Launched in January 2004, OSCAR looks at developing an open source weed identification software for the major weed species of Rice-Wheat crop systems which can be deployed on Simputers. The application will address extension workers, farmers/farmer groups, students in the Indo-Gangetic plains.
The application will have 50 weed species in the database, their botanical characteristics, their incidence and ways to control them on field. It will also be ported in local languages like Hindi, Urdu and Bangla (if necessary in Punjabi and Nepali). The activities are designed in such a way that on one hand, the botanical/taxonomic work proceeds to enrich the database of weed species by collecting photographs for each character of every species, drawing the identikit and on the other hand, the development work progresses simultaneously benefiting from the botanical work.
As a result we now have a beta version for windows and linux/simputer version is almost in its beta stage. These versions are tested on field during the workshops and subsequent field trips in the Indo-Gangetic plains with farmers, extension workers and students. Initially students were not part of targeted audience but we learnt during the field trips that OSCAR can be a good educational tool and added them to the list of targeted audience.
It is expected by June 2006, complete versions of OSCAR for windows, Linux Desktop and Simputer will be readied. There are basic issues in agriculture that OSCAR or for that matter IT&C tools may not be able to address, but OSCAR will certainly demostrate the significance of application of FLOSS to areas like agriculture.
More: OSCAR
Source: FOSS - Policy and Development Implications
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