Sustainable Intensification
Strategic approach in Precision Farming for increased resource use efficiency
- To improve water use efficiency, BISA developed a sub-surface drip laying machine prototype. It has the capacity of saving about 70% of irrigation water and can reduce the risks of the increasing weed population.
- The precision water management practices such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD), Tensiometers, Laser Land Levelling – LLL (for wheat), and raised beds (for wheat and maize) were also customized, evaluated, and disseminated through BISA farms for improving water usage.
- In addition, BISA conducted participatory research on precision nutrient management in farmers’ fields, focussing on the ‘4R’ Nutrient Stewardship (Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place).
- GreenSeeker, a handheld sensor that measures Normalized Difference Vegetative Index (NDVI) was also used for in-season nitrogen management in cereals. Nutrient Expert ® is a decision support system developed by IPNI in collaboration with CIMMYT that can rapidly provide nutrient recommendations for individual fields even in the absence of soil testing data.
- A machine prototype for laying driplines at precise depth and spacing for sub-surface drip irrigation (SSDI) system was also developed.