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

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

The poor: Positive low

Women: Positive low

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

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 project

"RiceAdvice Lite" is a digital tool designed to offer customized management recommendations for rice cultivation, addressing common challenges such as inefficient nutrient management, weed infestation, unclear yield targets, climatic risks, and limited access to offline resources. It transforms rice farming by optimizing production, maximizing profits, and minimizing waste. Integrating RiceAdvice Lite Into Your Project:

Download and Install: Access the RiceAdvice Lite 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 ).
Setup: Input farm conditions, crop management practices, and market information into the app to generate tailored advice for each field.
Identify suitable business models for providing RiceAdvice services to subsistence and commercial farmers,
Campaign about benefits of the decision support tool and how it can be accessed,
Enable investments in fertilizer and weed management technologies.

Monitor and Evaluate: Continuously monitor the implementation of recommendations and evaluate their effectiveness. Adjustments should be made based on feedback and results.

Promote Adoption: Develop communication materials such as flyers, videos, and radio broadcasts to encourage farmers to adopt the RiceAdvice Lite technology.

To successfully implement RiceAdvice Lite in your country, explore partnerships with agricultural development institutes, rice research organizations, and digital technology providers. Their expertise can support training efforts, promote the app among farmers, and potentially customize it to suit local conditions.

IP

Unknown

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
Burkina Faso	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mali	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–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 2: zero hunger

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