To achieve a transformation of agriculture and food systems
RESEARCH is crucial and INNOVATION is REQUIRED
Check out our ‘Cool Innovations Corner’ during the conference featuring
7 innovations
Rice Crop Manager
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Brief description
In the 1990s, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with partners across Asia, developed the Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) approach. SSNM gives rice farmers guidelines for applying the right amount of essential nutrients for their crops at right time.
Using the principles of SSNM, IRRI developed the Rice Crop Manager (RCM), a web based application that provides farmers with crop management recommendation tailored to their field and rice-growing conditions through the internet, and text messages.
Farmers get access to climate-informed RCM service through printed guidelines and SMS before the start of the season to help them procure the required inputs (fertilizers, herbicides) and use them as per the schedules associated with the phenological stages of the crop. The requirements are quantified and split as per the land parcel size and target yield for varieties chosen by the farmer in his responses to the queries the service provider had asked, before generating the recommendation.
What makes it cool?
In South Asian countries, majority of the framers are small and marginal. This application advises them to use the right amount of nutrient at the right time, specific for their plots. They are encouraged to use balanced dose of nutrient in terms of fertilizers and not NPK which makes it user-friendly.
Brief description
In the 1990s, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in collaboration with partners across Asia, developed the Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) approach. SSNM gives rice farmers guidelines for applying the right amount of essential nutrients for their crops at right time.
Using the principles of SSNM, IRRI developed the Rice Crop Manager (RCM), a web based application that provides farmers with crop management recommendation tailored to their field and rice-growing conditions through the internet, and text messages.
Farmers get access to climate-informed RCM service through printed guidelines and SMS before the start of the season to help them procure the required inputs (fertilizers, herbicides) and use them as per the schedules associated with the phenological stages of the crop. The requirements are quantified and split as per the land parcel size and target yield for varieties chosen by the farmer in his responses to the queries the service provider had asked, before generating the recommendation.
What makes it cool?
In South Asian countries, majority of the framers are small and marginal. This application advises them to use the right amount of nutrient at the right time, specific for their plots. They are encouraged to use balanced dose of nutrient in terms of fertilizers and not NPK which makes it user-friendly.
The Interactive Landscape Lab for co-creating climate-smart foodscapes
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Brief description
How can we support evidenced-based climate smart agriculture without asking land managers to look at computer screens filled with graphs and data? For this purpose, we have developed the Interactive Landscape Lab, which can project a holograph of any landscape in the world, anywhere, with which you can interact: you can change land use of any field, design ecological infrastructure, or simply improve farm management, and receive instant feedback what your plans mean for farm income, labour requirements, carbon sequestration, the greenhouse gas balances, energy requirement, nutritional diversity, you name it! Portable and with no requirement for WiFi, the Interactive Landscape Lab can help land managers experiment with their land in the remotest corners of the globe.
What makes it cool?
The Interactive Landscape Lab is the first application – to our knowledge – of holographic display (Mixed Reality) at landscape level. Virtual Reality (VR) is now commonplace; while useful, VR is by its very nature a anti-social technology (everyone is in their own virtual world). Mixed reality (MR) (= holograms) are very different: it allows users to communicate and discuss the holographic world that they observe and interact with collectively.
Brief description
How can we support evidenced-based climate smart agriculture without asking land managers to look at computer screens filled with graphs and data? For this purpose, we have developed the Interactive Landscape Lab, which can project a holograph of any landscape in the world, anywhere, with which you can interact: you can change land use of any field, design ecological infrastructure, or simply improve farm management, and receive instant feedback what your plans mean for farm income, labour requirements, carbon sequestration, the greenhouse gas balances, energy requirement, nutritional diversity, you name it! Portable and with no requirement for WiFi, the Interactive Landscape Lab can help land managers experiment with their land in the remotest corners of the globe
What makes it cool?
The Interactive Landscape Lab is the first application – to our knowledge – of holographic display (Mixed Reality) at landscape level. Virtual Reality (VR) is now commonplace; while useful, VR is by its very nature a anti-social technology (everyone is in their own virtual world). Mixed reality (MR) (= holograms) are very different: it allows users to communicate and discuss the holographic world that they observe and interact with collectively.
The Climate and Agriculture Network for Africa (CANA) – Africa’s virtual bridge between science and policy
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Brief description
The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN) have come together to form the Climate and Agriculture Network for Africa (CANA). This interactive web-based platform links scientists with policy makers to address climate change, agriculture and food security issues in Africa. The platform ensures timely sharing and access to information and brings together an increasing group of players within the climate change and agriculture sectors to be involved in conversations on the establishment of best practices for African Agriculture. Video visual of the platform: http://bit.ly/2w0xN2H
What makes it cool?
This is a virtual interactive forum which reduces the need for face -face interactions, leading to reduced travel related emissions. Through the online discussions hosted on the platform, stakeholders from all over the world are able to engage in real time to discuss pertinent issues related to food security and nutrition in a changing climate. The platform has been useful in identifying the challenges and opportunities for engaging African youth in agriculture.
Brief description
The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN) have come together to form the Climate and Agriculture Network for Africa (CANA). This interactive web-based platform links scientists with policy makers to address climate change, agriculture and food security issues in Africa. The platform ensures timely sharing and access to information and brings together an increasing group of players within the climate change and agriculture sectors to be involved in conversations on the establishment of best practices for African Agriculture. Video visual of the platform: http://bit.ly/2w0xN2H
What makes it cool?
This is a virtual interactive forum which reduces the need for face -face interactions, leading to reduced travel related emissions. Through the online discussions hosted on the platform, stakeholders from all over the world are able to engage in real time to discuss pertinent issues related to food security and nutrition in a changing climate. The platform has been useful in identifying the challenges and opportunities for engaging African youth in agriculture.
YeZaRe: Ethiopia’s digital savvy farmers
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Brief description
YeZaRe puts agro-climate advisories and market information in the hands of smallholder Ethiopian farmers. Using ICTs, YeZaRe disseminates timely and relevant weather forecasts and market data to farmers for 17 different commodities in 26 locations across the country. Farmers pay ETB 2/month to connect to this live data source through their mobile phones. YeZaRe is being piloted in Amhara Region and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) and currently has a membership of 9905 users. YeZaRe is implemented by Echnoserve in partnership with CCAFS, ILRI and CIAT.
What makes it cool?
YeZaRe is digital, real-time and innovative. It complements farmers traditional ecological knowledge with fast changing climate and market data. By using ICTs, the data is delivered straight to farmers homes and fields. During the CSA Global Science Conference, we will present a simulation game using the YeZaRe tool, in which participants represent farmers from different geographies with different commodities, whose productivity and resilience fluctuates as they receive real-time climate and market data from YeZaRe.
Brief description
YeZaRe puts agro-climate advisories and market information in the hands of smallholder Ethiopian farmers. Using ICTs, YeZaRe disseminates timely and relevant weather forecasts and market data to farmers for 17 different commodities in 26 locations across the country. Farmers pay ETB 2/month to connect to this live data source through their mobile phones. YeZaRe is being piloted in Amhara Region and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) and currently has a membership of 9905 users. YeZaRe is implemented by Echnoserve in partnership with CCAFS, ILRI and CIAT.
What makes it cool?
YeZaRe is digital, real-time and innovative. It complements farmers traditional ecological knowledge with fast changing climate and market data. By using ICTs, the data is delivered straight to farmers homes and fields. During the CSA Global Science Conference, we will present a simulation game using the YeZaRe tool, in which participants represent farmers from different geographies with different commodities, whose productivity and resilience fluctuates as they receive real-time climate and market data from YeZaRe.
The Soil Navigator Decision Support System
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Brief description
The Soil Navigator is an agricultural decision support system (DSS) for assessing and optimizing soil functions. Based on input data about management practices, environmental conditions and soil status the Soil Navigator DSS applies Decision Expert (DEX) Integrative methodology to: i) perform a simultaneous assessment of the current supply of soil functions, ii) provide management recommendations for improving the soil functions and iii), evaluate the resulting supply of soil functions. The Soil Navigator DSS complements existing DSS focusing on individual soil functions and may also serve as an educational tool for farmers, farmer advisors and students.
What makes it cool?
Most agricultural Decision Support Systems (DSS) are focused on short-term goals for the next growing season, such as increasing plant available nutrients and/or optimizing crop yield. Other important soil functions are usually neglected, including water purification and regulation, biodiversity and habitat provision, and carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Making the right management decisions for long-term sustainability under climate change is therefore challenging, and farmers and farmer advisors would greatly benefit from an evidence-based DSS targeted for assessing and improving the supply of several soil functions simultaneously. By including all five main soil functions, the Soil Navigator DSS has the potential to complement the Farm Sustainability Tools for Nutrients (FaST) included in the Common Agricultural Policy 2021-2027 proposal adopted by the European Commission.
Brief description
The Soil Navigator is an agricultural decision support system (DSS) for assessing and optimizing soil functions. Based on input data about management practices, environmental conditions and soil status the Soil Navigator DSS applies Decision Expert (DEX) Integrative methodology to: i) perform a simultaneous assessment of the current supply of soil functions, ii) provide management recommendations for improving the soil functions and iii), evaluate the resulting supply of soil functions. The Soil Navigator DSS complements existing DSS focusing on individual soil functions and may also serve as an educational tool for farmers, farmer advisors and students.
What makes it cool?
Most agricultural Decision Support Systems (DSS) are focused on short-term goals for the next growing season, such as increasing plant available nutrients and/or optimizing crop yield. Other important soil functions are usually neglected, including water purification and regulation, biodiversity and habitat provision, and carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Making the right management decisions for long-term sustainability under climate change is therefore challenging, and farmers and farmer advisors would greatly benefit from an evidence-based DSS targeted for assessing and improving the supply of several soil functions simultaneously. By including all five main soil functions, the Soil Navigator DSS has the potential to complement the Farm Sustainability Tools for Nutrients (FaST) included in the Common Agricultural Policy 2021-2027 proposal adopted by the European Commission.
Cool overload: The agricultural value chain
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Brief description
All this while, work towards improving the sustainability of agricultural value chains has been hindered partly due to data – more specifically, lack of actionable data. Data exists; but it tends to be either not of the right resolution, inaccessible, or not interoperable. Data analytics work at Pulse Lab Jakarta is anchored on developing data solutions for the ag value chain, by building sustainable data partnerships and ecosystems to unlock new sources of data and combining them with existing data to provide a richer understanding of the current situation, with a view to providing a better base to inform policy and decision makers.
What makes it cool?
From social media data to mobile phone to remote sensing data, these cool data solutions leverage “unconventional” data, and out-of-the-box analytical approaches, and help better characterise the inter-sectoral (i.e. producers, suppliers, buyers, consumers, etc.) complexity and trade-offs within the agricultural value chain and associated spatio-temporal dynamics.Nutrients (FaST) included in the Common Agricultural Policy 2021-2027 proposal adopted by the European Commission.
Brief description
All this while, work towards improving the sustainability of agricultural value chains has been hindered partly due to data – more specifically, lack of actionable data. Data exists; but it tends to be either not of the right resolution, inaccessible, or not interoperable. Data analytics work at Pulse Lab Jakarta is anchored on developing data solutions for the ag value chain, by building sustainable data partnerships and ecosystems to unlock new sources of data and combining them with existing data to provide a richer understanding of the current situation, with a view to providing a better base to inform policy and decision makers.
What makes it cool?
From social media data to mobile phone to remote sensing data, these cool data solutions leverage “unconventional” data, and out-of-the-box analytical approaches, and help better characterise the inter-sectoral (i.e. producers, suppliers, buyers, consumers, etc.) complexity and trade-offs within the agricultural value chain and associated spatio-temporal dynamics.
Remote monitoring of solar pumps for better customer insight
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Brief description
Futurepump has manufactured over 7,000 solar irrigation pumps which are operating in 49 countries. They are typically used by smallholder farmers who are often in very remote locations. This presents Futurepump with a logistical challenge: how can these remote customers be supported, and the continued performance of the pumps be monitored? Futurepump has incorporated a low-cost remote monitoring system using GSM networks. Each pump sends data about its technical performance, utilisation and location back to the company servers. This enables Futurepump to extend better after-sales support to its customers as well as gather valuable insight about the customers.
What makes it cool?
It’s cool because this technology helps Futurepump to see where the pumps are being used and how well they are working.
Brief description
Futurepump has manufactured over 7,000 solar irrigation pumps which are operating in 49 countries. They are typically used by smallholder farmers who are often in very remote locations. This presents Futurepump with a logistical challenge: how can these remote customers be supported, and the continued performance of the pumps be monitored? Futurepump has incorporated a low-cost remote monitoring system using GSM networks. Each pump sends data about its technical performance, utilisation and location back to the company servers. This enables Futurepump to extend better after-sales support to its customers as well as gather valuable insight about the customers.
What makes it cool?
It’s cool because this technology helps Futurepump to see where the pumps are being used and how well they are working.