Application of Drone Technology in Agriculture and Technologies & Strategies for Beekeepers to Adapt to Climate Change

Abstract

The use of drones have already significantly changed the agricultural sector and will increase over the next few years. Even if drone use is growing more beneficial for small farmers, there is still a long way to go before they are a standard piece of farming equipment, especially in developing countries such as the Caribbean. Drones can be valuable to farmers in a variety of ways and as such, it is crucial to understand their capabilities and limitations. This Video provides a brief description of the benefits of data-driven agriculture, application of drone in agriculture, drone data collection and analysis and generating actionable maps for farmers. Ms. Rose Funja, Executive Director of Aginfo, discusses the use of drone technology in contributing to building a sustainable and clmate resilent agriculture sector. Ms. Funja explains the benefits of data-driven agriculture, providing access to data for farmers including drones, sensors and softwares for data analysis as well as the process for precision agriculture missions and analyzing data collected and generating actionable maps for farmers

Bees are more than just producers of honey; they are critical to the pollination of many of fruits and vegetables and without them our biodiversity is at risk. Beekeeping (or apiculture) though important, still remains an underdeveloped industry in the Caribbean Region where majority of beekeepers produce honey as a hobby or part-time job rather than a full-time business venture. The industry faces several challenges including changing climate. This video provides a brief description of the strategy of the Belize Honey Industry for increasing honey production, technologies and strategies implemented to adapt to climatic changes, and value-added honey and bee products. Mr. Miguel Huertas, Coodinator for Honey and Beekeeping at the Ministry of Agriculture in Belize, shares the experiences with various technologies and strategies being implemented in Bellize to adapt to climate changes. Mr. Huertas discusses the strategy of the Belize honey industry to increase production including the development of value added honey and bee products for the generation of additional income