The product, called ‘Electronic Solutions against Agricultural Pests (eSAP)”, is an ICT solution in the field of plant protection. It is a dedicated system that effectively integrates Mobile communications and Cloud solutions to bring different players of the agricultural ecosystem including farmers, agricultural universities and policy makers to interact on a single platform in real time enabling two-way dissemination of real time information strengthening the agricultural sector of a nation.
The eSAP uniquely addresses plant health management issue structured with multimedia-based presentation of information in the field devices transcending language and literacy barriers. It is the first solution to enable on-field identification and quantification of pest problem along with instant solutions. It also generates and synthesizes real time data of pest situations of a region (country) and makes it available over its web solution to other players in the agriculture sector. The product also contributes to rural employment and entrepreneurship in local youth.
With the integration of over 40 agriculture and horticulture crop information related to plant protection, eSAP has now adopted by state government of Karnataka. Over 3500 officers of the agriculture and horticulture department are using eSAP application and supporting farmers in providing real time advisories to problems related to pests, diseases, nutrition disorders and weeds. Over 100,000 farmers across the state are benefitted through eSAP. Further, several pest problems are identified for the first time opening up an opportunity to scientists/ researchers to initiate studies.

https://www.esap.in

• India

• Remote and rural communities
• Farmer

eSAP is a dedicated system for plant health management. The system allows integration of any number of crops, problems related to crops and their management.
The system allows language switch over and hence can be deployed across any political boundary.
Since the system allows specific recommendation facility, the advisory suitable to any geographical region can be integrated
Apart from plant protection, eSAP also accommodates 'Best practices" which are region specific, hence, can be replicated to any region of the world.
The system allows integration of other Agri-entrepreneurs like sericulture etc.

eSAP address the mitigation of pest related problems on real time. Since, the system has unique way of identification, quantification and recommendation of crop pests right in the farmers' field without expert support and on offline, this truly empowers field users. The field data which includes information related to farmer, farm, crop, pest, intensity of pest, advisory and feed back of the farmer transforms into automated multimedia reports which empowers researchers, administrators and policy makers in decision making. There is a two-communication system from farmer to other stake holders and visa versa. As a result, eSAP project can be made sustainable in three ways
1. As Government run programme: Looking into the potential use of eSAP application in addressing plant health management, the system can be run as a state run programme through regular funding. At present, Karnataka government which has adopted eSAP adopted this mode.
2. Adoption of eSAP by Non profit organizations: eSAP can be adopted by not to profit organizations like Non-government organizations (NGOs), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs) etc. At present several such organizations have adopted eSAP.
3. Adoption of eSAP through self entrepreneurship: eSAP system suits very well in generation of self employment in rural youths. Rural youths can provide the services of pest advisory to the farming community on commercial/charge basis. Such win-win situation not only generate self employment in the country but also pave way for quick transfer of technology.

1. Large scale deployment e-SAP has reached over 1,00,000 farmers covering 40 crops in all districts of Karnataka involving state agriculture and horticulture departments, all the five (5) agricultural/horticultural universities, Non-government Organizations, other government bodies like Coconut Development Board. The project has scope for reaching out many more farmers through NGOs, FPOs, SHGs etc. 2. Rural Employment More than 100 extension workers recruited under various sub- projects have received employment opportunities. Under self-enterprenuership programme many more rural youths are trained and deployed to provide eSAP services to the farming community. 3. Effective use of pesticides The opportunities for selling ineffective (and sometimes, spurious) substances has drastically come down. The quantity of pesticides applied has also been according to the prescription, which has reduced indiscriminate usage of pesticides. This has significant effect on environmental protection. 4. Scientific pest management e-SAP has helped farmers overcome a major difficulty - reliable identification of their crop pest problems. Further, e-SAP has effectively driven the concept of quantification of the pest problem and has introduced the concept of pest-intensity based management system. Today, many farmers receiving printed prescriptions carry it to the retailers and demand the same to be given to them. It has had a significant impact on the interactions between the pesticide retailers and farmers. Their confidence levels for tackling pest problems have increased. This is largely because of the fact that they are completely involved in the identification and quantification process by the extension functionary.