Growing crops in greenhouse conditions involves a large number of processes and many parameters that need to be monitored, because the slightest changes, for example, in the composition of the nutrient solution or indoor temperature, can lead to negative consequences.
To help farmers simplify this task, the development of Mobile Personnel Management (MUP), a powerful SAAS platform for a full management cycle in modern greenhouses, can be developed. It allows you to control production and make timely effective and necessary decisions.
CONFIRMED RESULTS
The platform was developed and put into commercial operation by Agro-Invest LLC in 2020. It includes mobile and desktop applications for planning and quality control of basic operations in greenhouses, as well as additional modules “Plant protection”, “Phenology”, “Irrigation control”. That is, four process data are automated in it. The open architecture of MUP allows for seamless integration with popular management accounting and reporting solutions on the market, for example, with 1C, BI systems and others.
The tasks set during the development of the platform included several points: automatic planning of operations, the most efficient use of staff time, adherence to cultivation technology, personalized balancing of tasks depending on the quality and speed of the employee’s work. All the designated goals were achieved, which allowed Agro-Invest LLC to obtain confirmed positive results for 2021-2022. The use of CBM helped improve product quality and customer satisfaction by 5%, reduce costs by 3%, and increase employee efficiency by 7%.
CONTROL OVER TASKS
As a software, CBM includes two components. The first of them is the AgroManager desktop application, in which agronomists manage the system and administer it. At the same time, useful working time is significantly saved. The task of the agronomist or administrator is once before the start of the period (week, month) to enter information about which days, which types of work and in which greenhouse (on the plot, in the row) will be performed. The process takes several minutes. The entered plans become tasks in the system, and the employee can control the progress of work in online mode in a convenient interface. You can track progress separately by day or by a cumulative total for a period, by type of operation in different analytical sections, which allows you to make decisions quickly. Thanks to the flexible settings of various production and management indicators, the implementation of the strategy of both the organization as a whole and individual greenhouses is achieved.
Line employees use a mobile application in which tasks are received, their completion is noted, and other information is entered. The algorithm of the program is as simple as possible, which allows even beginners to interact with it with little or no training and avoid errors when entering data. Thus, for greenhouse workers, the application performs automatic assignment to work, keeps individual records of output, and evaluates the quality of operations performed.
The quality of the work is checked by the master, who, for this purpose, receives the corresponding tasks on the mobile device in the same way. The algorithm is configured in such a way that any employee for each type of operation is inspected at least twice a month. At the same time, the system is anonymized and allows you to objectively evaluate the quality of performance. Based on the data received, the result of the check is accumulatively for the period the ratings assigned to the employee by type of work. The staff is motivated to carry out operations efficiently and quickly, since by increasing their rating, people are more likely to receive tasks for this type of work. Accordingly, they increase their own income and profits of the organization. Using the application, the employee has access to information about the work performed and earnings at any time, including the cumulative total from the beginning of the month.
PLANT MONITORING
The system also includes the Plant Protection module, in which employees record the presence of pests and diseases. In addition, on the basis of monitoring, a greenhouse health map is compiled, tasks are assigned and issued for the prevention of pests and the treatment of plant diseases.
The system also includes the Plant Protection module, in which employees record the presence of pests and diseases. In addition, on the basis of monitoring, a greenhouse health map is compiled, tasks are assigned and issued for the prevention of pests and the treatment of plant diseases.
To automate the control over the development of crops, the Phenology module has been introduced in the MUP. The system sets tasks for measuring plant parameters, and the employee records the information using QR codes. After entering the data into AgroManager, you can compare the results with previous periods, as well as display graphs for comparable weeks with previous turnovers. The Irrigation Control module is implemented in a similar way, in which the system distributes the corresponding tasks, and the employee records the indicators of the irrigation solution and drainage. After entering the data, you can see, analyze the dynamics of changes in comparison with previous periods.
The CBM platform may be of interest to a wide range of users. First of all, it is suitable for greenhouse complexes, but applications are possible at other agricultural enterprises. Depending on the area, technology features and work performed, it is proposed to purchase an accurately calculated number of annual user licenses for individual modules. When purchasing them, the client gets 24/7 access to the software product, database and all updates, as well as 12/7 technical support. Additional investments may be associated with the purchase of mobile phones – about 10 thousand rubles apiece, server equipment, although “cloud” placement is possible, integration with the systems used.
