Launching next generation ict for weather and water information and advice to smallholders in africa

Editor's Notes

1. This presentation is based on the initial results of an IWMI-lead Project “ Use of Smart ICT for Weather and Water Information and Advice to Smallholders in Africa”. The 3-year project (2011-2014)is funded (US$ 1.8 m) by IFAD and jointly implemented by IWMI, eLeaf-The Netherlands and a number of national partner institutions in Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan and Mali.
2. With very low development of irrigation facilities and infrastructure in a number of African countries; and need for improvement in the farmer extension services in the remote and isolated areas; the land and water productivity remains low. Under such conditions, the use of modern tools with their greater reach and coverage can be helpful, especially when such tools provide customised services. This project aims to address this need for the African smallholder farmers.
3. In simple language, through this project we are able to visualise the fields very closely at weekly interval through high-resolution remote-sensing images; characterise these signatures for a number of parameters, run complex water and crop-growth models in the background for each field; and then based on that information generate specific and customised advisories for each farmer and the region (60km*60km) and disseminate the same through a number of interactive visual and text messages through the web, smart phones and normal phones.
4. This simply explains the same concepts in a little scientific manner for better appreciation of the researchers and policy makers. The project is in operation at the four sites in Ethiopia (Arata Chufa Irrigation Scheme); Sudan (Gash river spate irrigation and flood region- very close to the boundary with Eiteria); Egypt (Naubariya Region) and Mali (Offiice du Niger Zone).
5. Prioritization by StakeholdersLessons Learnt and SynergiesOut-scaling OECD ExperienceStep-wise ApproachInitially work with progressive farmers, irrigation scheme managers.Agree on modules appropriate to local context.Work in suitable locationsProvide local support to farmersMainstream/ upscale, including private sect
6. The process involves the ‘intelligent pixels’ where we are able to differentiate between the characteristics of each pixel , generate valuable and critical information and then use different information platforms for its near real-time dissemination. The figure above shows that whenever the soil moisture in a particular field becomes critical, an advisory is generated for that field for irrigating the field within the next 3-4 days.
7. The advisories are sent on weekly basis and can be for as many as nine parameters, depending upon the need of the farmer. Some of the advisories are directly actionable and others can be inferred say the need for application of fertilisers or pesticides or potential for emergence of a disease/ pest. It may the whole field or a part of it.
8. This provides the example of an operational service in Ethiopia and Sudan where information on crop growth, soil moisture and mineral nutrition is being provided.
9. The Gash River delta region of Sudan is prone to flash floods . This can be both devastating but also highly useful for the farmers using the spate irrigation- as the floods in the river is the only source of irrigation. The project has set up a special system for flood mapping and forecasting for its efficient management.
10. Through the complex integration of flood models, hydraulics and remote sensing products, the projects is able to provide advisories to the managers and the registered farmers the real time advisories on hourly, daily, weekly and monthly basis. This has been very exciting to know something in advance about a completely uncertain event.
11. The Project has been able to set-up the sites in the local languages for the benefit of the authorities in Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia. Both the general public and the registered farmers can access the relevant information customised to the individual fields and the entire project region.
12. This project is lead by the International Water Management Institute with its Headquarters at Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Project has several regional offices including the one for West Africa at Accra, Ghana