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RiceAdvice Lite: Digital Advisory for Rice

Empowering Rice Farmers with RiceAdvice Lite

RiceAdvice Lite, an Android or web-based decision support tool developed by Excellence in Agronomy, offers personalized recommendations tailored to specific fields. These recommendations encompass optimal sowing timing, fertilizer management strategies, and a range of other best agricultural practices suitable for both irrigated and rainfed lowland rice cultivation.

This technology is pre-validated.

8•7

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

IP

Unknown

Problem

  • Fertilizer misuse: Inappropriate or excessive use of fertilizers can lead to nutrient imbalances in the soil, affecting crop growth and productivity. It can also result in environmental pollution and degradation.  
  • Suboptimal rice management: Inefficient or ineffective management practices, such as improper irrigation, pest and disease control, and harvesting methods, can lead to reduced yields and lower quality rice production.  
  • Impact on productivity and sustainability: These issues directly affect the overall productivity of rice cultivation, leading to lower yields and reduced agricultural output. Additionally, unsustainable practices can degrade soil health and ecosystem services over time, compromising the long-term sustainability of rice farming.  
  • Risk to millions of people's food security: Given that rice is a staple food for millions of people, any decline in rice productivity due to fertilizer misuse and suboptimal management practices poses a significant risk to food security, potentially leading to shortages and increased food prices.

Solution

  • Site-specific fertilizer recommendations: Tailored advice on the type, amount, and timing of fertilizer application based on the specific characteristics and nutrient needs of individual rice fields. This ensures optimal nutrient management, reduces fertilizer waste, and improves soil fertility over time.
  • Optimal planting times: Guidance on the best times for sowing rice seeds to maximize yield potential. By planting at the right time, farmers can take advantage of favorable weather conditions and ensure proper crop establishment, leading to higher yields and better overall productivity.

Key points to design your business plan

"RiceAdvice Lite" is a digital application that transforms rice farming by providing personalized management recommendations. It effectively addresses common challenges of farmers like inefficient nutrient management and weed infestation resulting in increased agricultural productivity and profitability. To use this technology,

Cost Structure Considerations:

  • Free Access: The app can be downloaded and used for free. However, farmers should consider the costs associated with acquiring smartphones and data plans necessary to run the app effectively.
  • Training Expenses: It's essential to allocate resources for training to ensure that farmers and extension agents can utilize the app efficiently.
  • Implementation Costs: Farmers should also factor in the costs associated with implementing the recommendations provided by the app, such as investing in fertilizers and weed management technologies.

Implementing the recommendations from RiceAdvice Lite can lead to significant profits. Farmers who have used the app should determine their profit.

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

Countries with a green colour
Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour
Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour
Tested
Egypt Equatorial Guinea Ethiopia Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burundi Burkina Faso Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Côte d’Ivoire Eritrea Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Cameroon Kenya Libya Liberia Madagascar Mali Malawi Morocco Mauritania Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Republic of the Congo Rwanda Zambia Senegal Sierra Leone Zimbabwe Somalia South Sudan Sudan South Africa Eswatini Tanzania Togo Tunisia Chad Uganda Western Sahara Central African Republic Lesotho
Countries where the technology has been tested and adopted
Country Tested Adopted
Burkina Faso Tested Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire Tested Adopted
Ghana Tested Adopted
Mali Tested Adopted
Sierra Leone 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.

Sustainable Development Goal 2: zero hunger
Goal 2: zero hunger
Sustainable Development Goal 6: clean water and sanitation
Goal 6: clean water and sanitation

RiceAdvice Lite can be used by following the procedures below:

Step 1: Download RiceAdvice Lite, Android App from Google Play (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cocapacity.riceadvicelite) on your smartphone or tablet. You can also use Web App (https://lite.riceadvice.info/seekadvice).

Step 2: Install RiceAdvice Lite on your smartphone or tablet.

Step 3: Following discussion between the extension agent or service and farmer, fill in the farmer’s personal farming conditions: Rice-growing conditions, typical practices, fertilizer type,  

Step 4: Select yield targets based on the available budget or desired production level.  

Step 5: Get personalized recommendations, including a optimal planting window and fertilizer application timing and rates, and other good agricultural practices.

Last updated on 30 August 2024