Precision fertilizer application for smallholders

Updated Jun 10, 2019

Precision fertilizer application for smallholders

Part of CIMMYT

www.csisa.org

Timothy j. Krupnik

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Low-cost precision agriculture for smallholders

Fertilizer broadcasting by hand is common across South Asia, and results in high levels of in-field variability that erodes yields, yield stability, and profitability. CSISA has introduced a low-cost ($35 USD) and hand-operated precision broadcaster that is being evaluated and commercialized with private sector partners. The spreader dramatically reduces drudgery, can be operated and afford b...

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Stage 4: Transition to Scale

CSISA conducted a user perception survey. Results are promising and an increasing number of farmers are now purchasing spreaders that are pro-actively stocked by machinery equipment dealers in the Terai.

Focus Areas:

Cultivation & Tools and Soil Management

Implemented In:

Nepal

6,026

Lives Impacted to Date

Country Implemented In

Verified Funding

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Problem

Poor distribution of fertilizer leading to low efficiency and lower yields

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Solution

Making precision fertilizer application accessible to smallholders with simple tools

Target Beneficiaries

All staple crop producers who currently hand-broadcast fertilizer

Competitive Advantage

Cost - alternatives are expensive and beyond the reach of smallholders.

The Team Behind the Innovation

The Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) is led by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and implemented by a team of scientists and change-makers with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Operating across South Asia, CSISA works to increase the adoption of resource-conserving and climate-resilient technologies and improves farmers’ access to markets and enterprise development.