Location-specific nutrient and crop management in rice farming: mobile phone and web-based

decision tools are bringing results of research to farmers

FAO-World Bank meeting Bangkok 15 May 2012

Roland J. Buresh International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Rice in Asia is typically produced in small landholdings

• Farming practices and risks vary among farmers and fields

• The best management

for high profit and high yield differs among fields

More than 10 years of research lead to site-specific nutrient management (SSNM)

Partnerships after 10 years (1996-2005)

TNAU

GBPUAT

PDCSR PAU

BRRI

MAS SFRI

HUAF

CLRRI

ASISOV

ICRR ICFORD

PhilRice

WVSU

NAU

YU HZAU

HAU GAAS

ZU

CCAP CAU

AFC

VAAS

ICATAD

ICALRD

Science is well documented

Tools are available for farmers

Farmers need quick and easy access to information matching their specific field conditions and needs

Principles of SSNM were used to develop printed guidelines

• Aimed to reach many farmers fast

• Printed materials struggle to transform complex decision making into simple messages

• Nutrient Manager for Rice provides rice farmers with ‘best-bet’ nutrient management for their specific rice field

• Consistent with SSNM principles and current science

• Available as web and mobile phone applications

– Can update in real time – Can monitor use – Can link to other applications

and services

Developed computer-based decision tools to provide rice with ‘precision’

management practices

www.irri.org/nmrice

How to access and use Nutrient Manager Web GSM mobile phone Smartphone

Interactive Voice Response

implementation box

Farmer calls dedicated number

Smartphone output

Web output Smartphone and mobile: Text output

Available in Philippines and Indonesia

Target yield gain with Nutrient Manager

Current yield of rice grower

Yield attainable with optimal nutrient

management

Yield gap

Target yield with Nutrient

Manager

Nutrient Manager aims to increase profit of a rice grower by USD 100 per hectare per season

Interactive Apps --- providing management guidelines

Nutrient Manager

Rice Manager

Rice Doctor

Variety and Seed Selector

1. Invest wisely at start of season - Nutrient Manager - Rice Crop Manager

• Protect investment during season - Rice Crop Doctor

Approach with web and mobile phone applications:

provide ‘best-bet’ management practices to match a farmer’s specific needs

Suite of compelling services and financial products

Microfinance Service

providers

Insurance

Marketing Input providers

Connect farmers with relevant agricultural science and services

Interactive Apps --- providing management guidelines

Nutrient Manager

Rice Manager

Rice Doctor

Variety and Seed Selector

1. Invest wisely at start of season - Nutrient Manager - Rice Crop Manager

• Protect investment during season

- Rice Crop Doctor

Product development and testing

Research Validation

Testing with farmers

Consolidation of knowledge

Example of Rice Crop Manager under development

Name: Juan Dela Cruz Rice crops per year: Two Mobile number: 09171234567 Season: Dry Location: Bilar, Bohol, Region VII Water: Irrigated, tube well Variety: NSIC Rc 222 Direct seeded: 101-110 days seed-to-seed

*DAS – days after sowing

Target yield: 105-116 sacks at 50 kg/sack 4.8-5.3 t/ha (14% MC) Actual field area = 1 ha

AWD

Growth stage DAS* Management practice

1-3 Apply pre-emergence herbicide

1-20 Maintain soil flooding, less than 3 cm water

Early 12-16 Apply 3 bags 14-14-14

21-70 Practice AWD

22-27 Hand weeding

Active tillering 28-32 Apply 1 bag urea

Panicle initiation 43-47 Apply 1.5 bag urea

1) Use tool before establishing crop

2) Provide personalized best management to overcome main constraints

3) Focus on increased income (profit)

Effect of sowing date on potential yield of rice of two growth durations at two

locations in the Philippines

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

11.0

IntermediateShort

Target fresh yield (t/ha)

Tuguegarao, Cagayan

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

10.0

IntermediateShort

Target fresh yield (t/ha)

Pototan, Iloilo

Average for 10 years

Use of seasonal climate information to improve guidelines on crop management

Model on high-end (cloud

based) server

Output

Input: Information from farmer

Web GSM

mobile phone

Smartphone

Printed guidelines SMS Image on

Smartphone

Information on anticipated seasonal climate can be used to:

• Estimate attainable yields and set levels of inputs

• Select variety • Adjust cropping

Key ingredients of approach 1. Provide information matching specific needs of an

individual through user-friendly Web and mobile interfaces

• Directly acquire and

provide information

2. Enable interfacing with complementary services

3. Enhance abilities of ‘extension agents’ to get the right information to the right person at the right time • Collaborate in testing, translations, interfacing, refining, and

meeting needs of stakeholders

• Temperatures will increase - More heat stress - Rising sea water levels • More frequent and severe climate extremes - More floods - More droughts

What about climate change?

Making rice climate-proof

drought

submergence

salinity

heat

October 1, 2010, Mymensingh district, Bangladesh

Swarna-Sub1

17 d submergence

Re-transplanted local varieties

Submergence tolerant varieties

Drought tolerant varieties

Six drought tolerant varieties released during 2009-11 Yield advantage of 0.8-1.2 t/ha under moderate to severe drought, but with no penalty under non-stress conditions

Sahbhagi dhan in India

Tarharra 1 in Nepal Sahod Ulan 1 in Philippines

IR74 –Pup1+ IR74 IR74-Pup1+ IR74-Pup1–

IRRI upland farm DS 2012

–P fertilizer

Genes for nutrient deficiency and problem soil

A C4 rice should increase rice yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency by 30-50%.

No other evolutionary mechanism exists that could be added to a C3 rice so as to deliver

that superior combination of benefits.

C3 Anatomy Change

Biochem Change

Fine Tuning + + + = C4

15-20 years of research needed

C4 rice