m. murshedul alam international rice research institute, bangladesh office e-ag workshop dhaka, 03...
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M. Murshedul Alam
International Rice Research Institute, Bangladesh Office
e-ag workshopDhaka, 03 Dec. 2014
BAB Project, IRRI
Rice Crop Manager (RCM)http://webapps.irri.org/bd/rcm/
What is Rice Crop Manager?
• A decision-making tool accessible on computers and smartphones
• Can be used by extension workers to interview a farmer and provide advice to a farmer
• Aims to provide management advice able to increase a farmer’s income by Taka 8000 per hectare per rice crop
Rice in Bangladesh is typically produced in small landholdings
• Farming practices vary among farmers and fields
• ‘Best bet’ management practices can vary among nearby fields
Rice farmers often do not properly apply fertilizer• Wrong times• Wrong amounts• Wrong sources
Factors affecting crop needs for nutrients vary among fields:
Field-specific nutrient management practices are needed for rice farmers
Farmers need an actionable management guideline matching their field and rice-growing conditions
• Yield of the crop• Management of crop residue• Nutrients in irrigation water• Past crop• Past fertilizer use• Nutrients in soil
The challenge: The best practices for growing rice differ among fields and farmers
Farmers vary in access to financial resources, inputs, and technologies
Farmers need information to increase income for their specific rice-farming situation
Fields vary in rice-growing conditions
Our approach: Use Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to
deploy information to farmers on optimal rice farming practices
• Effectively use results from research• Increase income of farmer• Use computers, Tabs, and smartphones
Operation of Rice Crop Manager
Actionable advice
Printed guidelines Image on
Smartphone
User interface: Obtain information
from farmer
Cloud based server
Databases, spatial information and models
• Variety traits • Variety- and management-
adjusted yield targets• Soil information
Smartphone Personal computer
How to use Rice Crop Manager (RCM)
Personal computer Tab or Smartphone
Bangladesh: http://webapps.irri.org/bd/rcm
located on a cloud-based server
SMS
Printout
• Used scientific principles from years of research
• Aimed to increase income of farmer by US$100 per hectare per crop
• Provided customized recommendation for a farmer’s field through mobile phone or computer
IRRI with NARES partners developed Nutrient Manager for Rice to provide
farmers with ‘precise’ fertilizer management
Collaboration with BRRI started from 2000
TNAU
GBPUAT
PDCSRPAU
BRRI
MAS SFRI
HUAF
CLRRI
ASISOV
ICRRICFORD
PhilRice
WVSU
NAU
YUHZAU
HAU
GAAS
ZU
CCAP
CAU
AFC
VAAS
ICATAD
ICALRD
2005: Collaboration led to site-specific nutrient management (SSNM) for ‘precise’ management of N, P, and K
• Used recent advances in ICT
• Incorporated recent developments in science
• Recommended by BRRI in October 2012
BRRI and IRRI developed Nutrient Manager for Rice (NM Rice)
Users requested a tool providing more than nutrient management. Nutrient Manager for Rice was upgraded to Rice Crop Manager
Rice Crop Manager was tested, recommended and released nationwide in the Philippines and
Bangladesh in November 2013
http://webapps.irri.org/bd/rcmhttp://webapps.irri.org/ph/rcm
Farmers received RCM guidelines
Season Total farmer (no.)
Boro 2013-14 2481
Aus 2014 155
Aman 2014 4755
Approaches tested for RCM dissemination Approach 1:
DAE – UIC: DAE staff interviewed farmers with NM questionnaire and submitted the completed questionnaire to a UIC operator. The UIC operator entered information on the questionnaire into NM and developed NM recommendations, which were distributed by DAE staff to the farmers.
Approach 2:
DAE – PE: Same as approach 1 but PE – computer operator instead of UIC operator made the NM recommendations.
Approach 3:
Farmer – UIC: Farmers encouraged went directly to UIC operator. UIC operator interviewed them, made NM recommendation, and provided a printout.
Approach 4:
Farmer – PE: Same as approach 3 but PE – computer operator instead of UIC operator interviewed farmers and made NM recommendations.
Approach 1:
BRRI – DAE: BRRI scientists with their own laptop and printer interviewed farmers, made the NM recommendations, printed and provided to the farmers.
In all cases DAE, UISC personnel were provided with training on RCM by BRRI and IRRI scientists
Boro 2013-14
Same variety type, RCM = raised bed; FP = flat bed, RCM = use pre-emergence herbicide; FP = non-use of pre-emergence herbicide, n=39
Treat Yield , t/ha
Total N
(kg/ha)
Total P
(kg/ha)
Total K
(kg/ha)
Total Zn
(kg/ha)
Total S
(kg/ha)
% N applied, first 20 days
%N applied, first 40 days
%N applied between 40-55
days
RCM 5.5 119.3 11.6 31 1.2 5.3 21% 67% 32%
FFP 5.1 129.3 20.8 30 0.6 7.1 35% 74% 25%
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.00.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
Farmer's practice yield, t/ha
Yie
ld w
ith
RC
M,
t/h
a
Boro season 2013-14
Summary table for average yield, average fertilizer use, and added net benefit in fertilizer use
Location N= Yield (t/ha) Total N (kg/ha)
Total P (kg/ha)
Total K (kg/ha)
Total Zn (kg/ha)
Total S (kg/ha)
Added net benefit, USD
RCM FFP RCM FFP RCM FFP RCM FFP RCM FFP RCM FFPAll 129 5.6 5.2 123 113 12 21 33 39 1.2 0.8 5.9 9.5 79
Dinajpur 31 6.0 5.9 123 106 10 26 35 56 1.4 0.9 6.7 12.7 54
Gazipur 34 5.7 5.3 125 109 12 16 36 31 1.3 0.5 5.8 6.6 93
Kishoreganj 64 5.2 4.9 122 119 12 21 32 34 1.1 0.9 5.5 9.4 83
Treatment
Yield, t/ha
Total N (kg/ha)
Total P
(kg/ha)
Total K
(kg/ha)
Total Zn
(kg/ha)
Total S (kg/ha)
RCM 3.5 ±0.3 94 ±14 10 ±2 12 ±2 0 0
FFP 3.1 ±0.3 84 ±17 14 ±3 30 ±13 0 5 ±4
TreatmentTotal
fertilizer cost ($/ha)
Gross return ($/ha)
Gross return -
Total fertilizer
cost ($/ha)
Added net benefit ($/ha)
RCM 61 ±9 680 ±62 620 ±61 97 ±58
FFP 74 ±16 596 ±64 522 ±57
Aus season 2013-14 (n=30)
Treatment
Yield, t/ha
Total N (kg/ha)
Total P2O5
(kg/ha)
Total K2O
(kg/ha)
Total Zn
(kg/ha)
Total S (kg/ha)
RCM 3.5 ±0.3 94 ±14 23 ±5 14 ±3 0 0
FFP 3.1 ±0.3 84 ±17 33 ±7 36 ±16 0 ±1 5 ±4
TreatmentTotal
fertilizer cost ($/ha)
Gross return ($/ha)
Gross return -
Total fertilizer
cost ($/ha)
Added net benefit ($/ha)
RCM 61 ±9 680 ±62 620 ±61 97 ±58
FFP 74 ±16 596 ±64 522 ±57
Potential partners in RCM dissemination through DAE
Union Information and Service Centre (UISC)• Persons skilled in ICT and ICT facilities (computers, printers,
internet) available at about 4500 UISC
Private entrepreneurs• Individuals with ICT facilities and skills could be engaged for
RCM dissemination
Agriculture Information and Communication Centre (AICC)
• Project with a mandate matching the goal of disseminating RCM
Farmers Information and Advisory Centre (FIAC)• Project of DAE which might be considered for disseminating
RCM
Any NGO working on agriculture having ICT support
What is needed to disseminate RCM
• Strengthening the existing collaboration among BRRI, DAE, and IRRI
• Ability to reach large numbers of farmers through ICT.
• Contact with farmers, expertise in extension, and access to ICT facilities
– Local extension workers in good communication with farmers - DAE block level officers
– ICT facilities (mobiles devices, computers, printers, internet connectivity) at the union or village
What is needed to disseminate RCM
• Field test, verify, and provide RCM recommendations to
farmers for use through DAE and NGO personnel in pilot
sites leading to large scale dissemination
• Logistic support for DAE and potential NGOs
• Training for DAE and NGO personnel
• Update RCM content
• Fund source