Has your crop ever withered, leaving you wondering what went wrong? A group of young innovators may have found the answer. Bhutanese farmers could soon benefit from a smartphone application designed to detect poor plant health right in the field and offer instant solutions. This smart farming tool was one of the standout business ideas pitched at a recent university competition held at Gedu College of Business Studies.
While pests and diseases remain the major challenges of farmers in the country, it is a group of students from the Gyalpozhing College of Information and Technology with an application called ZhingScan.
The app allows users to scan or upload a picture to confirm the pest or disease and it gives out the treatment recommendation.
Phurpa Dorji from GCIT said “Right now, the language is in English. For example, for maize, the application will show you whether it is an armyworm attack. After identifying the issue, it will give out remedies. But we have a section below where we can find a video about what you can do. We are planning to make it available in Dzongkha, Tshangla and other local dialects so all farmers can use it. If the farmer still cannot understand, the app will then connect the farmer to the agriculture officers.”
Another award-winning business idea was presented by the students of the College of Natural Resources.
With the fact that Bhutan produces over 172 metric tonnes of waste every day, nearly half of it is food waste.
At the same time, the country continues to import large amounts of chemical fertilisers.
Now, it is these students addressing both challenges through vermicomposting, a green solution that has already earned them the title of Best Business Idea among universities.
Also, ZeeBa, another application developed by the students of Sherubtse College secured the third position. The application provides a platform for tour operators and tourists to connect directly without having to involve a second person.
Sailesh Bhandari from CNR said “We started this as a class project. But seeing the scope of it, we tried to use this in waste management because waste management is an issue, especially in urban areas. Right now, we cannot supply vermicompost properly, but once we reach the production stage, we can do it. We already have pre-orders of more than Nu 200 thousand.”
Jamyang Jigdrel Norbu said Sherubtse College said “There is a disparity between the tour operators and tourists. Tourists are using third-party websites to book their tours and also the tour operators acquire clients through third party. So, we are planning to solve this inconvenience.”
The Royal University of Bhutan Business Idea Competition saw many other compelling business ideas from the universities.
The annual programme was introduced a few years ago to foster entrepreneurial mindset among youth, encourage innovation and promote self-employment.
To ensure the ideas become a reality, structured follow-ups including mentoring support, and incubation opportunities are offered to the students.
The relevant offices also help students secure connection to funding agencies.
Kinley Dem
