Photo: BSS

DINAJPUR, Aug 2, 2026 (BSS) - In a significant step toward making agriculture 
more technology-driven and accessible, Modes Chakma, a student of the Faculty 
of Agriculture at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University 
(HSTU), has developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smart 
agricultural service platform named "Crops Doctor".
 
The innovative platform enables farmers to identify crop diseases quickly 
from their homes by simply uploading images of affected plants. Based on AI 
technology, the platform analyzes the images, diagnoses diseases and provides 
appropriate recommendations for treatment and management.
 
Speaking to BSS, Modes Chakma said that Crops Doctor was designed to make 
modern agricultural services easily accessible, particularly for marginal 
farmers. 
 
He explained that the platform's primary objective is to facilitate the rapid 
detection of crop diseases at the field level while providing timely and 
accurate advice without requiring farmers to visit agricultural offices.
 
One of the platform's key features is the Disease Detector, which 
automatically identifies diseases using AI after farmers upload photos of 
infected crops or plants. The system also suggests possible solutions based 
on extensive research and scientific knowledge.
 
Currently, the platform supports disease diagnosis and management for several 
major crops, including rice, wheat, maize, potato, tomato, tea, sugarcane, 
jute, mustard, mango, banana, eggplant, chili, onion, garlic, ginger and 
turmeric. 
 
Farmers have already started benefiting from the service, contributing to the 
platform's growing popularity.
 
To make the platform accessible internationally, English has been added 
alongside Bangla. The developer is also working to incorporate additional 
languages so that farmers in different countries can access agricultural 
information and services in their native languages.
 
Besides disease detection, Crops Doctor includes a Fertilizer Calculator, 
which recommends the appropriate type and quantity of chemical or organic 
fertilizers based on crop variety and land area. It also features a Pesticide 
Calculator that helps farmers determine safe and accurate pesticide-to-water 
mixing ratios.
 
The platform further offers a Crop Calendar, providing stage-wise cultivation 
guidelines throughout the growing season. In addition, a 24/7 AI-powered 
virtual assistant is available to answer farmers' agricultural questions 
instantly.
 
To strengthen precision agriculture, the platform also integrates satellite 
and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone-based analysis. These technologies 
enable large-scale crop monitoring, crop health assessment and soil fertility 
evaluation.
 
According to the young innovator, Crops Doctor is more than just a 
technological product-it is a tool for ensuring food security. Timely disease 
detection can significantly reduce crop losses, while precise fertilizer 
recommendations can lower production costs and help protect soil health.
 
"My goal is to ensure that even a farmer in the most remote village receives 
the same quality of agricultural advice as a large commercial farm," said 
Modes Chakma adding, "By leveraging AI, we aim to protect crops, increase 
agricultural productivity and contribute to ensuring food security for every 
family in Bangladesh."
 
Farmers in countries including the United States, India, China and Indonesia 
have already begun using the platform. Work is currently underway to further 
upgrade the Crops Doctor application, with plans to launch a fully updated 
mobile app in the near future to make the service more accessible to farmers 
across Bangladesh.
 
HSTU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr. Enamulya praised the innovation, 
describing the university as a research-oriented institution committed to 
promoting scientific advancement. 

He said the university actively encourages faculty members and students to 
engage in research and innovation.
 
Prof Enamulya also commended Modes Chakma's contribution to modernizing 
agriculture through AI technology, stating that the university authorities 
are providing him with necessary support and encouragement. 
 
Similar research and innovation activities are regularly carried out at HSTU, 
he added.