Enabling data access to support innovation in decision agriculture: soil health, agronomy and fertilizer
Healthy soil is critical to the growth of nutritious food and to farmers’ livelihoods. However, declining soil health is causing low productivity which leads to unstable food security and incomes. National systems can help farmers by sharing data and information on soil health which can then be used to make more informed decisions about agricultural practices, helping farmers produce healthier crops. This project aims to facilitate better data-driven decisions within the investments of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Decision Agriculture and the national systems in which the investments operate.
Seeing is Believing – empowering farmers with smartphone imaging
Many farmers in the northern Indian states of Haryana and Punjab still rely on inefficient agricultural practices that are ill adapted to climate change. Data can help them. Customised advice, based on localised weather and soil data, pests and diseases, as well as input availability, can improve management practices, productivity and profitability. In this project, farmers will provide images taken from their smartphones to strengthen this advice and help farmers make timely decisions.
Optimizing Fertilizer Recommendations in Africa (OFRA)
Soil fertility across much of sub-Saharan Africa is poor, which is a major constraint to improving farm productivity and farmer livelihoods. To combat this there is now wide recognition of the need to integrate increased fertilizer use with other aspects of soil fertility management. This project aims to contribute to improved efficiency and profitability of fertilizer use within the context of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) practices.
Africa soil health
Poor soil fertility is a key constraint to improving farm productivity and farmer livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is recognised as an effective solution to poor crop yields. However, lack of access to information means that smallholder farmers do not adopt better techniques. To combat this, we are working with partners to add value to communication campaigns that are designed to facilitate adoption and capture learning.