Clement Adjorlolo (PhD)

Geo-information Decision Support System for Smallholder Farmers in South Africa

A proposal to the UK Space Agency International programme

Presentation at the launch of the IPP tactical call on Agriculture 28 June 2016

Geo-information Decision Support System for Smallholder farmers

South Africa is on the southernmost tip of the

African continent, marked by several distinct

ecosystems.

About South

Africa

Divided into 9 Provinces

Home to 53+ million people

Varied climate regions

Mostly unimodal rainfall system

Several terrestrial Biomes (Grassland, Savanna, Succulent Karoo,

Nama Karoo, Forest, Fynbos, Thicket , Desert)

Varied range & pasture production systems

Both rain fed & irrigation agricultural systems

Main Livestock types include cattle, goats, sheep, and abundant wildlife

Prone to recurrent floods and droughts.

Other challenges include bush fires, bush encroachment and bush

thickening, deforestation, loss of biodiversity.

G4AW

Satellite and mobile data supporting food security • Geodata, converted to relevant information on climate, weather and

hazards, can help food producers • The combination of improved mobile connectivity, new satellite services

and private investments offers the opportunity • Recent studies show that information from satellites and other (geo)data

can be translated into agricultural advice • Mobile phone based services providing up-to-date market prices have

already been proven successful in Africa and India

Project Goals

• Improve the output of the agricultural sector, particularly the smallholder farming by providing food producers with relevant information, advice or (financial) products.

• Reach a minimum 10% increase in sustainable food production and/or an improved financial situation for at least 150 000 food producers, by providing them with relevant and timely information services.

• Help achieve a 10% more effective use of inputs for food production (water, seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, etc.)

• Focus on sustainable improvement and increase of food production alongside a more efficient use of water in agriculture.

• to alleviate poverty by enhancement of sustainable economic growth and self-reliance in South Africa.

The Spatial Context

Coordinated Partnerships

• Partnerships of private and government organisations, NGOs and research institutes to set up service chains that are:

– large-scale,

– demand-driven,

– user-tailored and

– satellite-based.

• PPP required

OBJECTIVE

• To develop a decision support system that uses remote sensing geospatial data, in situ, field and socio-economic data to provide enhanced capability for smallholder agricultural productivity, risk analysis and access to micro-finance opportunities for the subsistence, emerging, small-holder farmers.

Envisaged Services

• Resource preparation advice and information (Soil preparation, etc)

• Best practice cultivation suitable for agri-ecological zones • Cultivar / Variety choice for agri-ecological zones • Mitigation / adaptation advice & information for climate

change • Early warning (Drought, flood, fire) • Control advice and information; pest and disease early

warning, • Water use and soil health management practices, advice &

information (Sustainability) • Economic & market information (production loans, insurance,

commodity prices) • Agri-processing contracting advice, information and facilitation

What to Grow

What to do with it

Where to Grow

How to Grow

Cultivars

Seasonal outlook

Suitability

Adaptations

Irrigation

Mulch Water

Harvest

Plant Plan

Soil /Land Preparation

Market Information

Insurance

Production Loans Grower

Contracts

Water

Extension

Equipment

Disaster EWS

Weeds, pest, nutrient Mgt

Logistics

Packing

= Proposed Models / Apps. DIAGRAMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE DSS

Nutrients

Soil information

Envisaged Outcomes

• Improved food production by 15% per ha • Access to insurance and micro-finance up by 15%

on the current status quo, • Natural resource use efficiency (soil, water)

– Improved soil health up by 10-20% – Improved water use efficiency up by 10 - 20%)

• Up income by 10% (annual average growth) and income security

• Use of Climate smart agricultural technologies (e.g. climate-indexed cultivar selection)

The System (Continual

improvement)

Development Consortium

ARC CSIR

SANSA

UK-based companies

DAFF PDA Financial & Insurance Institutions

Co-operatives

Farmers Commercial

Emerging

Mobile operators

CPPP Operational Systems

Input Suppliers

$

$ (subs, advertising) $ (MTEF) Operational extension

budget

$ Continual Improvement

& IP

UKSA IPP

“initial” $

$

SANSA

SAWS

Extension Services information

info

Production inputs Financial services

Public data Open access

EO’s

UPSCALE and Sustainability Model

Market & Financials

Information

Ad

visory B

oard

Implementation of Information Service

The proposed information service will be developed for multiple users. The figure below provides a tentative outline of the information services to be provided to the various user groups. The list will need to be confirmed by the various user groups during the “User needs analysis phase of the project”.

REQUEST to UKSA (IPP)

– To consider how this proposal reinforces the recently singed SANSA- UKSA MoU and to consider supporting the proposal

– To recommend improvements / amendments to the concept proposal.

– To consider support and long term institutionalisation for the Community, Public, Private - Partnership that will result from the project so ensuring sustainability of the projects outputs.