they have exchanged ideas to develop technologies that solve communities’ problems. After MA program and they have established Debo Engineering Plc. The company name indicates combined passion to solve community’s problem through using knowledge and technological skills via shared efforts.

This company was established with the aim of solving problems found in education, health, transportation and other sectors via discovering artificial intelligence and other modern technologies. But as agriculture is the backbone of Ethiopian economy, our company gives priority and develops technology that identifies the diseases and indicates solutions for plants affected by various diseases. This technology was applied in Jimma on coffee plants as he explained. Coffee is the country’s main source of foreign currency. Accordingly, our company gives due emphasis for coffee plant health, as to him.

Coffee diseases taken as a big challenge in coffee production as collected- information from researchers indicated. Using this information, the company collect sample coffee leaves and detects via developed artificial intelligence technologies. Hence, this technology determines the level how plants are affected by the diseases, the kind of diseases that occurred and also indicates solutions how the diseases should be treated, he noted.

The company has developed the technology together with plant science experts. Now the company has introduced the technology for some coffee producer and they are utilizing it. The application is working without internet connection. Currently, it is designed in a manner to work actively in four languages:-English, Afan Oromo, Amharic and Tigrigna but it has also a plan to add other languages. Besides, it is working to provide voice aid information for the users who are illiterate.

Currently, it has been applied in coffee farms found in Jimma, while the company has plan to make the technology accessible across the country after collecting valuable data about coffees found in other parts of the country. Hence, the application will be uploaded on Google paly and farmers can download and utilize the technology as per their demand.

Currently, the application is working via detecting image but now the technologists are working to allow the application to take the video and analyze the information. The video taken will identify insects besides identifying the diseases as Boaz explained.

They won various awards for their deeds. In 2019, in the area of Digital Innovation, they won Green Innovation and Agritech Slam award. In 2020, they won MEST Africa’s competition and received award and recognition. Besides, they also won international best digital innovation and have received international award and made Ethiopia victorious in a competition they represent Ethiopia.

As the innovators said the work is not a bed of roses. There were ups and down in the process of developing such technologies. Still now there are many ups and downs. Among these difficulties include the request for payment from our stakeholders, poor financial capacity. Such problems are challenging the company’s development.

The computer provided from Microsoft Company, helpful for developing technologies, is drawing close to termination of services. After four months the computer will get out of service. This means many problem solving apps and technological discoveries will be lost. If this happens it is difficult to make developed technologies functional again unless rediscovering it.

Hence, they called upon government and concerned bodies to provide financial and other infrastructural aid for the company via considering the significance of the discoveries for the country. This time, besides working on agricultural technologies the company is undertaking activities to develop application that identifies mosquitos. The company dreams to build artificial intelligence that benefits the public and the company. The biggest goal is to be the biggest artificial intelligence owner in east Africa.

BY MULATU BELACHEW

The Ethiopian Herald May 5/2013

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