December 2, 2006
Nomadic herders go high-tech
Satellites, cell phones and spectrometers: Probably not the first things you think of when you picture sheep and goat herders in Afghanistan. Modern tools such as satellites, cell phones and spectrometers may soon make the lives of sheep and goat herders in Afghanistan a little more stable. CNN reports.
"Afghanistan is the latest location to provide early warning systems about animal health and to help pinpoint the location of the healthiest grazing areas.
... Technology now goes beyond just keeping animals healthier. It can help families get a better price for their animals, through a cell phone, or any Internet connection. Sending a text message to a cell phone number will get within a couple of minutes the current market prices for livestock.
"They are able to get information otherwise that was only limited to middle men, and those who had connections in the cities,"said Professor Robert Kaitho, an animal nutritionist at Texas A&M, who has helped coordinate programs in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. "Now, the common people have access to that same information."
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