7.1 Mobile App Development
The mobile application for agricultural and rural development is software that is designed for the collection, transmission and documentation of Indigenous knowledge information and modern climatic data through mobile (Web Application) technology for rural smallholder farmers. This mobile app is meant to provide practical indigenous knowledge system (IKS) used by smallholder farmers. Results from the study findings were transmitted and documented on the mobile App in a simple, efficient and site-specific manner to assist farmers in planning their farm activities. This was done in anticipation of making long-term appropriate adjustments to increase smallholder farmers' resilience to climate change. The mobile app development will also assist the smallholder farmers to navigate the challenges of climate change and lack of access to timely and accurate climate information. Based on the study results, it is recommended that the application coverage extends through spatial analysis and mapping of rainfall and temperature characteristics at a village level.
A mobile app was developed for windows and android operating system because it is an open- source operating system and cost-effective (Figure 7.1). The Android Operating System incorporates numerous mobile applications, which offers flexibility to developers of applications. Therefore, these factors among others had led to the decision of developing a mobile App for rural smallholder farmers for accessibility of timely and accurate information, integrating with their indigenous knowledge systems. This App has been created to be user- friendly for smallholder farmers, even those aged 50years and above and is cost-effective.
The App home page consists of functions such as documented indigenous knowledge indicators with their interpretations, pests and diseases currently affecting farmers in the study area, the announcements page on updated news, a page for questions that will allow farmers to chat and ask questions as well as uploading pictures. There is also a daily weather update for the Nkomazi Local Municipality, and a page about "us" the App developers as well as a key function for the App manager namely "admin" which is not available for the primary users.
The admin function allows the App manager to have control and validate every information uploaded on the App.
109 Figure 17: Mobile App Login page
7.2 Project Scope
7.2.1 Situation / Problem / Opportunity
Many business systems serve a different purpose; the IKS Web Application aims to group all the most important services/functionalities in a simplified and related to the rural and farming community.
7.3 Project Goals
The development of the mobile app focused on improving agriculture production with functions such as providing climate and market information, increasing access to extension services, and facilitating market links. The app will be accessible to smallholder farmers, extension officers and produce buyers. This mobile application will provide significant economic and social benefits among smallholder farmers by reducing product losses; improve agricultural production and making our developing country more globally competitive. The potential development of the mobile app lies in their ability to provide access to useful, relevant information and services. Below are different indigenous climate indicators used by rural smallholder farmers, (i) Animal indicators; (ii) Plant indicators; (iii) Atmospheric indicators (iv) Human ailments. These indicators are used to make farm-level decisions concerning their farming systems such as planting time and selection of crop types.
The mobile app is meant to have functions that will include a non-redundant database (fast) that will include easy capturing of data. This system shall be user-friendly and be available as a light to load secure Web Application (Both Computer and Mobile).
110 The vision of the project is to improve efficiency and service levels of business operations.
7. 4 In Scope
7.4.1 In-Scope: People:
Smallholders Farmers
Local community
Application manager (Extension Officer) 7.4.2 Process System:
Dot Net IKS Web Application System with SQL Database.
7.4.3 Location:
Centralized system hosted in .co.za at first 7. 5 Out of Scope: People:
Government
Customers 7.5.1 Process System:
Outlook (emailing) 7.5.2 Location:
.co.za and every device that can access the web browser.
7.6 Project Objectives:
Objectives / Deliverables
A system that can be accessed through the web.
A system with a secure login.
A system that allows users to register and Create Database (Information and Pictures) will grant access.
Upload updated information (e.g. weather, pest and diseases info, available market links) View/Provide information on crop production.
A secure system with validations of all inputs.
Allow roles, some things to be viewed by higher users like Directors.
Upload / Document farmers indigenous knowledge:
Information uploaded in local language.
Must be able to easily access the Web Application via Mobile Phone and Computer (deployment of App).
Must be able to share/report (ability to take and upload pictures) via
111 the App to application managers
Ask questions (queries) - (Cover simple Chart feature for Queries.
Need to register or have a user name so it will easy to locate or identify them.
7.7 Project Risks
Table 15: Project risks and mitigation strategies
7.8 Mobile App validation
The mobile app was validated with Nkomazi smallholder farmers and they confirmed the recorded indicators with their meaning
7.9 Accessing the App:
The Mobile application "IKS web App" developed in this study can be accessed from ikswebapp.co.za (register as a user)
Risk Mitigation Strategy
At the time of deploying, we might have to manually add the first user.
This can be solved by deploying a database with a first user.
System maintenance might affect using the system
We will have to do it overnight but give users an SMS alert
112