Technology development for dIgItal agronomIc advIsory systems

iSDA’s nutrient manager tool will provide cloud-based, field-specific recommendations for integrated nutrient management (fertilizer, manure, crop residues). The tool will provide an advance on existing systems by drawing on iSDA’s high-resolution soil properties map, incorporating uncertainty algorithms and framing advice in the context of financial risk-return analysis, developed in conjunction with our partner Probability Management.

Farmers will have the opportunity to further tailor recommendations through the addition of field-specific information, such as from soil tests and farmer-collected data on crop management practices and past yields. The results generated by the cloud-based engine will be made available through various channels, including push messages by voice and SMS and interactive mobile apps The goal is to help smallholders better manage their farm-level economics, and support monitoring of iSDA’s overarching key performance indicator: increases in farm-level income.

We are using tools provided by decision science to better develop and communicate agronomic recommendations and advisory services. This approach underpins the work being carried out with our partner Probability Management using financial risk-return models and case-control study designs. The goal is to help smallholders better manage their farm-level economics, using farm-level income as our overarching key performance indicator.