Philippines: Tailor-made farming tips by phone
LOS BANOS, 12 August 2010 (IRIN): Nonilan Sulibat, a rice farmer in Laguna Province, never knows how much fertilizer to use on his 4ha field.
– I am just never sure. I always have questions, the 56-year-old father of six told IRIN.
From next month, however, such concerns will be easily overcome as thousands of farmers across the Philippines will be able to receive nutrient management advice via their mobile phones.
– Farmers’ fields are small and highly variable. As a result, the best practice for one field can be quite different to the best practice for another field, Roland Buresh, principal scientist for nutrient and crop management at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), said.
– We want to give farmers site-specific recommendations. Something tailored to their individual fields, he told IRIN.
Sponsored by the countrys Department of Agriculture, IRRI, and a local mobile-phone operator, the computer-based Nutrient Manager decision tool will allow farmers to respond to simple voice-activated questions about their rice crops by keying in the conditions of their field.
In less than 10 minutes, the farmer will receive an automated text reply of recommendations on the types and amounts of fertilizer needed, as well as timings to maximize paddy output.
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