Experts finalize Filipino version of mobile app that identifies rice pests and diseases

LOS BAÑOS, Philippines, 8 July—Agriculture experts recently held a workshop at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) to finalize the Filipino version of Rice Doctor, a mobile app that helps identify and manage rice crop problems.

It is an interactive mobile app that uses text and images to help extension workers, farmers, researchers, and students diagnose more than 80 pests, diseases, and other disorders affecting rice. Up to now, Rice Doctor has been only available in English.

Specialists from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and development communication students from the University of the Philippines joined the Rice Doctor Development Team (photo). They reviewed, edited, and finalized the Filipino translation of the brief descriptions of the signs, symptoms, and management options.

This activity is the second part of the Filipino translation workshop conducted through the project, Improving Technology Promotion and Delivery through Capability Enhancement of Next-Gen Rice Extension Professionals and Other Intermediaries, under the Food Staples Sufficiency Program. The first part, which was held last year, focused on the terms and the translation of the diagnostic questions.

The Filipino version of Rice Doctor, which will be available later this year, is the first effort to translate and localize the diagnostic tool for country-specific crop problems. Similar efforts are also being done in Bangladesh and India.

Rice Doctor was first developed by IRRI, PhilRice, the Indonesian Research Institute for Rice, and the Lucid team at the University of Queensland in Australia. The English version is available for download at the Google Play and App Store for free.

For more information, please email rkb@irri.org.

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