Madzi ndiofunikira popanga chakudya, ndipo ulimi umatenga pafupifupi 70 peresenti ya madzi abwino padziko lapansi. Pamene mayiko akuwonjezera kupanga kwaulimi (pofika chaka cha 2050, FAO ikuyerekeza kuti pafupifupi anthu 9,7 biliyoni adzafunika kudyetsa), nthaka yothiriridwa iyenera kukulira kuposa 50%. Komabe, kusintha kwanyengo kukuchepetsa kale kupezeka kwa madzi okolola m'zigawo zina.
Pofuna kuthandiza alimi kuthana ndi vutoli, International Potato Center (CIP) ikuyang'ana njira zothirira ulimi wothirira. Kafukufuku waposachedwa ndi asayansi komanso ophunzira ochokera ku CIP ndi La Moline National kilimo University ku Peru atsimikiza kuti zithunzi zochokera ku makamera a infrared (thermographic) zitha kugwiritsidwa ntchito kuti zizindikire kupsinjika kwa madzi pazomera ndikugwiritsa ntchito madzi moyenera.
Gulu la ofufuza lotsogozedwa ndi wasayansi wa CIP a David Ramirez adachita zoyeserera zingapo pafupi ndi mzinda wa Lima (Peru) kuti adziwe momwe kuphatikiza mitundu ndi zithunzi za infrared zingagwiritsidwire ntchito kuwunikira kupsinjika kwa madzi a mbewu za mbatata.
Ofufuzawo adatenga zithunzi zam'munda wa mbatata masana ndikugwiritsa ntchito pulogalamu yotsegulira ya CIP yotchedwa Thermal Image processor (TIPCIP) kudziwa kuti mbewu zikafunda liti kutentha kotero zimafunikira kuthiriridwa. Pochita ulimi wothirira pokhapokha mbewu zikafika pachilumbachi, ofufuzawo adatha kuchepetsa kwambiri kuchuluka kwa madzi omwe amagwiritsidwa ntchito kuthirira.
"Cholinga chake chinali kudziwa kuchuluka kwa madzi ofunikira mbatata kuti akolole bwino," adatero Ramirez.
"Kuphatikiza pa ntchito yoyang'anira ndi kuthirira kungathandize alimi kuti achepetse madzi omwe amafunikira kuti alime mbatata ndi mahekitala 1600 pa hekitala imodzi, yomwe ndi theka la kuchuluka kwa madzi omwe amagwiritsidwa ntchito kuthirira kwachikale," adafotokoza.
Kuphatikizidwa kwa kasamalidwe kabwino ka madzi komanso kuyambitsa mitundu yolekerera chilala kumatha kukulitsa kukana kwa mbatata ndikuwathandiza kuti akule m'magawo omwe kulimidwa chakudya pang'ono kapena alibe chakudya, kapena m'miyezi youma pomwe nthaka yolimidwa ikuyenda.
Ramirez adafotokoza kuti ngakhale makamera oyipa amatha kuyikika pa ma drones kuti aziwunika kuthana ndi madzi pamafamu akulu, mtengo wa zida zotere ndi wokwera kwambiri kwa alimi ang'onoang'ono komanso apakati. Chifukwa chake, akukonzekera kuyesa njira yatsopano - pulogalamu yolumikizira yomwe imatembenuza smartphone kukhala kamera ya infrared ndipo imawononga $ 200. Asayansi a CIP apanga njira yatsopano yosavuta yogwiritsira ntchito ya TIPCIP ya mafoni ndipo akukonzekera njira yamtsogolo yomwe idzafotokozere mwatsatanetsatane nthawi ndi kuchuluka kwa madzi ofunikira.
"Pogwiritsa ntchito ukadaulo wotseguka, titha kuthandiza alimi kupanga chakudya ndi madzi ochepa," adatero Ramirez.
Komabe, adanenanso kuti, ukadaulo woterowo uyenera kuti uzithandizidwa ndi kuzindikira mwakuya zakufunika kwa kasamalidwe koyenera ka madzi.
Kafukufukuyu anathandizidwa ndi World Bank kudzera mu National Innovation Agrarian Program (PNIA) ndi pulogalamu ya kafukufuku wa CGIAR.