Abstract
Food insecurity is a critical challenge for developing resource-poor farmers in Africa due to low quality/quantity of fodder and animal production, parasitic/infectious diseases, and lack of expert assistance. Study objectives include evaluation of efficient growth potential of appropriate tannin-rich and anti-parasitic fodder legumes in southern Africa and testing telemetry to monitor animal activity related to disease outbreaks and real-time preliminary treatment support via smartphone APP. Developed automated-geospatial model predicted suitable spatial locations to grow sericea lespedeza for improving animal production systems. Transponder-signal analyses from sheep on two farms in South Africa helped develop ranges of signals for animal health and predator attack/poaching associated behavior. Software developed from signal ranges as an early-warning system for disease detection worked efficiently. It is being combined with the under-progress smartphone APP to deliver health warnings to farmers' cellphones. An APP-based Decision Support System website is under construction for real-time small-ruminant health management information delivery.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | 2021 IST-Africa Conference, IST-Africa 2021 |
| Editors | Miriam Cunningham, Paul Cunningham |
| Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781905824670 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 May 2021 |
| Event | 2021 IST-Africa Conference, IST-Africa 2021 - Virtual, Online, South Africa Duration: 10 May 2021 → 14 May 2021 |
Publication series
| Name | IST-Africa Conference (IST-Africa): Proceedings |
|---|---|
| Publisher | IEEE |
| ISSN (Print) | 2576-859X |
| ISSN (Electronic) | 2576-8581 |
Conference
| Conference | 2021 IST-Africa Conference, IST-Africa 2021 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | South Africa |
| City | Virtual, Online |
| Period | 10/05/2021 → 14/05/2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021 IST-Africa Institute and Authors.
Keywords
- Animal Health Remote Management
- Decision Support System (DSS)
- Geospatial Technology
- Python
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
- Site Specific Forage Management (SSFM)
- Smartphone App Development
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Computer Science Applications
- Decision Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Information Systems and Management
- Development
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computer Networks and Communications
