Pilot project will allow Alberta beekeepers to access production advice that might otherwise be difficult to obtain
A pilot project aims to help Alberta beekeepers find answers to help deal with the unprecedented drought and high temperatures currently affecting honey production.
The initiative involves the AGvisorPRO online platform, which will allow producers to more easily connect with experts, such as agronomists and researchers, via an app on electronic devices.
“It’s a great opportunity, and we’re looking at a crisis which is facing the agriculture industry in Alberta in terms of drought and global warming,” said chief executive officer Mark Redmond of the provincial Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) fund.
Timely access to experts can be difficult even if beekeepers know who to contact, said Connie Phillips, executive director of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission. “But we just think that using an app is kind of an easy, simple way to get in touch with an expert… and I think that part of the pilot project’s work would be to include those pieces that would be beneficial to beekeepers, agronomists and companies that contract out their fields.”
Redmond said the initiative could be expanded to help producers in other agricultural sectors in Alberta.
“I see enormous potential, but that has yet to be determined…. There will be a shortage of honey this year because of the crisis that we’re facing and honey is a major agricultural export for this province.”
AGvisorPRO is partnering with ABC and RDAR after agreeing in principle to the project. It was announced Aug. 10 at a news conference during the AgSmart agricultural expo at Olds College in Alberta.
The total cash for the project is still being determined, said Redmond.
“We are committing support for the rollout in the infrastructure, so those fees have to be estimated and that’s why we’re not committing to an absolute dollar figure today.”
AGvisorPRO offers several levels of service, including those requiring payment for advice, said chief executive officer Robert Saik. However, the pilot project will allow any beekeeper in the province to download the app and access experts for free, he added.
The Alberta agricultural entrepreneur was among 15 people invited to talk in 2017 with Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates about using modern farm technology to feed the world’s growing population in an environmentally sustainable way.
The AGvisorPRO platform allows producers to use devices such as smartphones or desktop computers to communicate with experts via video, chat or voice. The idea is to “put a brain on the farm without the body being on the farm,” said Saik, pointing to an expert in the audience at the news conference.
“He can’t be on 10 farms in one day, which is physically impossible unless we utilize technology … farmers can access (him) instantaneously on our app and ask him a question about spraying.”
In an interview, Phillips said spraying concerns are common during summer when hives are contracted to pollinate fields. Aerial sprayers can accidentally spray beekeepers and bees with pesticides, which could be prevented through better communication.
AGvisorPRO can also help prevent the inadvertent spread of bee diseases such as European or American foulbrood between farms because experts aren’t visiting in person, said Saik.
