A graduate of Altai State University has developed a service to notify beekeepers about field treatments

Pavel Zanin, an alumnus of the Faculty of Physics (now Institute of Digital Technologies Electronics and Physics) at Altai State University, has developed and is implementing the digital service “Polevisor” (meaning Fieldvision), which is designed to resolve the long-standing conflict of interests between agricultural farmers and apiculturists. The new service has already entered the TOP 10 of the All-Russian AgroTech Award ranking in the “Best Digital Service for Agriculture” category.

In an interview to the Altayskaya Niva newspaper, the developer explained the principle of operation, which is quite simple: the farmers register a personal account at the Polevizor platform, where they can input details about upcoming field treatments. These notifications become available in the “Processing Calendar” section, immediately published and shared with its subscribers. The calendar allows its users to analyze the data by month and region, as well as on a map. For clarity, the treatment area is outlined on the map with a frame, with the color of the frame indicating the hazard class of the chemical for bees. These notifications also cover essential information such as the crop under treatment, the agrochemicals used, the treatment method, settlements within a radius of 7 kilometers from the treated area, etc. Most importantly, the exact dates of treatment are indicated, which empowers the beekeepers to take necessary precautions by leaving the area or securing their hives and limiting bee flight.

Now the service is completely open to public access, attracting over 3,000 visitors since its launch in the beginning of June 2023. Notably, 74 farmers from Altai Krai registered on the platform with 237 notifications being submitted regarding the field treatment agrochemicals. More than 3,500 notifications were sent to subscribers.