Precision Agriculture for Resource-Poor Small Holders

Breakout sessionM.L. Jat, I. Nyagumbo, S. Cheesman, M.S.

Turmel, M. Devare

Precision agriculture for resource-poor smallholder?

Appropriate management and correct inputs, sources, amounts, placement, time

Increase productivity and profitability sustainably while reducing risk 

Focus on between-field vs. within-field variability

Basket of options depending on circumstance■ Precision planting, input application...■ How? Tools and machinery, pocket sensor,

leaf color charts…

Large Farm PA(Individual Field Focus)

Terrain

Soils

Yield

Potassium

CIR Image

Small v/s large farm precision agriculture

Isolated Perspective2-dimensional

Small Farm PA(Farm, Watershed,… Focus)

Wind Erosion

Runoff

Leaching Leaching

Leaching

SoilErosion

Chemicals

Interconnected Perspective

3-dimensional

(From Berry, 2008)

What do we need for precision ag?

System information/characterization•Varieties•Field features (biophysical and biological)

Technologies and machinery•Environmentally, economically, locally adapted•Apply working solutions across regions

What do we need for precision ag?

Partnerships, linkages, backstopping•Build bidirectional capacity (technicians and

farmers)•Outreach (ICTs, demos, other dissemination tools)•Improve affordability of tools through linkages?

Infrastructure•Roads, markets, input providers...

Characterization, prescription: Remote sensing for small farms

Technologies and machinery: do we need sophisticated machines ?

Indigenous precision planters

Multi-crop seed-cum ferti attachment for 2WT

Technologies and machinery Indigenous precision planting on raised

beds

Precision land leveling system for 2 WTWater saving for smallholders

Low-cost high clearance sprayer for smallholdersRelative precision in chemical molecule application

Outreach through partnerships: Precision nutrient management

Small, cheaper tools for PNM

Outreach through partnerships: Decision support tools & ICTs

Nutrient Expert (DSS)- integration with ICTs

Outreach through partnerships: Precision information dissemination via ICTs (e.g. Agriplex)

Help farmers by providing precise and value added information when they need it:

• New Practices/technologies• Forecasts• Market• Inputs & Services

Thanks