BANANA BUDDY: Mobile Based Solution to Empower Sri Lankan Banana Farmers to Make Optimal Decisions and Win the War Against Plant Diseases and Pest Attacks

Banana farming in Sri Lanka faces multifaceted challenges, including diseases, pests, and uncertainties in yield. This research introduces “Banana Buddy,” a comprehensive solution comprising two key components. The first employs deep learning and image processing to create a mobile application for accurate diagnosis of banana diseases and pests. Achieving a remarkable accuracy of 99.1% for disease identification and 100% for pest attack detection, this tool provides timely, bilingual diagnoses in Sinhala and English, thereby enhancing disease management and crop health. The second component focuses on predicting suitable cultivation areas and recommending optimal banana varieties based on climate conditions. Leveraging advanced methodologies such as Random Forest and XGBoost algorithms, alongside the Haversine formula, the system identifies optimal locations and suggests banana varieties, achieving superior accuracy. The XGBoost and Random Forest classifiers outperformed other algorithms in predicting suitable cultivation areas. Integrating these components into a user-friendly mobile app addresses the challenges faced by Sri Lankan banana farmers. By harnessing technology and data-driven insights, this initiative empowers farmers to make informed decisions, manage diseases, and optimize cultivation practices. The exceptional accuracy values in disease and pest identification, coupled with the superior performance of machine learning models, underscore the practicality and effectiveness of the approach. Looking ahead, future work includes expanding disease identification capabilities and incorporating additional banana varieties. Furthermore, introducing parameters like humidity and wind speed will enhance the system's accuracy. In conclusion, this research represents a significant advancement in banana farming practices, providing a valuable tool for farmers to navigate challenges and cultivate bananas sustainably. The findings hold promise for broader applications, benefiting not only Sri Lankan farmers but also contributing to global agricultural advancements.