GeoAgro - MiSR -: Yield Gap Analysis Tool

GeoAgro is a digital platform developed by ICARDA, designed to assist smallholder farmers. It offers a range of services including agronomy insights, weather updates, expert consultations, field-specific information, and a marketplace for buying and selling. It also provides financial advice, livestock management, water management solutions, and information about seeds and varieties. GeoAgro aims to optimize resource use, enhance agronomic gains, and support Egypt’s digital transformation agenda. It respects user privacy and contributes to ICARDA’s mission to address global challenges like climate change.

This technology is pre-validated.

8•7

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 7/9

IP

Unknown

Problem

Knowledge Gap: Lack of access to crucial information such as agronomy insights, weather updates, and expert advice.
Market Limitations: Difficulty in accessing markets to buy and sell products.
Financial Challenges: Lack of financial literacy and access to financial services.
Inefficient Resource Use: Inefficient use of resources like water and seeds, leading to sub-optimal agronomic yields.
Climate Change: The adverse effects of climate change on farming practices and crop yield.

Solution

Bridging the Knowledge Gap: GeoAgro provides a wealth of information to farmers, including agronomy insights, weather updates, and the ability to consult with experts. This helps to bridge the knowledge gap in farming practices.
Overcoming Market Limitations: GeoAgro features a marketplace where farmers can buy and sell products, thereby improving their access to markets and overcoming market limitations.
Addressing Financial Challenges: GeoAgro offers financial advice and services, helping farmers to improve their financial literacy and gain access to necessary financial services.
Optimizing Resource Use: GeoAgro provides specific information related to the user’s field and offers solutions for managing resources like water and seeds. This helps farmers to optimize their resource use and achieve better agronomic outcomes.
Mitigating Climate Change Effects: GeoAgro is part of ICARDA’s mission to address global challenges like climate change. It provides resources and advice to help farmers adapt their practices to mitigate the effects of climate change on farming practices and crop yield.

Key points to design your business plan

To integrate the GeoAgro app into your farming system effectively, follow these practical steps:

Download and Install: Ensure you have a compatible smartphone or tablet. Visit the Google Play Store or GeoAgro's web app to download and install the application promptly upon deciding to implement digital tools in your farming practices.
Initial Setup: After installation, create an account and input your farm’s data, including field sizes, crop types, soil conditions, and current management practices. Accurate data entry is essential for precise recommendations. Seek assistance from local agricultural extension officers or GeoAgro representatives if needed.
Gathering Farm Data: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of your farm to gather necessary data such as soil type, moisture levels, crop health, and weather patterns. Use soil testing kits and weather stations for accurate information. Complete this data collection before entering information into the app and periodically update as needed.
Local Partnerships: Establish connections with local agricultural institutions and GeoAgro representatives from Excellence In Agronomy (EiA). Reach out to agricultural extension services and consider partnerships with nearby universities or organizations for additional training and resources. Form these partnerships during or before the initial setup phase to ensure ongoing support.
Training and Learning: Participate in local training sessions or webinars offered by GeoAgro or agricultural institutions. These sessions provide practical workshops to help you navigate the app, interpret data, and implement recommendations effectively. Utilize online tutorials and user guides available within the app to enhance your understanding.

By following these steps, you can seamlessly integrate the GeoAgro app into your farming operations, optimizing farm management and productivity.

Adults 18 and over: Positive medium

The poor: Positive low

Under 18: Positive high

Women: Positive low

Farmer climate change readiness: Moderate improvement

Scaling Readiness describes how complete a technology’s development is and its ability to be scaled. It produces a score that measures a technology’s readiness along two axes: the level of maturity of the idea itself, and the level to which the technology has been used so far.

Each axis goes from 0 to 9 where 9 is the “ready-to-scale” status. For each technology profile in the e-catalogs we have documented the scaling readiness status from evidence given by the technology providers. The e-catalogs only showcase technologies for which the scaling readiness score is at least 8 for maturity of the idea and 7 for the level of use.

The graph below represents visually the scaling readiness status for this technology, you can see the label of each level by hovering your mouse cursor on the number.

Scaling readiness score of this technology

Maturity of the idea 8 out of 9

Uncontrolled environment: tested

Level of use 7 out of 9

Common use by projects NOT connected to technology provider

Maturity of the idea										Level of use
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Egypt	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 1: no poverty

Goal 2: zero hunger

Goal 5: gender equality

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

Goal 10: reduced inequalities

Goal 11: sustainable cities and communities

Goal 13: climate action

Goal 15: life on land

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use GeoAgro:

Registration: Start by registering on the GeoAgro platform. You’ll need to provide personal information such as your name, email address, phone number, age, gender, and role in agriculture.
GeoTagging Module: Use the GeoTagging module to submit your field characteristics. This involves answering a few survey questions about your plot, such as its latitude/longitude, the current crop, date of sowing, soil type, water management, fertilizer management, estimated crop yield, and more.
Access Information: Utilize the wealth of information available on the platform. This includes agronomy insights, weather updates, and the ability to consult with experts.
Marketplace: Use the marketplace feature to buy and sell products, thereby improving your access to markets.
Financial Advice: Take advantage of the financial advice and services offered by GeoAgro to improve your financial literacy and gain access to necessary financial services.
Resource Management: Use the specific information related to your field and the resource management solutions provided by GeoAgro to optimize your resource use and achieve better agronomic outcomes.
Climate Change Adaptation: As part of ICARDA’s mission, use the resources and advice provided by GeoAgro to adapt your farming practices to mitigate the effects of climate change.