MOBILE PHONES HELP FARMERS FEED THEIR FIELDS

Baku, July 28 (AZERTAC). Researchers in the Philippines will soon use mobile phones to help farmers use just the right amount of fertilizer, maximizing their harvests, saving them money and protecting the environment, VOA reports.

It`s a novel way to deliver important information to remote farmers who don`t otherwise have access to expert advice.

For farmers looking to get the most out of their fields, fertilizer is an essential but expensive ingredient.

"Fertilizers represent about 20 percent of the input costs in rice production for farmers," says soil scientist Roland Buresh at the International Rice Research Institute. "So it`s really quite important."